{"id":16575,"date":"2022-03-05T10:57:50","date_gmt":"2022-03-05T15:57:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blackfashioncanada.ca\/database\/?post_type=cpt_portfolio&p=6085"},"modified":"2026-06-16T02:21:09","modified_gmt":"2026-06-16T06:21:09","slug":"maxines","status":"publish","type":"cpt_portfolio","link":"https:\/\/blackfashioncanada.ca\/database\/fr\/profiles\/maxines\/","title":{"rendered":"Maxine Green"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t

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Highlights<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Three sisters from North York\u2014Maxine, Lorraine and Jackie\u2014opened MAXINE'S boutique, named for\u00a0 Maxine Green,\u00a0 offering timeless fashion with impeccable in-house tailoring services.<\/li>\r\n \t
They carried exclusive labels from Canada, Italy and the U.S.<\/li>\r\n \t
Despite the blatant racism from a landlord who refused to rent to them on Avenue Road, they relocated to Yorkville and tripled their clientele.<\/li>\r\n \t
Running for over two decades until 2016, MAXINE'S became a beloved fashion hub where clients felt like family.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul><\/span><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Helmed by three sisters\u2014Maxine, Lorraine and Jackie Green\u2014MAXINE’S boutique paved it’s own way in the Toronto fashion industry. For over two decades they offered\u00a0 well-priced, high-quality garments that served their community of clients who were like family. Any customer who walked into MAXINE’S could expect three things: great clothing, great conversation and a great time.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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The Green sisters grew up in North York, in what Jackie Green, the youngest child, describes as a \u201ctypical middle-class family.\u201d Despite the ten-year difference between her and eldest child Lorraine, as well as an eight-year difference between her and middle child, Maxine, they were incredibly close. Jackie says their relationship is a \u201cspecial union\u201d that has evolved over the years.<\/p>
\u201cMy sisters felt more like mother figures to me,” reflects Jackie. “As we got older, we became more like friends,” she adds. “Now that we’re all much older I can sometimes be the bossy one but when push comes to shove, I’ll always be the baby sister.\u201d<\/p>
She recalls her older sisters always had an interest in fashion. Jackie studied sociology and mass communication at York University, while Lorraine studied fashion buying at The Fashion Institute of Canada and Maxine studied fashion design at the International Academy of Design. Jackie fondly recounts how Maxine\u2019s sewing and design prowess came in handy when she set off on an adventure to Japan for one year after graduating from University.<\/p>
\u201cI remember arriving in Japan and realizing I didn’t pack properly\u00a0 and brought too much casual clothes. When I got there, I was like, \u2018Oh my gosh, this place is all about fashion,\u2019\u201d she says. \u201cSo I called my sister, she knew my measurements, and literally designed and shipped out some amazing pieces that made me feel really good amongst the stylish Japanese girls,” remembers Jackie.\u00a0<\/p>
Maxine created her own clothing line and started selling her pieces to a high-end chain of French boutiques called La Foret. Although Lorraine and Jackie were working other jobs at the time, they encouraged her to open her own store and promised to be part of it. \u201cIt was Maxine\u2019s vision, she led the way,\u201d Jackie says.\u00a0<\/p>
Their first store was called Boutique Queen, located inside the Hudson\u2019s Bay Centre. One year later, they moved into a much bigger space on Avenue Road, north of Lawrence and decided to call it MAXINE’S.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Besides a unique selection of garments, MAXINE\u2019s also offered in-house tailoring services. Jackie says that the fit was their trademark and something that set them apart from other stores in the Greater Toronto Area.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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While Jackie focused primarily on the marketing, events and customer development side, Maxine and Lorraine did the buying, looking for well-priced and high-quality garments mainly from Canada, Italy and the U.S. Some of the main labels included Les Copains, Laur\u00e8l, Roberto Cavalli Class, Fabiana Filippi, Tombolini, Marchesa Notte, Terri Jon, Ron Leal, Msiamo and Arthur Mendon\u00e7a.<\/p>
Jackie describes the style as \u201ctimeless with a twist.\u201d At the time, many of those labels weren\u2019t carried in Toronto and MAXINE’S boutique helped develop their names in the Toronto fashion scene.<\/p>
Besides offering a unique selection of garments, MAXINE’S also offered in-house tailoring services. Jackie says that the “fit” of a garment was their trademark and set them apart from other stores in the Greater Toronto Area.<\/p>
\u201cCustomers would bring garments they bought elsewhere, asking us to fit them,” explains Green. \u201cThey’d tell us that even their husbands, who never noticed what they were wearing before, had started to compliment them.\u201d Getting the fit exactly right, Jackie adds,”was especially important and valuable to our orthodox Jewish clientele, who needed alterations that meet the requirements of their religion.”\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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When asked if they experienced racism as Black female business owners, Jackie answers \u201cabsolutely\u201d without hesitation. In those days there were no Black own businesses like MAXINE’S.<\/p>
Even renting the space on Avenue road was difficult. She recalls an instance when they had to relocate after being on Avenue Road for 10 years because the lease was up, and the landlord decided to sell the building. Successfully finding another ideal spot\u00a0 just down the road on the same street, they were in shock that, after meeting with the new landlord for the first time, he refused to move forward with leasing them the spot.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>
\u201cThe landlord basically outright told us, \u2018The clients around here are mostly white people, they’re not your culture and I don’t think they’re going to be shopping with you. You’re nice ladies, but I’m concerned you won\u2019t be able to make enough sales to cover the monthly rent.’\u2019 Even though we tried to explain to him that we have a clientele and have been on Avenue Road, just up the street, for ten years, he simply refused to rent the space to us,\u201d says Jackie.<\/p>
\u201cHe just couldn\u2019t wrap his head around the idea of a Black, female owned business, catering to a high-end crowd that consisted of mostly white women. He just didn\u2019t think we were capable no matter what we told him. I won\u2019t say what nationality he was, but he too wasn\u2019t white,\u201d adds Jackie.<\/p>
The three sisters decided to take the plunge and headed straight downtown to Hazelton Lanes in Yorkville, now called Yorkville Village, where they remained for 11 years. The sad rejection they had to experience, ended up being a blessing in disguise as they tripled their clientele in the first year.\u00a0<\/p>
Ironically, MAXINE’S clientele was predominantly white, with very few racialized customers and even fewer were Black. That said, given the prevelance of racism in society in general back then in the early days the three sisters were never on the floor together. One sister would “work the floor,” and the other two would work behind the scenes, either in the back or the basement. Jackie describes racism as \u201ca feeling\u201d that\u2019s difficult to explain sometimes. \u201cYou can’t always put your finger on it but you can feel it.\u201d<\/p>
Despite having experienced racism during their years in business, Jackie didn\u2019t consider being Black a challenge or barrier for them, nor was it hugely present. \u201cIf that was the case, we would\u2019ve never opened a boutique,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The memories of MAXINE’S are still dear to Jackie and her sisters\u2019 hearts. She speaks very fondly of the relationships they built with their clients, which is part of the boutique’s legacy. Despite closing in 2016, Jackie says they still keeps in touch with some of their past clients.<\/p>
\u201cOur clients were like family,\u201d she says with a smile, sharing their many joys and even pains at times, proving that MAXINE’S wasn’t just a business. “It was a fashion hub where a community of women came to get outfitted with honest advice, no pressure and left feeling uplifted and empowered with confidence,” she explains.<\/p>
They were often referred to as \u201cpioneers\u201d in the industry, a title the sisters were reluctant to take on, until reflecting on their careers. \u201cFor us, what matters is we ran MAXINE’S with love and integrity,\u201d concludes Jackie. And while the physical entity of MAXINE’S is no more, it continues to live on in the\u00a0 bonds they and the clothes many of them are still wearing today.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The other two sisters would either stay in the back or in the basement before rotating. It was only after the first year or two when the three of them would be on the floor all at once.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Over the years Prof. Gooden has built a multi-media career as an editor, writer, presenter, public relations consultant and special event manager, spokesperson, host, and educator. She...<\/p>\n Read More<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n <\/div>
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Over the years Prof. Gooden has built a multi-media career as an editor, writer, presenter, public relations consultant and special event manager, spokesperson, host, and educator. She...<\/p>\n Read More<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n <\/div>
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Over the years Prof. Gooden has built a multi-media career as an editor, writer, presenter, public relations consultant and special event manager, spokesperson, host, and educator. She...<\/p>\n Read More<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n <\/div>
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0<\/span>Comments<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Share your thoughts:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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