Schad: A Family Affair

Sussex Drive is not only home to the Harpers, but also the Schads. In the 1980’s, Andre Schad sold western wear under the moniker Schadillac Ranch. In 1995, when cowboy chic was dying out, Schad and his wife, Chantal Biro-Schad, opted to sell designer denim on Elgin St. Today, the power couple own and manage three boutiques on Sussex.

When I arrived at schad, a boutique for women, Chantal was buzzing around the shop, chatting with employees and fixing garments to ensure a perfect visual presentation for her clients. The garments sold at schad looked like they could be found in the closet of any “it” celebrity. Chantal embodied the look of effortless style the schad customer looks for. She wore a furry, white vest, over a semiopaque blouse, designer jeans and trendy clog-like boots.

As we walked over to met Andre at the couple’s newest addition to the schad empire, Wolf and Zed, a upscale footwear boutique, Chantal asked if I had visited her shops before. I answered no. She replied, “What’s wrong with you?” This was a fair question. Why hadn’t I, an aspiring fashion journalist, visited the biggest renters in Ottawa’s fashion district? I later learned, I have been missing out.

schad is one of the original boutiques to hold real estate on Sussex, according to Chantal and Andre. Chantal said Andre predicted Sussex to be the next up-and-coming area when they first moved in, a vision which still proves true today. Andre began his career in retail while studying arts at Carleton University. He said he would sell western wear on campus and at flea markets on weekends. Chantal holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Western University, which she said doesn’t apply to her role at schad, but she added, “I’ve always been a shopper.” As well as being a shopper, it is no doubt that Andre is a business man. When he noticed the popularity of designer denim he opened a luxury denim store. When this trend fizzled, and consumers craved luxury designer brands the Schad strip we know today was born.

schad and schad blü, schad’s male counterpart, sell luxury brand separates to style conscious Ottawans ranging from teens to senior citizens. “There is something for everyone,” Chantal said.

The Schads do all of their buying themselves and said they sell clothes you can’t find anywhere else in the city. They called their aesthetic “casual luxury” and said they stock brands including Chloe, John Varvatos shoes, Camper boots, Cole Haan shoes, Frye boots and the internationally known Canadian label, Mackage. Andre handles the men’s buying and the macro side of the company, because he said, “I am a big picture kind of guy.” Chantal is detail-oriented, which seems to compliment her husband perfectly. “I put it all together,” she said, adding she manages the women’s buying. When I asked where the name for their footwear boutique, Wolf & Zed, came from, we launched into a conversation about their family. The couple has two children, Wolfgang (Wolf) and  Zsuzska (Zed). In addition to balancing family life and running three stores, the Schads travel throughout Europe and the United States to purchase new products. They jokingly asked me if I was free to babysit their children while the go to Milan.

The busy duo took time to answer my many questions, which follows the supportive nature of other fashion industry insiders in Ottawa. No matter how big you are in this small town city, industry insiders always seem to pay homage to their roots. The Schads did just this by holding a coat drive for the homeless living in the ByWard Market last November. “We sell clothing, so we like the idea of giving back clothing,” Chantal said. They invited the designers of Mackage, one of the most successful Canadian talents in Chantal’s opinion, to the event. She said most of her customers own a coveted Mackage coat, so she liked the idea of providing them with the opportunity to meet the designers.

Andre and Chantal are dedicated to bringing “casual luxury” to Ottawa, a task they fully embrace. “It’s crazy, it’s hectic, it’s fun…it never stops,” said Andre. “I love it,” said Chantal.