Boutique - what is it? What is the difference from a clothing store?

The word "boutique" is of French origin and is translated as "bench". The appearance of it is attributed to the year 1242, when the boutique was also the place where the merchants stored their goods, and the room in which these goods were sold. In English, the word appeared later, and it meant "a small shop, a bench."

Approximately in this period, modern understanding was formed. Boutique - what is it? So began to call stores with decorated showcases, located on the first floor. Often, products for boutiques were made using a semi-artisan way - a small team manually made hat or cut clothes in small numbers, or even in one copy. Since the 19th century, the word has become associated with shops that sold ready-made dresses from renowned tailors of their era and only in 1953 acquired the importance of a "fashion store".

Boutique - what is it? Modern interpretation

A boutique is usually a small store of fashionable and expensive goods available to people with a certain (much higher than average) income level. Such a boutique shop features a trendy and conceptual design of the premises and high quality of service. Also often the official representation of a fashion house, in which the number of consultants often exceeds the number of visitors, because not everyone can afford a thing of exclusive design. If such a store presents products of different brands, it will be called a multi-brand boutique.

A boutique or a clothing store? How to find the differences?

In our life the word entered after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and many citizens question: "Boutique - what is it?" - will answer: "This is very expensive!" This is a synonym for exclusivity and inaccessibility, high quality.

However, more and more often you can find so-called boutiques in shopping centers and at stops. The reason is that private entrepreneurs, having made their fortunes by selling things in a tent on the market, are expanding their business and calling their stores a "clothing boutique". Reminds the situation "I bought a stall, called a supermarket." How to find the differences?

The boutique is an elegant room with a designer interior, large space and good lighting in a prestigious area of the city. In stores, only issued for boutiques, everything is clogged with clothes. There are few places here and the quality of the goods leaves much to be desired, not to mention some exclusivity.

In boutiques clothes are presented in a small amount and in a certain size, if necessary, it will be customized on site in accordance with the buyer's parameters. In pseudo-libraries this service is not provided.

Concept Stores and Showrooms

Modern fashion world expanded the concept of "boutique". What is a concept-store, show-room, not everyone knows. In fact, it's the same boutique, but with some nuances. Concept-storages demonstrate a certain "lifestyle", in them the product line is expanded, and besides clothes, shoes and accessories in such a store, you can buy bedding, perfume, home decoration. In this case, all listed products will correspond to a certain style, belong to the same collection. Ideally, collections are updated several times a month. Show-rooms are offices with a showroom, they are intended for a narrow circle of buyers, exclusive customers.