Angela Larson’s love of fashion is undeniable. Her mind is an archive of decade-specific details and collections that would impress the likes of industry encyclopedias Grace Coddington and Hamish Bowles. With elegant charm, warm laughter and a biting sense of humour, she shares her history, vintage shopping philosophy and fashion witticisms. A marvellous character, to be sure, Larson’s passion for all things vintage and fashionable is as fascinating as it is impressive.

An appreciation for vintage fashion was instilled in Larson at a young age, “I grew up around a grandmother who was an antique dealer. [My family] used to joke that she could spot a designer silk scarf from 300 feet away. So I was around that when I was younger.” With a sharp eye and fierce knowledge of textiles, it’s no wonder that Larson’s Swish Vintage has been a booming success for over a decade. In her early adult years, she worked at Holt Renfrew—“I was in fashion for years, and so I think I must come by it naturally.”

Life changed, and Larson found herself a single parent working for an ad agency. As she tired of the long hours and intense pressure, she began to think about starting her own business, “I very naively thought that if I had my own business it would be different. I certainly started out working extremely long hours.” Now with another employee and a strong base of adoring customers, Larson no longer works twelve-hour days, though it’s hard to imagine how someone so passionate takes a real break from the fashion world. “You just get a high for these things,” she says. Even on vacation, Larson is on the hunt, Googling all the local antique and vintage shops before her trips.

When it comes to shopping vintage, Larson wants her customers to challenge themselves, “someone might say, ‘I don’t wear dresses, they aren’t comfortable.’ Well, dresses are comfortable—if they fit you.” One of her top tips for shopping vintage is to know your measurements ahead of time so that the try-on process isn’t disparaging. Swish labels and groups pieces by measurements, so knowing your bust, waist and hip size will make shopping a dream, “if something is too tight, short, or awkward, of course, it’s not going to be something you’re drawn to, but I think that’s part of shopping second hand.  Whether you’re thrifting or buying vintage from a shop like Swish, shaking up your preconceived ideas of what comfort means is paramount, Larson says, pausing before delivering a hard truth Anna Wintour would love, “you can be comfortable in a million different things that are not tragic to look at.”

Even though vintage designer pieces can be found in every corner of Swish, Larson says the label isn’t what matters most, “I want young people to know that it’s not just about Chanel or designer, it’s about beautiful things, and you can get that unlabelled. So many vintage pieces are hand-made; there were so many incredible home-sewers in the 50s, 60s and 70s. I hate being asked about brands because to me it’s just a lovely piece.” She makes a strong case for replacing five acrylic fast-fashion sweaters with one or two vintage wool sweaters, “why have five crappy sweaters when you can have one really beautiful one?” she says with a sassy laugh. It’s always been about beautiful fashion pieces for Larson: good style is simply her way of life.