Grays

On a calm stretch of Dundas West, this quaint boutique feels less like a shop and more like a studio in motion

Founded by partners Connor Dudgeon and Julia Gray, this Little Portugal boutique champions natural-fibre clothing and objects built on a resolutely local supply chain. “We run everything together,” says Dudgeon. “From day-to-day shopkeeping and buying to designing and managing production of our in-house line.” What emerges is a space where their shared vision for material honesty and thoughtful design takes shape.

Open Gallery Modal

The spark for Grays was a personal one. Julia wanted a timeless blazer—natural materials, made close to home—and the search led the pair straight to Ontario wool. “We stumbled upon Ontario wool and it was an instant connection,” Dudgeon recalls. Learning about underused regional fleece and the care of small regenerative farms shaped both their materials palette and ethos. Opening in March 2024, the shop has since evolved into a hybrid boutique and micro–design house, carrying Canadian and international labels alongside their own Ontario Wool collection—and, recently, serving and selling natural wine in store.

Open Gallery Modal

Grays’ farm-to-garment map is refreshingly tight. The couple sources fleece from regenerative Ontario farms; fibre is processed at Wave Fibre Mill in Seguin, with low-impact methods that preserve character. They collaborate with Deborah of Upper Canada Weaving to explore new constructions—“like our new jacket coming this winter”—before the pieces are cut and sewn in Toronto’s west end. “From the farm, to the mill, to the weaving studio, to our makers it all happens within a few hundred kilometres,” says Dudgeon. “That lets us build real relationships and ensure a fully traceable process.”

Open Gallery Modal

The design of the shop itself extends this tactile story. The black facade, bold white window graphics, and natural grass arrangements in the display set a quiet but striking tone from the street. Inside, shelves of natural wine and ceramics sit alongside racks of richly textured garments, while rough brick walls, wood floors, and minimal furnishings allow colour and fibre to take centre stage. Dressing rooms draped in cascading linen curtains underscore the emphasis on fabric as both material and atmosphere. “We see Grays as more than a clothing shop,” Dudgeon says. “It’s a place for sharing ideas around material and making.”

Open Gallery Modal

If the product mix—small-batch apparel, homeware, and Dudgeon’s minimalist objects—signals taste, the takeaway is connection. “We want people to leave feeling connected,” he says. “To the story of the clothes they’re wearing, to the objects in their home, and to the people who shaped it into something lasting.” As Grays grows (a Globe and Mail nod as one of the year’s designers to watch hasn’t hurt), its north star remains simple: natural fibres, transparent production, and timeless design—made here.