Chris Coates is serving a growing demand for fashionable and sustainable clothing with Last Shop on Earth, an online store and studio for his handmade creations. Last Shop on Earth offers a collection of one-of-a-kind and custom-made items that have attracted the attention of musicians and artists across the region and beyond, including Caprice Soleil, Solsic and Rare Candyz.
Born in Hamilton and raised in Kitchener, Coates grew up in a family of makers, including his mother and grandparents. He would sew small projects to develop his skills before moving on to creating full garments.
“I have always been artistic. I started with photography and met some designers through that work. It inspired me to get into sewing as a profession,” he said.
Coates left his full-time job in 2019 to take a part-time role at a Lens Mill Store and focus on sewing items from scratch. He launched Last Shop on Earth in 2020 with its online store and appointment-only studio at 108 Aherns St. W. in Kitchener.
Coates said while larger cities like Toronto and Montreal are appealing, Kitchener’s history of fashion designers and manufacturers is inspiring.
“Kitchener should be a fashion hub—we used to be, back in the ‘40s. Look at the art the city shows on things like the Weber Street bridge,” he said, referring to the artistic reliefs of fashion and footwear icons on the bridge’s monumental piers.
After five years of creating full-time, Coates said he is still refining his style.
He finds inspiration in an eclectic set of influences, from twentieth-century prints and patterns to post-apocalyptic films, television shows and video games.
“I’m still in the phase of trying to find my aesthetic, even though some might think I already have that set in stone. Most of my work caters to other artists, whether it’s band members or rappers or other visual artists. I’m trying to branch out to create for a more general audience, too,” he said.
While Coates offers items on the Last Shop on Earth website, he focuses on providing his customers with an in-store experience they cannot get at a typical clothing store.
Customers come in with existing pieces they want to rework or an idea for a piece they would like Coates to create.
“People will come in and get sized, and we either pick a design or make one for them. You can bring in your old pants, and I can give them a makeover for lack of a better term,” Coates said.
Sustainability and reducing waste are important aspects of Coates’ approach to fashion. He said he sees younger generations looking for options other than fast fashion or designer brands.
“I’ve read predictions that fast fashion and even high fashion are going to be dead in a few years because all everyone wants to have [are] either green, thrifted or one-of-a-kind pieces. You don’t want something that everyone else can get. Rarity is going to be a big selling point,” he said.
As Coates continues to create unique and sustainable fashion, he is looking for ways to restore Kitchener’s status as a fashion hub.
He wants to open a collaborative space he can share with other designers and tailors, like shared art or tech spaces across the city.
“My little dream is to have my own building, maybe share it with a tailor, so you can come in and get your own clothes tailored or buy clothes I’ve made. I even see staff that could recycle donated clothes into new fabric,” Coates said.
You can visit lastshoponearth.bigcartel.com to learn more about Coates’s clothing.
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