Awesome People, Excellent Quality
As an out-of-towner, I was a bit put off by the gother-than-thou attitudes of certain stores catering to the avant garde, and after visiting Siren, I was about to give up on finding the famed Canadian hospitality among any person in the goth scene. However, setting foot into Nocturnalia renewed my faith in humanity. The girl behind the counter, whose name has unfortunately slipped my mind, treated my fiance (A Markham resident) and I with the utmost courtesy. The clothing seemed to be original and of impeccable quality. Due to the aforementioned employee's lovely, helpful demeanor, I willingly went broke buying a gorgeous black feather corset which not only fit to perfection, but failed lose a single plume all evening. Bravo to Nocturnalia! When I relocate to Toronto this summer, you can guarantee I will be a regular customer.

Nicole is a corset Goddess
Nicole Cooper is, hands down, the most talented designer I've had the pleasure of meeting! Nocturnalia House of Dreams is an incredible shop. Alterations done right on the spot? How can you compete with that... walking away with something that fits like it was made just for you! The clothes are just beautiful! Nostalgic, yet unique styles! Amazing quality in the corsets! WOW! I will be a repeat customer for years to come! Thanks Nicole!

I agree
I'm glad Nicole is still making her beautiful corsets. It's hard to find such lovely individual pieces (no mass market cookie-cutter junk here) The young woman who works there (Kate or Katie I think her name is) is the sweetest, most friendly girl I have met in a goth store in Toronto. Goth salesgirls have a rep for being really bitchy and snooty, and this girl is just the total opposite. She really made me feel comfortable, and I went home with a totally gorgeous beaded chainmail bra top. yay me!

Gothic Suprise
The first time I went to Nocturnalia, I found it to be more light hearted than other goth shoppes. I was expecting it to be more like Siren, but man, was I ever wrong. I was shocked to see that it was light and airy, with a sweet scent of incense burning. I was much more comfortable in there than any other store I've been into. When I first walked in, the first thing I saw was the beatiful gown on the model. The work amazed me. Even then, their other clothing was breath taking even tho it was simple and not alot in the store. It is a good store because of the fact that it had little bits of everything. I mean, I haven't seen any other place that carries everything need for different rituals. But the best part of all was that the salesgirl was so incredibly nice. She even remembered me when I came in for a second time. I think thats what really makes the store is her. Her personality really makes you feel welcome and that its not a bad thing to browse around. Plus she's willing to learn new things and find out about different things. If there's ever a store that you want to go visit, definately check this one out, you'll definately be surprised.

Nocturnalia not your typical goth store
I'd known of Nocturnalia clothing back when Nicole was selling out of Heretic. When I heard Heretic was closing, I was concerned I'd never find Nocturnalia or Heretic's products again. Not so!

Nocturnalia found itself a small space upstairs at the corner of Queen and Spadina. The room they're renting is not very large, but they make good use of space without it feeling cramped.

They cater to mainstream, new, old, and pagan goths, goths of nearly every flavour, and carry a wide range of products.

A young woman working there, whose name I have embarassingly forgotten, greeted me my first time there, and was terribly friendly. Not only is she appropriately knowledgeable about all products sold there, but she makes a great effort to talk to you and make you feel welcome. I all but expected her to break out tea and cookies that we might sit down and have a chat.

I wound up talking with her for possibly an hour, finding her as a person, intelligent, charming, and witty. Is this a praise of this lovely young woman? As much as it is a praise of the shop owner, Nicole, for having the savvy to hire someone who could make you feel so welcome.

Amidst the comfortable warmth of hospitality are very fine products, all at very affordable prices. A frock top for women, complete in luxurious, stretchy velvet of myriads of colours, with belled sleeves, lace, tails, and trim would normally cost you $300 at Fashion Crimes. At Nocturnalia, it costs you $150! As well, Nicole guarantees her work, such that if it should ever rip or come apart at the seams through no fault of the owner's, she will fix it, free of charge.

This kind of confidence is rare to be had at goth shops, but Nicole freely gives it. Her designs range from unusual and one-of-a-kind, to the kind of gothic wear considered "trendy" in our community. She tries not to stay ahead of the crowd, but to match its pace, always ready when the goth crowd is.

She does custom work as well, at very reasonable prices, with top quality design and construction. There's no fabric she can't work with, nor any design too complicated without involving calculus.

They have Whitewolf gaming products, as that has proven popular in the goth community, jewelry of a gothic nature, and pagan arts and products, from candles and components for spells, to ritual daggers and athames and ritual jewelry. They also carry a fine selection of leather products to suit one's particular style of goth.

Nocturnalia may not have as much shop space as many goth shops in town, but they use it well, and there is something for nearly every type of goth.

If I were to lament anything, I would wish they also offered a small selection of shoes/boots. Knowing Nicole somewhat, however, she'd want to sew them herself, and that would take a very long time, even if the quality would be second to none. ;)

To paraphrase Nicole, herself, from a visit in a dealer's room at one con, "I think women (and men) should feel beautiful. We _are_ beautiful. Every one of us. If I make something beautiful for you to wear, you can then feel beautiful all the time you wear it. You deserve to feel beautiful and special, and I hope my clothing helps you feel that way."

I assure you, the clothing makes me feel quite beautiful, and the store makes me feel quite at home.

Style and Charm
This store has style and charm, a must see new store that has opened up on Queen Street's Goth Row. (Intersection- Queen W / Spadina)
Speaking from experience I have always preferred the hand-tailored gothables to the manufactured mass produced crap. Yet there in lies the danger! I've gone through more clothing designers then I'd care to, by purchasing overpriced garments that fall apart after I buy them. (No stores mentioned!)
Various problems can occur with these small businesses, poor customer service, un-professionalism, shoddy work with cheap materials.
It is so refreshing to finally find someone who takes pride in what they do.
Nicole Cooper the fashion designer for Nocturnalia has been absolutely wonderful.
I can make an appointment to see her with a design in my head and she will create a garment that is both functional and beautiful, at a very reasonable price. With any hand-made work patience is a virtue, but it's always worth the wait.
The store itself has a wide variety of interesting things besides clothing, elegant swords that are priced cheaper then "House of Knives", books and comics, jewelry, wicca goods and so on.
The customer service was amiable. The décor was tasteful, more old-fashioned Gothic, with Medieval, Renaissance and Victorian influences. Even if you are not a "Goth" you'll have to admit the store is cool. I highly recommend it!

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