Well made clothes that also happen to be cute and affordable are pretty much impossible to come by these days. The guys behind year-old label (212) want to change that.

Vancouver-based duo Anthony Castro and Scott Walhovd met while working in New York City as a fashion model and designer, respectively. After moving to Vancouver in 2005 and opening up a boutique, the team decided to launch a private label. (212) was born in Fall 2009.

What differentiates (212) from other lower-end contemporary labels is not the price–a dress for instance, might run you $160–but the quality, which is more on the luxury level. Everything is made with particularly attention paid to finishing details and fabric quality. (You could compare the quality to that of high-end favorites like Phillip Lim and Proenza Schouler.)