By Amanda Pieters /
She’s closed Sunday for church. After travelling through Europe and Australia, she decided to bring their styles to her hometown streets, opening Strada in Edmonton last year. What you might not expect at a downtown boutique: Christian surfer rock blaring from the speakers. It raises the eyebrows of customers combing racks of hoodies and short-shorts. But “buttoned-up-church-girl” is one label Miller doesn’t carry.
Why did you call your shop Strada?
Strada means “street” in Italian. I was looking for different names, and my friend is in a Christian, indie-rock band in Calgary with that name. I just thought it was sweet.
What’s the style of your clothes?
It’s mostly European, the main line is Fenchurch. I carry some local stuff as long as it’s rad.
The first thing I noticed when I came in was the music. The lyrics are about faith in God and loving Jesus. What effect does that have on your customers?
I’ve had both negative and positive feedback, because people aren’t used to it. As long as I keep the music upbeat, people ask questions like, “What’s this all about?”
A lot of people think Christians are and should look conservative, yet you’re the opposite.
You always think that Christians cover every inch of their body, wear no makeup and are super plain and super boring. When I say that I’m a Christian, sometimes people go silent. That’s why I’ve always been so open about it: to show people that we are fun, to take them by surprise and broaden their ideas.
Category: Life
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