Luxury fashion brand Thom Browne has opened its first Canadian boutique at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre. It is only the fourth standalone Thom Browne location in North America and is part of Yorkdale’s move to solidify itself as the luxury retail epicentre of Canada.
The Thom Browne boutique spans about 1,430 square feet in a new luxury wing at Yorkdale which is anchored by a recently opened Louis Vuitton flagship at its north end. The Thom Browne boutique carries an expansive assortment of Thom Browne sportswear for both men and women as well as bags, accessories, footwear, eyewear, and Thom Browne Vetyver fragrances.
Thom Browne Opening Part of Yorkdale’s Move to Become Canada’s Luxury Retail Epicentre
The space itself features ample use of marble, with high ceilings creating a sense of drama. The store’s design is reflective of a mid-century office with signature slat blind-covered windows, “fluorescent” LED tube lighting, polished grey and black terrazzo flooring, and banker grey Bardiglio and Carrara marble walls. Mid-century furniture by American and French designers is featured throughout, including pieces by Dunbar by Edward Wormley, Knoll, Paul McCobb, Karl Springer, Jacques Adnet, and Maison Jansen.
Stan Vyriotes and David Wedemire of DWSV Remax Ultimate Realty Inc. negotiated the Thom Browne lease deal on behalf of the retailer. Oxford Properties is the landlord for the Yorkdale Shopping Centre.
The Yorkdale Thom Browne store is the fourth standalone location for the brand in North America. The three other stores are in New York City at 100 Hudson Street, at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa CA, and at the Miami Design District in Miami. Globally, Thom Brown operates 40 retail spaces including a mix of standalone stores and concessions in department stores. The majority of Thom Browne’s locations are in Asia according to its website.
In Canada, Thom Browne has been expanding its presence over the past several years with wholesale partners. That includes retailers such as Holt Renfrew, Harry Rosen (menswear), CNTRBND, SSENSE, and others. The Room at Hudson’s Bay carries the women’s line in Toronto and Vancouver.
Another Standalone Thom Browne Store Could Follow in Vancouver
A Thom Browne representative noted the possibility of a second standalone Thom Browne store that would be located in Vancouver. It’s not yet known where it would locate, though the city’s luxury retail clustering for the most part is centred around the 1000 block of Alberni Street.
American fashion designer Thom Browne founded his brand in 2001 with made-to-measure menswear. His background prior to founding the clothing line included a position as a salesperson at Giorgio Armani in New York City before designing for Club Monaco. He was said to be instrumental in starting the trend of slim-fitting menswear with collections inspired by mid 20th century American style that included details such as grosgrain trim and short trousers shown with exposed ankles. His first line of ready-to-wear menswear launched in 2004 and he won several awards early on before launching womenswear for Brooks Brothers’ Black Fleece label in 2007. The first women’s Thom Browne collection debuted in 2011.
Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre has become the densest clustering of luxury brands in Canada, surpassing Toronto’s Bloor-Yorkville as well as Vancouver’s Alberni Street ‘luxury zone’. Yorkdale features locations for brands such as Valentino, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, Chloé, Bulgari, TAG Heuer, Furla, David Yurman, and others which have no other standalone storefronts in Canada. Other luxury brands on the way include Celine and Golden Goose. And next week Yorkdale will unveil a 25,000-square-foot Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N entertainment centre that will operate for several months.
