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Nordstrom Reveals Brands Carried in its Pacific Centre Flagship

By
Craig Patterson
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Rendering: NORDSTROM at CF PACIFIC CENTRE

Nordstrom has provided a full list of brands carried in its 230,000 square foot Vancouver store, set to open Friday, September 18. The Pacific Centre location will carry far more brands than Nordstrom’s Calgary and Ottawa stores, including some exclusive concessions and shop-in-stores. This may not be surprising, given that Vancouver’s Nordstrom will be one of only six global flagships for the retailer. Nordstrom has also provided us with a full list of in-store services and amenities, which we have included in a separate article. 

Prior to its 9:30 am opening, Nordstrom is holding a pre-opening beauty bash from 7:30 am until 9:30am, accessed via the 799 Robson Street entrance. You can get your makeup done and have free breakfast bites and coffee, with live music by Side One. 

RELATED: Nordstrom Reveals Luxurious Canadian Flagship Interior Renderings

Nordstrom Pacific Centre features a remarkable number of upscale shops-in-stores, possibly more than any other Nordstrom location. Below, we will list its luxury shops-in-stores, followed by a listing of luxury designers. Following that, we will provide a full category-by-category list of designers, and will conclude with lists of its Canadian designers, as well the store’s brand exclusives. 

RENDERING: NORDSTROM

Boutique Concessions: 

Nordstrom’s Vancouver store features two high-profile luxury boutiques — Christian Louboutin footwear and accessories for women, and Delvaux women’s leathergoods. This will be Paris-based Louboutin’s second Canadian location (its first opened at Holt Renfrew‘s Toronto Yorkdale store in 2012) and Belgium’s Delvaux is exclusive to Nordstrom in Canada. Nordstrom’s only other Louboutin shop is in its Chicago flagship location, and we’re not aware of any other Nordstrom locations carrying Delvaux.

GROUND FLOOR ACCESSORIES, PHOTO BY HELEN SIWAK

Luxury Accessory Boutiques: 

Nordstrom’s accessories department will feature boutiques for Balenciaga, Burberry, Céline, Chloé, Loewe, Longchamp, Saint Laurent Paris and Valentino (as well as Delvaux, mentioned above). This will be LVMH-owned Spanish luxury brand Loewe‘s first Canadian shop-in-store. Apart from Delvaux, all of the brands mentioned above are carried in nearby Holt Renfrew, though not in dedicated shop-in-stores. 

GROUND FLOOR ACCESSORIES. RENDERING: NORDSTROM

Luxury Womens’ Ready-to-Wear Boutiques:

Nordstrom’s exceptional lineup of ready-to-wear boutiques includes Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Burberry, Céline, Saint Laurent Paris, Stella McCartney and Valentino. All brands are also carried at nearby Holt Renfrew, though none featured as shops-in-stores. 

COLLECTORS ON 2. PHOTO: RITCHIE PO

Other Luxury Women’s Brands:

Women’s Ready-to-Wear: Nordstrom’s priciest women’s designer department is called Collectors (located on the Vancouver store’s second-floor), and it features the following luxury brands: Loewe, Milly, Missoni, Prabal Gurung, Anthony Vaccarello, Carolina Herrera, Carven, Jason Wu, Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta, Proenza Schouler, St. John Knits and Zac Posen.

Exclusives in the Vancouver store include Milly and Missoni. Nearby Hudson’s Bay‘s ‘The Room‘ also carries Prabal Gurung, Carven, Jason Wu and Proenza Schouler, while nearby Holt Renfrew carries Carven and Oscar de la Renta. 

HANDBAGS, GROUND FLOOR. PHOTO: HELEN SIWAK

Accessories/Handbags: Most of Nordstrom’s luxury handbags brands will feature their own shops-in-stores, as described above. Luxury brands MCM, Jimmy Choo, WANT Les Essentials de la Vie and Stella McCartney will also be carried. Other handbags brands will include Coach, Frye, Kate Spade New York, Mackage, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Michael by Michael Kors, Rebecca Minkoff, Ted Baker London, Tory Burch and Vince. 

GROUND FLOOR COSMETICS AND FOOTWEAR. PHOTO: RITCHIE PO

Women’s Footwear: Nordstrom will feature three women’s shoe departments, including its designer department called Salon Shoes. Luxury footwear brands will include Alexander McQueen, Alexander Wang, Balenciaga, Charlotte Olympia, Fendi, Salvatore Ferragamo, Jimmy Choo, Lanvin, Manolo Blahnik, Miu Miu, Prada and Valentino.

Most of these are carried in nearby Holt Renfrew, and Hudson’s Bay’s The Room carries Charlotte Olympia. Other footwear brands at Vancouver’s Nordstrom will include Ash, Born, Camper,Cole Haan, Donald J. Pliner, Franco Sarto, Frye, Ivanka Trump, Lucky, Nike, Opening Ceremony, Paul Green, Sam Edelman, Steve Madden, TOMS, Tory Burch, UGG Australia, Vans, Via Spiga and Vince Camuto. 

WOMEN’S SHOES, GROUND FLOOR. PHOTO: RITCHIE PO

Men’s Apparel: Nordstrom’s Vancouver store will include a roster of luxury designers, as well as moderately-priced brands. Pricier labels will include Armani Collezioni, Hugo Boss, Burberry, Canali, Ermengildo Zegna, JW Anderson, Loewe, Marni, Moschino, Rick Owens and Yohji Yamamoto. Other brands will include A.P.C., Ben Sherman, Billy Reid, Diesel, Gents, G-Star, Hart Schaffner Marx, Hickey Freeman, Howe, J Brand, Lacoste, Naked & Famous, Nike, Penfield, Peter Millar, Play by Comme Des Garcons, Psycho Bunny, Rag & Bone, Rogue, Samuelsohn, Scotch & Soda, Ted Baker London, Tim Coppens, Wings & Horns, and Zanerobe. 

Men’s Footwear: Nordstrom will carry several pricey menswear labels including DSquared2, Salvatore Ferragamo, Guiseppe Zanotti, Jimmy Choo, John Lobb, MCM, Prada, Prada Linea Rossa, To Boot New York, Tod’s and WANT Les Essentials de la Vie (exclusive to Nordstrom in Vancouver). Nordstrom will also carry brands 1901, Calibrate, Monte Rosso, The Rail (all exclusives) as well as Aldo, Cole Haan, Common Projects, Nike, Pajar, Public School, Timberland, and Y-3 Yohji Yamamoto.

PERSONAL SHOPPING SUITE OVERLOOKING ROBSON STREET. PHOTOS: HELEN SIWAK

Below is a list of brands department-by-department, with less commentary than above: 

Women’s Apparel: Exclusives: The following designers will be exclusive to Nordstrom in Vancouver: Alice + Olivia, Adieu, ARIES, Betony Vernon, Cameo, Caslon, Chelsea 28, Classiques Entier, Daniela Villegas, Delpozo, Earnest Sewn, Equipment, Faustine Steinmetz, Felicity & Coco, Finders Keepers, For Love & Lemons, Halogen, Herve Leger, Leith, Madewell, Mira Mikati, Nordstrom Collection & Caroline Issa, One Teaspoon, Rebecca Minkoff, Sara Lasry, SHRIMPS and URiBE.

Other Women’s Apparel Brands: 10 Crosby Derek Lam, A.L.C., Adrianna Papell, ASTR, Autumn Cashmere, Hugo Boss Woman, Brandy Melville, Burberry Brit, Current/Elliott, Diane von Furstenberg, Eileen Fisher, Elie Saab, Eliza J, Frame Denim, Free People, Helmut Lang, IRO, Joie, Kate Spade New York, Kensie, Lafayette 148 New York, Lush, Marc by Marc Jacobs, McQ by Alexander McQueen, Opening Ceremony, Paige Premium Denim, Public School, Rag & Bone, Rebecca Taylor, Red Valentino, See by Chloe, Simone Rocha, T by Alexander Wang, Tadashi Shoji, Ted Baker London, Theory, Veronica Beard, Vetements, Vince, Vince Camuto and Wildfox. 

Beauty Brands: Exclusives: Le Labo, Drybar blow out services, Parfums di Marly and Space NK. Other Beauty Brands: Amore Pacific, Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Studio, Antica Farmacista, Arcona, Aqua di Parma, Bobbi Brown, Burberry Beauty, Butter London, Chanel, Chantecaille, Charlotte Tilbury, Clarisonic, Cle de Peau Beaute, Clinique, Creed, Deborah Lippmann, Diptyque, Dior, Estée Lauder, Giorgio Armani, Guerlain, Jack Black, Jo Malone London, Kate Someville, Kiehl’s Since 1851, La Mer, La Prarie, Lancôme, Laura Mercier, MAC, Molton Brown, NARS, Nest, Shiseido, Shu Uemura, Tom Ford, Viktor & Rolf and YSL. 

SAINT LAURENT WOMEN’S READY-TO-WEAR BOUTIQUE, UNDER CONSTRUCTION ON 2. PHOTO: HELEN SIWAK

Fine Jewellery: Exclusives: Bony Levy. Other Brands: Anne Sportun, Astley Clarke, Dana Rebecca, Lana Jewelry, Ginette, Jack Kelége, Kalan by Susanne Kalan, Kismet, Kwiat, Marco Bicego, Meira T, Poppy Finch, Roberto Coin, Zoe Chicco and more. Other Jewellery Brands: Alexis Bittar, Anna Beck, Argento Vivo, Kendra Scott, Leah Alexandra, Melanie Auld, Nadri and more. 

Sunglasses Brands: Chanel, Céline, Dior, Gucci, Kate Spade New York, Karen Walker, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Prada, Ray Ban, Tom Ford and more. 

PHOTO: RITCHIE PO

Watches: Exclusives: Bamford, Frederique Constant and Raymond Weil. Other Brands: Burberry, Fendi, Fossil, Gucci, Kate Spade New York, Michele, Movado, Nixon, Shinola, Skagen and more. 

Lingerie and Hosiery Brands: 35MM, Chantelle, Dita Von Teese, Free People Intimates, Hanky Panky, Happiness, Hue, Junkfood, L’Agent Provocateur, La Perla, Lauren Moshi, Lazy Pants, Mimi Holiday, Natori, Nubian Skin, Only Hearts, Skivvies, Sokoloff, Spanx, Wacoal, With Love Lingerie, Wolford and more. 

MENSWEAR ON 3. PHOTO: RITCHIE PO

Swim Brands: Beach Riot, L Space, La Blanca, Maaji, Nanette Lepore, Proneza Schouler, Red Carter, Robin Piccone, Ted Baker London, Tory Burch, Trina Turk, Vitamin A and more. 

Men’s Furinishings: Exclusives: Calibrate, Circle of Gentlemen, Eidos, Nordstrom, Pal Zileri, Rodd & Gun, Without Prejudice and YSL. Brands: Brioni, Bugatchi, Canali, David Donahue, Ermenegildo Zegna, Hugo Boss, JZ Richards, Paul Smith, Ray Ban, Salvatore Ferragamo, Ted Baker London, Todd Snyder, Tumi, Zegna Quindici and more. 

CTV NEWS SCREEN CAPTURE. CLICK IMAGES FOR FULL VIDEO, COURTESY OF CTV.

Kids and Babies: Exclusives: C2 by Calibrate, Mini Boden, Nordstrom, Peek and Tucker + Tate.
Brands: Armani, Burberry, Canada Goose, Hatley, Little Marc Jacobs, Mackage, Michael Kors, Milly, Spyder, The North Face, Thomas Dean, Under Armour Accessories, Vans and more. 

Kid’s Shoes: Exclusives: Akid, C2 by Calibrate, Ruby & Bloom, Tucker + Tate and Zella.
Brands: Converse, Freshly Picked, Hunter, Manitobah Mukluks, Nike, Polar Feet, Sorel, Steve Madden, Stride Rite, TOMS, UGG Australia and more. 

PHOTO: HELEN SIWAK

California-based confectionery Sugarfina will operate a shop on the store’s ground-floor. 

Nordstrom also broke the list down into Canadian brands carried: Exclusives: WANT Les Essentials de la Vie. Other Canadian Brands: Aldo, Anne Sportun, Arc’teryx, Canada Goose, DSquared2, Lazy Pants, Leah Alexandra, Mackage, Manitobah Mukluks, Melanie Auld, Mèreadesso, Pajar, Polar Feet, Poppy Finch, Santana, Soia & Kyo, Sokoloff, Wings + Horns, With Love Lingerie and more. 

And finally, Nordstrom has provided a list of exclusives in its Vancouver store: 

  • 1901 (men’s shoes)
  • Adieu (women’s apparel)
  • Akid (kid’s shoes)
  • Alice + Olivia (women’s apparel)
  • Appolis (handbags)
  • ARIES (women’s apparel)
  • Bamford (watches)
  • Betony Vernon (women’s apparel)
  • Bony Levy (fine jewelry)
  • BP. (women’s shoes)
  • C2 by Calibrate (kids and babies kid’s shoes)
  • Calibrate (men’s furnishings, men’s shoes)
  • Cameo (women’s apparel)
  • Caslon (women’s apparel)
  • Chelsea 28 (women’s apparel)
  • Circle of Gentlemen (men’s furnishings)
  • Classiques Entier (women’s apparel)
  • Daniela Villegas (women’s apparel)
  • Delpozzo (women’s apparel)
  • Delvaux (handbags)
  • Drybar (beauty)
  • Earnest Sewn (women’s apparel)
  • Eidos (men’s furnishings)
  • Equipment (women’s apparel)
  • Faustine Steinmetz (women’s apparel)
  • Felicity & Coco (women’s apparel)
  • Finders Keepers (women’s apparel)
  • For Love & Lemons (women’s apparel)
  • Frederique Constant (watches)
  • Halogen (women’s apparel, women’s shoes)
  • Herve Leger (women’s apparel)
  • Hinge (women’s shoes)
  • Jimmy Choo (handbags)
  • KBR (women’s shoes)
  • Le Labo (beauty)
  • Leith (women’s apparel)
  • Loewe (women’s apparel)
  • Madewell (women’s apparel)
  • Milly (women’s apparel)
  • Mini Boden (kids and babies)
  • Mira Mikati (women’s apparel)
  • Missoni (women’s apparel)
  • Monte Rosso (men’s shoes)
  • Nordstrom (kids and babies, men’s furnishings)
  • Nordstrom Collection & Caroline Issa (women’s apparel)
  • One Teaspoon (women’s apparel)
  • Pal Zileri (men’s furnishings)
  • Parfums di Marly (beauty)
  • Pedro Garcia (women’s shoes)
  • Peek (kids and babies)
  • Pop
  • -In@Nordstrom
  • Prabal Gurung (women’s apparel)
  • Raymond Weil (watches)
  • Rebecca Minkoff (women’s apparel)
  • Rodd & Gun
  • Ruby & Bloom (kid’s shoes)
  • Sara Lasry (women’s apparel)
  • SHRIMPS (women’s apparel)
  • Space NK (beauty)
  • Sugarfina
  • The Rail (men’s shoes)
  • Treasure&Bond (women’s shoes)
  • Tucker + Tate (kids and babes, kid’s shoes)
  • URiBE (women’s apparel)
  • WANT Les Essentials de la Vie (handbags, men’s shoes)
  • Without Prejudice (men’s furnishings)
  • YSL (men’s furnishings)
  • Zella (active, kid’s shoes)

Photos in this article were taken by Retail Insider contributing editors Helen Siwak (owner of Vancouver-based eco-luxury lifestyle retailer THECloset YVR) and Ritchie Po (of THECloset YVR’s Knotwerk). Photos were taken during a media tour of the store on Thursday, September 10. 

For a description of services and amenities in Vancouver’s Nordstrom, we have created a separate article. 

DSW Designer Shoes Continues Canadian Store Expansion

By
Craig Patterson
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SHERWOOD PARK MALL STORE. PHOTO: CHRISTA PATTERSON

Popular off-price footwear retailer DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse is continuing with its store expansion, after it entered Canada last year by acquiring the majority interest of Canadian retailer Town Shoes. Last week we interviewed DSW Canada CEO Bruce Dinan at the opening of the retailer’s 10th Canadian location at Sherwood Park Mall outside of Edmonton. Mr. Dinan revealed that the company plans to open up to 50 Canadian stores over the next several years, and that DSW’s search for real estate has become easier since Target exited Canada last winter. 

DSW’s Sherwood Park Mall location is currently the chain’s smallest Canadian store. While most locations are in the 20,000 to 22,000 square foot range, Sherwood Park’s DSW measures just under 15,000 square feet. It appears quite spacious, however, featuring the retailer’s typical 20,000+ pairs of shoes. Mr. Dinan explained how the store’s fixtures were moved forward within the somewhat shallow space, creating more usable square footage while making the store appear larger. 

PHOTO: CHRISTA PATTERSON

Mr. Dinan explained how DSW’s search for Canadian real estate has become a bit easier now that Target is no longer operating in Canada. More retail space has become available, and landlords are now even more eager to secure traffic-generating anchors such as DSW. Sherwood Park Mall lost its Target store last spring, which resulted in dead space and reduced foot traffic. Mall tenants we interviewed expressed gratitude at DSW’s arrival, while expressing concern that Target’s space at the south end of the mall continues to be vacant. Tenants may not have to worry for long, however, as a source at landlord Primaris reveals that it is in talks with several potential replacement tenants. 

PHOTO: CHRISTA PATTERSON

We spoke with Antony Karabus, CEO of leading retail advisory firm HRC Advisory, and he said: “Town Shoes (DSW affiliate) is known as a well-managed chain that has been growing steadily for 50 plus years as a strong, reliable Canadian retail tenant. Now that it is having tremendous success operating DSW stores in Canada, with announced plans to open numerous locations, I am not surprised that landlords are finding the company to be a very attractive tenant. There are not many profitably growing retailers opening multiple 20,000+ square foot stores. This bodes well for Town Shoes to obtain the quality of locations they are seeking.”

On Thursday, September 17, DSW opens locations in suburban Toronto (Scarborough) and in Barrie, Ontario. Later this fall, another Toronto location will open near Sherway Gardens. Mr. Dinan said that DSW is finalizing lease negotiations for more stores, and that Retail Insider will be able to reveal DSW’s next Canadian locations around the middle of October.

Canadian Custom Menswear Retailer Surmesur Continues Store Expansion

By
Craig Patterson
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In October, Quebec City-based customer menswear retailer Surmesur will open its fifth location, and it plans to continue growing in order to serve its increasing roster of clients. We spoke with its co-founder to gain insight into its technological innovations and price competitiveness, as well as its real estate strategy which involves avoiding shopping centres. 

Founded by brothers Vincent and Frank Thériault in 2010, Surmesur manufactures and retails men’s made-to-measure clothing which includes custom suits, shirts, blazers, trousers and other garments. It combines body-scanning and manufacturing technologies with traditional methods, boasting a catalog of over 8000 fabrics with a wide assortment of collars, buttons, and sleeves. Surmesur endeavours to keep its costs down to keep prices reasonable and as a result, custom shirts are priced from $60 and suits start at $375. After measurements and fabric/button/design choices are made, suits are ready in four-to-six weeks. 

Co-founder Vincent Thériault revealed that he and his brother created the company in order to “change the way men dress”. He explained how he has never been a fan of shopping, so he sought to create a convenient experience for busy men who wear suits and other dressy apparel. Given the trend towards men increasingly expressing individuality in their clothing choices, Surmesur’s customization capabilities proved particularly compelling.

In October, Surmesur will open its second Montreal-area location in Laval. The 3,000 square foot shop is located at 2200 Le Corbusier Boulevard, close to popular Le Carrefour Laval shopping centre. Mr. Thériault explained how his company chooses to operate free-standing locations as destinations rather than locating in malls, partly due to the often high rents within Canadian shopping centres. Cost savings are passed on to customers and as a result, Surmesur’s prices are often lower than competing made-to-measure menswear retailers.

Surmesur currently operates stores in Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto. Its 1,200 square foot Quebec City unit, the company’s first, has just expanded to 2,700 square feet in order to accommodate new business. Its Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto locations are all centrally located near central business districts, capturing business from men who typically wear dressier attire. Surmesur stores are ideally in the 2,200 square foot to 3,000 square foot range, according to Mr. Thériault, featuring clean white facades and interiors. 

Longer-term, Mr. Thériault revealed that his company will look to expand organically, and that it will consider new markets if locations prove strategic. Although no new locations can be revealed, he said that the company is open to expanding into new markets as opportunities arise. The retailer’s popularity, primarily due to its customization and reasonable pricing, will see it potentially rival the best homegrown and international made-to-measure competitors.

You May Now Submit Tips Anonymously

By
Retail Insider
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We recognize that some sources prefer to remain anonymous. To maintain anonymity, you may now submit news tips and other information to Retail Insider by using the box below, which will also be at the end of each of our articles. 

We’ll endeavour to fact-check tips prior to any publication, and we appreciate as much information as possible. 

Free Half-Day Fraud Seminar in Vancouver on September 22

By
Retail Insider
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There’s hardly a day that goes by without news about data breaches, illegal hacking and identity theft. No entity seems to be immune, including retailers. Criminal fraudsters are illegally getting access to millions of consumer credit card details and private data files, even while new payment systems are evolving with new technology and capturing consumer spending habits. This is further amplified by the advent of mobility into the mix. Mobile payments has captured the imagination of the Millennial generation, and the need for better fraud protection is now more important than ever.

The Fraud 360 World Tour will be landing in Vancouver on September 22 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 655 Burrard Street. Kount brings this half-day, free seminar to you with discussions about payments, fraud trends, and best practices standards that you can adapt to your business. In addition, complimentary breakfast and lunch will be provided. Register quickly because seating is limited.

Who should attend: Key decision makers, influencers, and professionals responsible for financial, technology and fraud prevention initiatives. The Fraud 360 World Tour allows business professionals from various organizations to access the latest technology advancements needed to fight fraud.

REGISTER NOW

Schedule:

8:30 am – Registration / Breakfast
9:00 am – Sessions 1 & 2
10:30 am – Break
10:45 am – Sessions 3 & 4
12:15 pm – Lunch / Q&A

Sessions will provide an overview on timely topics and best practice standards that you can adapt to your business.

1) Cross Border – Out of the country, Out of control

Speaker: Steve Casco, Chief Executive Officer, CardNotPresent.com  
Steve Casco explores the opportunities and challenges inherent in selling globally. Hear about the rise of Asia and an opportunity gap your business could exploit, how mobile is driving cross-border sales and how finding the right partners can grease the rails of international expansion.

2) Staying Out of Chargeback Hell

Speaker: Don Bush, Vice President of Marketing, Kount
Chargebacks are the number one indicator of a fraud problem, but the way chargebacks are reported to merchants makes it difficult to determine how and why they occurred. We’ll review common symptoms of fraud that can cause chargebacks and best practices to avoid them in the future.

3) Merchant Case Study: Fraud in the Omni-Channel, The Source

Speaker: Greg Coles, Director of E-Commerce Operations, The Source Electronics
For almost 23 years, Greg has been a part of The Source, working with fraud detection for the last 8 years. Greg has seen his company adapt and innovate to the changing environments, including the migration to E-Commerce and Mobile purchasing. His breadth of knowledge and experience is beyond reproach and will provide a unique insight into the fraud landscape for a successful heavily targeted Omni-Channel retail business.

Given the usefulness of the topics and the fact that it’s free, available spaces will fill up quickly. Register now and reserve your space at Fraud 360™ in Vancouver.

Saks Fifth Avenue Reveals Canadian Store Opening Dates

By
Craig Patterson
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American luxury retailer Saks Fifth Avenue has revealed opening dates for its first two Canadian stores. Both are set to open in Toronto in February, with the first being Saks’ Canadian flagship. Saks Fifth Avenue will open up to eight Canadian locations over the next several years. 

Saks will open its 170,000 square foot Canadian flagship on February 18, 2016. Located within the Hudson’s Bay building at Toronto Eaton Centre, the store will be “designed with our New York flagship in mind, keeping the spirit and grandeur of Saks as inspiration”, according to Saks. The store will also provide personal shopping, which it describes as an “intimate shopping service that will provide a personal shopper who will travel to your home or office with merchandise specifically selected for you, including, but not limited to beauty, styling and tailoring”. 

Saks’ second Canadian location, measuring in excess of 130,000 square feet, will open February 25, 2016 at Toronto’s Sherway Gardens. The Sherway store “will feature an open format so customers can easily navigate their way through as they shop”, according to Saks. 

Saks also revealed that its expansive designer shoe salon 10022-SHOE will be coming to Canada, as will its Fifth Avenue Club for personal shopping. 

Saks will open up to eight Canadian locations, focusing on Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and possibly Calgary. Saks will feature ‘food halls’ in its Canadian stores, and it has confirmed that Pusateri’s Fine Foods will operate within its first two Toronto locations. Saks recently indicated that it has secured most of its desired flagship brands for its Toronto Eaton Centre location, despite Holt Renfrew’s luxury dominance. 

Nobis Opens North American Flagship in Canada

By
Craig Patterson
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Queen Street Nobis Storefront (Image: NOBIS)

Popular Toronto-based outerwear brand nobis (Latin for “us”, spelled with a lower-case “n”) has opened its first North American flagship in Toronto, and it has plans to further expand its already successful wholesale operations. We spoke with Vice President Robin Yates to learn more about the company’s plans for Canada, as well as its intentions to open free-standing stores internationally.

Mr. Yates founded nobis in 2007, and it quickly grew to become a lifestyle brand. The company is primarily known for its technical, functional and fashionable outerwear as well as headwear, knitwear and footwear. Remarkably, unlike competitors, its down-filled jackets are machine-washable. The company says that it embraces “the conviction that trends may come and go, but style, function and quality remain timeless”. The brand is carried in various retailers in Canada including Holt Renfrew, Sport Chek, Boys’Co and Mendocino. American luxury retailer Neiman Marcus recently picked up the line for its U.S. stores, and nobis is now carried in about 40 countries. 

The company’s first North American flagship just opened at 360 Queen Street West in Toronto’s popular Queen Street West area. The 3,000 square foot retail space was formerly occupied by French Connection, which has closed most of its Canadian stores.

Having a dedicated storefront is strategic for the brand, according to HRC Advisory President Farla Efros. She explained how dedicated mono-brand boutiques allow owner/operators to create a unique customer experience through a more ‘hands-on’ approach, while controlling the brand message. She explained these boutiques create a strong testing mechanism to help understand what works and what doesn’t, while allowing the brand to build ‘street credibility’ before moving into the mainstream, which requires more diligence. 

Image Nobis
NOBIS
INSIDE THE NEW TORONTO STORE. PHOTO: NOBIS

Prior to its Toronto store opening, nobis’ only free-standing location was in Paris, France. Mr. Yates explained the company’s ambitious international expansion plans, including how the brand intends to open free-standing stores in Milan, New York City, and in Stockholm, Sweden, as well as replace its current Paris flagship.

The company will also expand its collection of shops-in-stores as well as its international wholesale accounts, as nobis is now available in over 40 countries. Mr. Yates explained that at the moment, the Toronto store is its only planned location for Canada, as nobis continues to foster careful and meaningful relationships with its Canadian wholesale accounts. 

OMEGA to Open at Sherway Gardens

By
Craig Patterson
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OMEGA Sherway Gardens Rendering - SUPPLIED

A retail presence for luxury Swiss timepiece brand OMEGA will open at Toronto’s Sherway Gardens this fall. The 400 square foot retail environment will be adjacent to and operated by upscale jeweller L’Oro, which will also operate the mall’s Chopard boutique. All stores are scheduled to open this fall in Sherway Gardens’ $550 million, 210,000 square foot expansion. 

Over 200 OMGEA timepieces will be featured, including four main watch lines – Seamaster, Contellation, De Ville and Speedmater. Some of the brand’s most luxurious timepieces will be featured, including the James Bond Limited Edition Aqua Terra, the new Moonwatch “Silver Snoopy Award” Chronograph, the De Ville Prestige Butterfly Collection and, coming soon, the new Constellation Globemaster, the world’s first Master Chronometer. 

Sherway Gardens’ OMEGA will feature the brand’s global design concept, with a façade conceived around the themes of the sun, water, earth and (fittingly) time. OMEGA’s retail presence will have its own mall entrance, and will feature a dedicated seating space where customers may enjoy expert one-on-one consultation. 

PHOTO: OMEGA

L’Oro will also open a 400 square foot Chopard boutique at Sherway Gardens, a first for Canada. L’Oro will operate its 2,500 square foot multi-brand flagship between OMEGA and Chopard, addressing the trend towards jewellers opening free-standing and shop-in-store locations for its luxury brands. 

By the spring of 2017, Sherway Gardens will feature new Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom stores, joining existing anchor Hudson’s Bay. Other large mall stores will include replacement locations for Sporting Life and Harry Rosen, both relocating this fall as part of the mall’s overhaul. 

Canada’s only official OMEGA boutique opened in early 2010 in the lobby of the the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. Originally intended to be a four-month pop-up location, the successful boutique became permanent and subsequently has expanded. 

Nordstrom Reveals Luxurious Canadian Flagship Interior Renderings

By
Craig Patterson
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Nordstrom has just provided us with renderings of the ground-floor interior of its 230,000 square foot flagship in Vancouver. It appears that the Pacific Centre store will carry substantially more luxury brands than Nordstrom’s Calgary and Ottawa stores, with dedicated spaces for brands carried at nearby competitor, Holt Renfrew. 

The rendering of Nordstrom’s ground-floor women’s designer handbags department, above, shows shop-in-stores for brands including Céline, Saint Laurent Paris, Valentino and Balenciaga. Retail Insider’s William Connor took the photo, below, showing an in-store Delvaux installation, as well as a display for Chloé bags. For those unfamiliar, Delvaux is a pricey Belgian luxury leathergoods brand with bags costing into the thousands, available in the United States at Barneys New York. 

The rendering of Nordstrom’s ground-floor women’s shoe department, below, shows boutiques for Christian Louboutin and Balenciaga. The Balenciaga shoe shop will be a first for Canada, and Louboutin’s boutique will be a Canadian second, following the opening of the Louboutin boutique at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre Holt Renfrew in December of 2013. 

Holt Renfrew, located a block north of Nordstrom, carries all of the brands mentioned above except for Delvaux. By the end of 2016, Holt Renfrew’s 150,000 square foot store will expand by 40,000 square feet to occupy about 190,000 square feet. Its women’s handbags department will expand to a whopping 30,000 square feet, while women’s footwear will triple in size to about 10,000 square feet. Although Holt Renfrew won’t officially reveal what new brands may come to its expanded store, sources say that Prada-owned Miu Miu could open a shop-in-store leathergoods concession, and that its women’s footwear department could see several new shop-in-store branded boutiques, similar to Holt’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre location in Toronto. Yorkdale’s Holt’s features footwear shops for Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin, Gucci and Salvatore Ferragamo.

Although Nordstrom’s Calgary and Ottawa stores carry some luxury brands, few of the labels listed above are carried at either (with the exception of Valentino and Chloé). Furthermore, neither of those locations feature handbag and footwear shops-in-stores like those portrayed in the renderings above. On Thursday, Retail Insider’s Helen Siwak will tour the new Vancouver Nordstrom store, and she will report back to us with her findings. 

Rocky Mountain Soap Company Reveals Growth and Renovation Plans

By
Craig Patterson
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Image: Rocky Mountain Soap

Canmore, Alberta-based Rocky Mountain Soap Company continues to open new stores, and it is also renovating some existing units to reflect the retailer’s updated branding. We spoke with its CEO and co-owner, Karina Birch, to gain insight into why the retailer has become so popular, as well as its plans to expand into new markets. 

Founded in Canmore in 1995, Rocky Mountain Soap Company offers a wide variety of 100% natural and toxin-free personal care products. The company uses high-quality essential oils, pure natural beeswax, food-grade vegetable oils, real grains, fresh herbs and fruits and vegetables in its products. Ms. Birch explained to us how she took a small craft business and turned it into an all-natural retailer with a team of in-house chemists, boasting 10 locations in Alberta, British Columbia and Manitoba. Rocky Mountain Soap’s value proposition includes exceptionally informed customer service, promoting a healthy lifestyle free of potentially dangerous chemicals. 

The retailer plans to roughly double its current store count over the next three years and as well, it will renovate some existing locations. Although it sounds ambitious, Ms. Birch explained how Rocky Mountain Soap will focus on quality over quantity, particularly focusing on the in-store experience, as well as growing its e-commerce business which now accounts for approximately 10% of its business. Its West Edmonton Mall location is currently closed for renovations and when it re-opens in October, it will feature the retailer’s updated aesthetic of environmentally-friendly and reclaimed materials. Notably, its recently opened Calgary Market Mall location features recycled marble from a building in Toronto. Photos in this article are of the Market Mall location. 

Rocky Mountain Soap Company is working with brokerage Oberfeld Snowcap [Link to representative brokers] for its Canadian expansion. It seeks locations in the 700 square foot to 800 square foot range, both streetfront as well as in busy malls. Ms. Birch revealed that the company is looking to further expand into the Vancouver market where it currently has two locations, and then into the Toronto area within the next two years. 

We spoke with HRC Advisory President Farla Efros, who explained how ‘small is the new big’ when it comes to some retailers. As consumer choices continue to grow, many consumers now seek unique offerings and as a result, we’re seeing more independent and pop-up stores in Canada. Some consumers, she explained, are also seeking out smaller businesses that create ‘community’ and ‘neighbourhood’ feel. Furthermore, these businesses tend to spend more time editing their selections, products and services and as a result, may be more likely to meet individual needs. She then went on to say that clear messaging, strong visuals and professional staff are necessary for any retailer — all of which are present at successful retailers such as Rocky Mountain Soap Company. 

For those who are in Calgary on October 7, Rocky Mountain Soap Company’s Karina Birch will be presenting on the topic of independent retailers at Retail Council of Canada‘s MySTORE MySTORY Roadshow. For more information, visit: www.retailcouncil.org/events/mystore-mystory-fall-roadshow/calgary.

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