Canadian-founded luxury fashion brand Ports 1961 has closed its last Canadian boutique, located on the third floor of Montreal’s Ogilvy department store. Its other two Canadian locations closed earlier last year. The storied brand struggled to gain market share in Canada, despite its considerable success around the world, especially in China.
In early 2013, Ports closed its free-standing stores in Vancouver (717 Burrard Street) and in Toronto (at 151 Bloor Street West). The Vancouver location was replaced with luxury brand Montblanc, while its Toronto space is now occupied by upscale footwear designer Stuart Weitzman. Ports’ former Ogilvy space has been replaced by a shop for moderately priced Canadian label, Pink Tartan.
In the United States, Ports 1961 continues to operate a boutique in New York City, as well as outlet stores in Chicago and in Livermore, California.
Update: Ports 1961 hasn’t exited Canada entirely, we’ve learned, since we originally publishing this article. Samson Yuen pointed out that it continues to operate an outlet at the Toronto Premium Outlets. The Ports 1961 website, however, doesn’t include this outlet on its list of North American locations. A call to the outlet confirms that it’s business as usual.
The brand started in Toronto in 1961, and was originally called Newport Canada. In 1988, Canadian twins Dan and Dean Caten started designing for Ports, at that time called Ports International. The brothers are now world-renowned for their Italy-based fashion label, DSquared2. Ports International opened free-standing store locations across Canada (and internationally), as well as shops within department stores such as Eaton’s. In 1994, the label left Canada and became a major fashion label in China. It currently operates over 350 stores in China, was well as in Hong Kong and Macau. In 2004, the label changed its name to Ports 1961 and became headquartered in New York City.
