LVMH-owned Spanish luxury brand Loewe is building its first standalone Canadian storefront at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre. The brand entered Canada wholesale several years ago and is said to have rapidly gained market share and consumer dollars.
Construction hoarding is now up for Loewe, which will occupy about 4,000 square feet in a new central luxury wing that is currently under development at Yorkdale. Loewe will be joined by a 3,250 square foot Brunello Cucinelli storefront nearby, as well as about 10 other luxury brands that will open in the new wing over the course of months as construction is finished.
Loewe’s first substantial presence in Canada was in 2015 when Nordstrom opened a shop-in-store for the brand at its Vancouver location. Loewe boutiques subsequently opened inside Nordstrom’s downtown Toronto and Yorkdale stores.
Holt Renfrew subsequently picked up the brand, which is said to now be the top-selling wholesale leather goods brand at Holts for the moment. Loewe has a small leather goods presence in a space at Holts Yorkdale, and ready-to-wear for the brand is carried is carried at Holts in Toronto and Vancouver. With Nordstrom’s exit from Canada in the spring, Holt Renfrew is now the primary retailer in Canada for Loewe, which is also carried at The Webster on Scollard Street in Toronto.
On Wednesday morning, Lyst revealed its Q3 list of the world’s hottest fashion brands, and Loewe ranked second.
It’s not yet known if Loewe will exit Holt Renfrew’s Yorkdale store with the opening of the standalone storefront in the mall. Sources say that Loewe was also in talks to open a standalone Vancouver store in the Oakridge Park retail development which will house an expansive assortment of luxury brands and will open in 2025.
Yorkdale is adding luxury retailers at a rapid pace with the opening of its new luxury wing, and is expected to become one of the world’s top centres in terms of luxury brand offerings. Retail Insider will continue to report on new tenants in the luxury wing when permitted.
Loewe was founded in Madrid in 1846, making leather goods for royals and other affluent clients. The brand continued to grow modestly over the decades, being acquired by LVMH in 1996. The brand has grown rapidly over the past decade following the appointment of creative director Jonathan Anderson in 2013.
Today, Loewe operates standalone stores in major markets globally and it also wholesales in various upscale retailers. The brand has expanded over the years beyond leather goods to sell ready-to-wear clothing, footwear, accessories, home goods, fragrances, candles and other categories. In the United States, Loewe operates full-priced stores in New York City (Soho), East Hampton NY, Beverly Hills (Rodeo Drive), Orange County (South Coast Plaza), Honolulu (Ala Moana Center), Las Vegas (Wynn), and in Miami (Miami Design District). The brand also operates two outlet stores in the United States, and can be found wholesale in retailers such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom.
