Canadian womenswear label Ahiri, which began as an online retailer, launched its flagship store at 797 Queen Street West in Toronto.
This is the first permanent store for the brand and houses its design studio on the retail floor along with its office and warehouse.
The retailer said combining its studio and retail spaces means Ahiri customers can be part of the label’s design process and experience the world of designer Michael Jafine. This behind-the-scenes access offers a deeper connection, making it more than just a shopping trip. Toronto-based visual consultant Jairo Betancur, known for his work with renowned brands such as Gucci, Hudson’s Bay and Club Monaco, is overseeing the store’s visual presentation and merchandising.
“Co-locating our retail, designer studio, office and warehouse will save time, resources and allow Ahiri to streamline its operations. Our customers can see what Michael is working on, give their feedback and be a meaningful part of Ahiri’s ecosystem. They will get a behind-the-scenes look at the design process, including mood boards, fabric swatches and other in-studio accoutrements,” said Sheetu Latif, CEO and co-founder, Ahiri.
“This is a huge moment for Ahiri and our team couldn’t be more excited to offer a fresh retail experience. Ahiri is all about timeless designer fashion and now our customers can get a behind-the-scenes look at our creative process and give their own input. The relationship with our customers will become more intimate, as they will now be reflected in our upcoming collections in a deeper way,” added Jafine.
The brand was launched in 2021 by co-founders Sheetu Latif, Naimul Chowdhury and Ahnaf Ali. It has since dropped four collections.
“When we set out to create Ahiri, we made it our mission to offer quality, designer garments at sensible prices, all designed locally. We also set out to create garments that elevate everyday basics and integrate easily into our customer’s current wardrobes,” said Ali.
“We’re cultivating a fresh community of fashion enthusiasts in Canada who appreciate and actively seek new designs at exceptional prices.”
Jafine received his bachelor’s in fine arts for fashion design at Parsons The New School for Design in New York City. Working for brands such as Proenza Schouler, The Row and Behno, he trained his design and tailoring skills to later create his own fashion line before joining Ahiri. In his design process, he values craftsmanship, sustainability, and emotion, blending the three to create new and innovative approaches to the timeless classics of a wardrobe.
“The way we position ourselves is that it doesn’t necessarily have to cost you an arm and a leg to have nicely designed, good quality, good fabric, nicely constructed clothes,” said Latif. “That is our niche, you can say.
“We’re incredibly excited about the opening of the new flagship store. It’s our first permanent location that brings together retail space, design studio, office and warehouse, all under one roof.
“This is a start and you can call it our pilot. Obviously we feel that we need a presence in the West Coast and in the fashion capital of Canada also in Montreal. Actually you would be surprised. We are getting a lot of attention in the USA. I actually want to open one in L.A. and one in New York. You have to dream.
“It will all depend on how well we do here. We’re confident and this will be the model we will replicate in other places.”
