Los Angeles-based luxury brand John Elliott, known for its pricey minimalist apparel, has unexpectedly and suddenly closed its first international flagship store at 83 Yorkville Avenue in Toronto. The store opened in the summer of 2023 in a retail space formerly occupied by Off-White.
As of the evening of Wednesday, October 10, 2024, stock had been removed from the store and John Elliott signage had been removed from the building. Several pieces of mail could be seen on the floor of the store, having been pushed under the main glass entry door. The Toronto store is also no longer listed on John Elliott’s website.
At the same time, a sign on the door blames its closure on a ‘downed computer system’, while on Google the store is listed as being ‘temporarily closed’.
John Elliott’s Brief Toronto Presence
Spanning 2,407 square feet, the Yorkville flagship was designed by architect Stephan Wiemer, following John Elliott’s signature minimalist aesthetic. The store was intended to be a key addition to Toronto’s luxury retail scene, offering a full range of the brand’s high-quality pieces, including Japanese denim, artisanal leather goods, and Italian-produced footwear.
The store’s clean, modern design featured natural elements such as bamboo plants and stone accents, aiming to create a serene and upscale shopping environment.
Virgil Abloh-founded brand Off-White occupied part of the building from April of 2017 until 2021.
Neighbouring High End Retail
The immediate area has seen a transformation over the past eight years. Since 2016, luxury brands have opened in the immediate area including Christian Louboutin, Chanel, Brunello Cucinelli, Stone Island and Balenciaga. In 2023, luxury resale store Mine & Yours opened two doors down from John Eliott, and earlier that year US-based Reformation opened its Canadian flagship next door.
John Elliott continues to operate four stores in the United States, in Los Angeles, New York City, Miami, and Aspen. It appears that a second store in New York City closed since Retail Insider reported on John Eliott’s Toronto opening last year.
In Canada, John Elliott fashions continue to be carried in retailers such as Holt Renfrew, SSENSE, Kith in Toronto, and Roden Gray in Vancouver.
