Danish lifestyle brand Rains has opened its second Canadian store at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre, continuing a Canadian expansion strategy spanning retail, wholesale and e-commerce.
The store opened June 12 and spans about 1,600 square feet. It occupies the former Ecco location, positioned between the newly built Abercrombie & Fitch store and the new Massimo Dutti location in an established fashion corridor at Yorkdale.
Alexander Hilton, Chief of Staff at Rains with responsibility for the company’s North American retail operations, said the opening follows an encouraging response to its first Canadian store in Vancouver and continued growth within the brand’s wholesale business.
“Vancouver gave us confidence that Canadian consumers truly connect with the Rains brand,” Hilton said. “Combined with the strong development of our wholesale business across Canada, it reinforced our belief that it was the right time to invest in a second retail location.”
The Yorkdale store welcomed close to 1,500 visitors during its first weeks of operation and is supported by a retail team of eight employees.
Canada Emerges as a Growth Market
Founded in Denmark, Rains built its identity around contemporary waterproof outerwear before expanding into bags, apparel, footwear and accessories. Its collections combine Scandinavian design with materials intended for changing urban weather conditions.
Hilton said the Vancouver store confirmed that Canadian demand extends beyond the company’s traditional rainwear products.
“Vancouver confirmed that there is a strong appetite for Scandinavian design and functional outerwear in Canada,” he said. “We also saw that customers quickly embraced the broader collection beyond rainwear. Those learnings gave us confidence that the opportunity extends well beyond a single city and that Canada deserves a long-term investment.”
The company has been encouraged by the performance of its Canadian business to date.
“Canada has developed into an important growth market for us, and while we’re pleased with the early results, we still believe we’re only scratching the surface of the long-term opportunity,” Hilton said.
The Yorkdale store is larger than the Vancouver location, although both follow the same global retail concept. The assortment is adjusted for the local market and season, while the overall presentation remains consistent with the company’s international stores.
The interior uses muted tones, stainless steel display elements and textured surfaces, with the products and materials kept at the centre of the space.
“The Yorkdale store follows our global retail concept, which reflects the architectural identity of the brand,” Hilton said. “While each location naturally adapts to its surroundings, the focus remains on creating a clean, immersive environment where the products and materials take centre stage.”
Building a Canadian Platform
The Yorkdale opening builds on work Rains began in Canada in 2024, when the company established a wholesale showroom at 90 Wingold Avenue near the shopping centre while preparing its first corporately operated Canadian store in Vancouver.
The showroom was created to support existing retail accounts, introduce more of the Rains assortment to Canadian buyers and expand the company’s wholesale network. Rains also moved from working through a Canadian distributor to managing distribution directly, giving it greater control over retailer relationships and the presentation of the brand.
Canadian wholesale partners have included Holt Renfrew, Simons, Sporting Life, and independent retailers. The company’s strategy has combined owned stores with major retail accounts and smaller wholesale partners to build awareness within individual markets.
The Yorkdale store extends that approach into the Toronto market, close to the showroom that has supported the wholesale business.
Demand Expands Beyond Outerwear
Outerwear remains central to Rains, but Hilton said Canadian customers are increasingly shopping across the wider assortment.
“Bags remain one of our fastest-growing categories, and we’re also seeing encouraging demand for a full lifestyle collection as customers engage with Rains as a lifestyle brand rather than solely an outerwear brand,” he said.
Canada’s varied climate gives the company relevance across different seasons, although Rains does not approach the market solely through cold-weather products.
“Our assortment strategy is driven by providing solutions across different seasons rather than focusing exclusively on cold weather,” Hilton said. “Our collections are designed to perform in changing conditions while maintaining a clean, contemporary aesthetic.”
Rains is currently focused on bringing its full global collection to Canadian customers and has no Canada-exclusive products or colours to announce. Hilton said the Yorkdale store could also become a platform for future events, partnerships and other brand activations.
Stores Support Wholesale and E-Commerce
Hilton said physical stores play an important role alongside the company’s wholesale and e-commerce businesses.
“Retail is where customers truly experience the Rains universe,” he said. “It allows us to present the brand exactly as intended while supporting both our e-commerce and wholesale business. We don’t view the channels in isolation. They reinforce each other.”
At Yorkdale, Rains joins a stretch of the shopping centre that has recently welcomed new stores from Abercrombie & Fitch and Massimo Dutti. The brand occupies space previously held by Ecco, which has reduced its Canadian store network over the past year.
The location also places Rains among a broader mix of international contemporary and luxury retailers that have continued to expand at Yorkdale.
Further Canadian Expansion Under Consideration
Rains is evaluating opportunities for additional Canadian stores, although Hilton said the company intends to remain selective.
“Canada remains an important strategic market for us, and we’re always evaluating opportunities where we believe the brand can succeed,” he said. “That said, we’re disciplined in our approach and prioritize finding the right locations over expanding quickly.”
Before opening at Yorkdale, Rains had identified Toronto and Montreal as future retail markets as it developed its Canadian strategy. The company now has stores in Vancouver and Toronto, supported by wholesale distribution and e-commerce across the country.
Hilton said Canadian consumers have responded to products that combine practical performance with understated design.
“Canadian customers appreciate quality, functionality and timeless design, which aligns closely with the DNA of Rains,” he said. “Compared to some markets, we see customers taking a thoughtful approach to purchasing and showing strong interest in products that combine performance with everyday versatility.”
Canada is expected to account for a growing share of the company’s regional business.
“Canada is becoming an increasingly important pillar of our North American business,” Hilton said. “We see significant long-term potential across retail, wholesale and e-commerce, and expect Canada to play a growing role in our regional growth strategy over the coming years.”
“Our ambition is to continue increasing brand awareness, deepen our presence across all channels and establish Rains as one of the leading contemporary outerwear and lifestyle brands in Canada,” he added. “We’re still in the early chapters of that journey, and we’re excited about what lies ahead.”
This is a beautiful and well built store. wow!