Nearly four decades after opening its first Max Mara boutique in Vancouver, Vestis Fashion Group has returned to Oakridge with two new stores and some of the Italian fashion house’s most exclusive collections.
The reopening of Max Mara and Weekend Max Mara at Oakridge Park on May 28 marks a homecoming for one of Vancouver’s longest-established luxury retailers and caps an exceptionally busy period for the family-owned company, which has expanded rapidly over the past two years and now operates eight stores across Metro Vancouver.
For Vestis, the return to Oakridge carries particular significance. The company operated at the original Oakridge Centre for decades before the shopping centre closed for redevelopment.
“We were definitely more of a pioneer at Oakridge with our more elevated stores, and we were in Oakridge for a few decades before the mall was redeveloped and closed,” said Harriet Guadagnuolo, Vice President of Retail at Vestis Fashion Group. “This is more of a return to Oakridge, but in a two-point-O version.”
Exclusive Collections Arrive at Oakridge Park
The new boutiques are bringing some of Max Mara’s most exclusive offerings to Vancouver.
The 3,160-square-foot Max Mara boutique, located in Oakridge Park’s South Galleria, is the exclusive Canadian home of the Max Mara Atelier collection, a line known for its handcrafted outerwear and refined ready-to-wear pieces.
Meanwhile, the 1,836-square-foot Weekend Max Mara boutique in the East Galleria is the only location in North America carrying the brand’s Inserimento collection.
Both stores feature the latest design concepts from Italy. The Max Mara boutique incorporates materials including Ceppo di Grè stone, Calacatta marble, brushed brass and ribbed glass, while the Weekend Max Mara store was designed to evoke the atmosphere of a contemporary Italian home.
The openings further cement Oakridge Park’s position as one of North America’s newest luxury shopping destinations, where an increasingly impressive collection of international fashion houses are betting on Vancouver’s affluent and growing customer base.
“We’re excited to be a part of it,” said Guadagnuolo. “It’s very interesting and awesome to see these incredible international peers as well.”
A Vancouver Company Builds a Luxury Retail Portfolio
Founded in 1985 by Catherine Guadagnuolo, Vestis Fashion Group has spent four decades introducing Italian luxury fashion to the Vancouver market.
The company opened its first Max Mara boutique in Vancouver in 1989 and today operates Max Mara, Weekend Max Mara, Marella and MAX&Co. stores throughout Metro Vancouver. The company says it operates the largest concentration of Max Mara and Weekend Max Mara boutiques in North America.
The past two years have been especially active. In early 2025, Vestis opened North America’s first standalone Marella and MAX&Co. boutiques at CF Pacific Centre. The reopening of Max Mara and Weekend Max Mara at Oakridge Park further expands the company’s presence in the region.
“We’ve experienced a big shift in the way we do things,” said Guadagnuolo. “We’re a total of eight stores now right now.”
Despite the recent growth, she says the company’s immediate priority is to focus on its new stores and continue strengthening its existing business.
“We don’t want or need to grow too quickly and add anything more to the table until we’re ready to do that,” she said.
Different Stores for Different Customers
One of Vestis’ strengths has been tailoring each location to the community it serves.
The South Granville Max Mara boutique caters to a loyal neighbourhood clientele and hosts styling appointments and private events. The long-standing Max Mara store at CF Pacific Centre attracts a more urban customer and a fashion-forward audience, while the Weekend Max Mara boutique at Metropolis at Metrotown serves shoppers from Burnaby and the North Shore.
Oakridge Park, however, is drawing from an especially broad trade area.
According to Guadagnuolo, the customer base includes long-time West Side and Shaughnessy residents, significant traffic from Richmond, and a growing number of shoppers from Surrey and South Surrey who are visiting the development as a destination.
“Our biggest demographic client for that location right now is definitely our Richmond client just over the bridge,” she said.
The company has also seen increasing interest from customers eager to experience the transformed Oakridge development and its growing luxury retail offering.
Why Stores Still Matter in Luxury Retail
Even as e-commerce continues to evolve, luxury shopping remains highly personal.
Customers want to touch fabrics, try on garments and work with experienced sales associates who understand their preferences.
“People want that experience. They want the service. They want to feel the fabric. They want to try the fabric on,” said Guadagnuolo. “They’re making an investment, and they want to have the experience that comes with that.”
The philosophy aligns closely with Max Mara’s approach to fashion. The Italian brand has built its reputation on timeless pieces designed to remain in wardrobes for years, sometimes generations.
“I actually have a coat in my wardrobe from the ’80s that I inherited from my grandmother that I wear now,” said Guadagnuolo. “It’s still part of the core collection of some of the Max Mara outerwear offerings.”
Looking Ahead to Oakridge’s Future
The return to Oakridge is also a long-term bet on what the neighbourhood is becoming.
As thousands of new residents move into Oakridge Park and nearby communities continue to densify, the customer base surrounding the project is expected to broaden considerably. New housing is reshaping areas including the Cambie Corridor, Kerrisdale and even parts of Shaughnessy, creating new opportunities for retailers across Vancouver’s west side.
“It allows people to live in these areas and not have to invest in an entire property,” said Guadagnuolo. “People still need to have great places to go and eat and shop.”
For Vestis Fashion Group, the reopening of Max Mara and Weekend Max Mara at Oakridge Park is both a return to familiar ground and an investment in Vancouver’s future. For the city’s luxury retail sector, it is another sign that international brands and local operators alike see significant opportunity in a market that continues to evolve and attract increasingly sophisticated consumers.
