TORONTO — Topshop and Topman have officially landed in Canada, with plans to deliver a taste of London street chic and fashion-forward offerings to budget-conscious consumers.
Canadian supermodel Coco Rocha was on hand at Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto on Wednesday to mark the opening of the sprawling new Canadian location housing the British fast-fashion chains.
Launched in 1964, Topshop has earned a significant following among fashionistas within and beyond the U.K., with the Duchess of Cambridge and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson among the celebrities spotted in items from the retailer. Topman is the male counterpart of Topshop.
The Bay acquired the Canadian franchise rights for Topshop and Topman, including rights for shops within the retailer’s pre-existing stores as well as standalones.
“We’ve known that Canada is a market that we want to go to absolutely, definitely,” Topshop managing director Mary Homer said in an interview at a media preview of the store.
“It’s always been top 10 on our list of where to go, and it’s finding the right partner that has the property, has the understanding of how we work and everything else.”
Topman managing director David Shepherd said they’re in talks to open at least 10 more locations in Canada within the next three to four years.
The debut location connected to the Bay’s Yorkdale store spans two floors and more than 1,390 square metres.
Topman on the lower level was awash in colour from chinos in autumnal hues to hoodies, retro logo sweats and knits. On the more formal side, there were slim-fit suit jackets and dress shirts. Quilted vests, parkas, denim jackets and wool duffle coats were among the outerwear offerings.
While last year featured many neutral hues such as beige, stone and cream, Homer said colour is full force in women’s looks this season. Animal prints and combinations of fabrics and textures, such as leathers and furs, are also in the mix.
The apparel and accessories at Topshop encompass the demure and more daring: sweet, rounded collar tops and printed dresses, cosy cardigans and squirrel motif jumpers alongside boldly body-conscious animal print dresses, skin-tight leggings and barely-there short shorts.
A colourful array of heels, oxfords, booties, flats and wedges dot the shoe wall and select areas throughout the store, with studs, animal prints and even shimmering glitter incorporated in the designs.
“If you were to list the type of customers we have and the age group, you’d have a list as long as your arm,” said Homer.
“But it’s somebody who loves fashion, can be individual, can experiment and just has their own style, and can mix and match with other labels. It’s very open.”
“We get people who’ll wear a top with their Prada trousers. You can do either. That’s the beauty of it,” she added.
“It’s still got that real sort of London street, British feel to it, and that’s what the British girl is. They experiment, they put things together in different ways. They just love fashion.”
In what’s been billed as an international first, the Bay has set up dedicated online websites where shoppers can buy select merchandise from the chains.
Many Canadian consumers have grown accustomed to seeing slightly elevated costs for goods when foreign chains set up shop. But Homer said pricing in Canada will run about 10 per cent below the U.S.
Topshop is well-known for its designer collaborations, with the latest offerings from Irish-born Simone Rocha and Dutch-born Michael van der Ham slated to hit Canadian shelves.
Homer said they’ll look into the possibility of partnering with Canadian designers on such collaborations.
Topman will also introduce LENS AW11 featuring a trio of new designers: Uniforms for the Dedicated, Daniel Jackson and David David.
Online:
www.thebay.com/topshop
www.thebay.com/topman