Now more than ever, Toronto’s biggest fashion retailers are engaged in a battle of the brands, with Holt Renfrew and The Bay going punch for punch for high-street supremacy. Measuring whose stock is up these days seems to depend on who can gain exclusive rights to a high-profile collection (or, as mentioned last week, a celebrity endorsement), and today Holt Renfrew announced that it would be the exclusive Canadian retailer for Tom Ford’s much-hyped fall 2011 women’s collection. But that wasn’t the only good news this morning: Barbara Atkin, Holt Renfrew’s vice-president of fashion direction, announced the acquisition of Givenchy’s men’s collection, the Pendleton Portland collection for women and, for those fans of the Olsen twins, their collaboration with TOMS Shoes. Suddenly, it seems like the consumer is being pulled by the arms in two directions, from Queen Street West and Bloor Street. Should anyone’s limbs fall off, we’re sure somebody will have exclusive rights to designer prosthetics next month.
A compendium of the latest store openings, hottest parties and runway shows and all the buzzy fashion gossip. Sign up for the Style newsletter for weekly updates
Holt Renfrew announces major brand acquisitions for fall, including exclusive rights to Tom Ford’s women’s collection
Popular
Most Commented
- Jan Wong: Why the LCBO—the antiquated, paternalistic monopoly that’s deliberately gouging us—has got to go 52
- All-Beef Party: Toronto’s 25 best burgers ranked in order of heart-stopping, messy magnificence 42
- Introducing: The Bristol Yard, a bit of Britain down by Christie Pits 23
- Joanne Kates to leave the Globe after 38 years (UPDATED) 22
- Great Spaces: a filmmaker turns a former car repair shop into a killer bachelor pad 13
3 Comments
Comment on this post
Neither the author nor Toronto Life necessarily agrees with the comments posted here. Editors will not correct spelling or grammar. Toronto Life reserves the right to edit or delete comments entirely. Read our full policy
I am pretty sure these companies will eventually be civil. You don’t hear in the media that Barneys is bickering with Bergdorf’s.
May 16, 2011 at 9:10 pm | by Perry PExcept Barney’s and Bergdorf’s are in a much bigger market. The high-end market is only so big here, so every wallet counts more.
May 18, 2011 at 2:14 pm | by helenBTW, what a gorgeous video!
May 18, 2011 at 2:19 pm | by helen