Just Opened: Topshop makes its Toronto debut at Jonathan and Olivia
The place: Fast-fashion chain Topshop enjoys a cult-like following in Britain and the U.S. thanks to its collaborations with celebs (Kate Moss) and designers (Mark Fast). So when the company announced that it would be opening an 800-square-foot mini-shop inside Ossington boutique Jonathan and Olivia, the city’s fashion pack was all a-Twitter. It’s a strategy Topshop used when it first opened in New York, taking over a floor of the Opening Ceremony store to prime the market before committing to a stand-alone location.
The stuff: Much like H&M and Zara, Topshop is all about peddling designer-driven trends to the masses—a short short here and a lace shirt there. At Jonathan and Olivia, the selection is edited. Owner Jackie O’Brien has full buying control and decides exactly which pieces from the full Topshop collection work in her store and for her customers. Expect new shipments—all womenswear—every two weeks. Prices are higher than H&M; the small footwear collection runs from $155 to $193, and skinny jeans are $89.
The shoppers: Fashion journalists, bloggers and their readers dying to answer the question “Where did you get that?”
Our favourite things: A cream lace shirt with metal beading on the shoulders ($98) and tan leather slingback clogs ($155).
Topshop at Jonathan and Olivia, 49 Ossington Ave., 416-849-5956, jonathanandolivia.com.
![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/style/just-opened-topshop-makes-its-toronto-debut-at-jonathan-and-olivia/&title=Just Opened: Topshop makes its Toronto debut at Jonathan and Olivia&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/topshop.jpg&description=[caption id="attachment_29417" align="alignright" width="320" caption="The Topshop area is tucked in the back of Jonathan and Olivia"][/caption]
The place: Fast-fashion chain Topshop enjoys a cult-like following in Britain and the U.S. thanks to its collaborations with celebs (Kate Moss) and designers (Mark Fast). So when the company announced that it would be opening an 800-square-foot mini-shop inside Ossington boutique Jonathan and Olivia, the city's fashion pack was all a-Twitter. It's a strategy Topshop used when it first opened in New York, taking over a floor of the Opening Ceremony store to prime the market before committing to a stand-alone location.
[caption id="attachment_29428" align="alignright" width="320" caption="A wooden-heeled clog"][/caption]
The stuff: Much like H&M and Zara, Topshop is all about peddling designer-driven trends to the masses—a short short here and a lace shirt there. At Jonathan and Olivia, the selection is edited. Owner Jackie O'Brien has full buying control and decides exactly which pieces from the full Topshop collection work in her store and for her customers. Expect new shipments—all womenswear—every two weeks. Prices are higher than H&M; the small footwear collection runs from $155 to $193, and skinny jeans are $89.
The shoppers: Fashion journalists, bloggers and their readers dying to answer the question "Where did you get that?"
Our favourite things: A cream lace shirt with metal beading on the shoulders ($98) and tan leather slingback clogs ($155).
Topshop at Jonathan and Olivia, 49 Ossington Ave., 416-849-5956, jonathanandolivia.com.){kind=link}
This is so lame… no TopMan. Don’t settle for substitutes, just visit Soho or the UK.
You’re excited about a store selling a few select items from a discount clothing chain??? This is like Canadians getting whipped into a fury of excitement when Old Navy first came here. Get a grip.
I agree with Bingoamerica, but I like the idea of visiting Soho or the UK……………..
I have to disagree. You can’t compare Top Shop to Old Navy. Top Shop is not a discount clothing chain (unless you call a $100 top discounted, in which case please stay away from Ossington and shop on Yorkville instead) and their style is way better. Perhaps you are just not in their target audience.
Does anyone know if this store carries petites, or whether we’ll have to either go to SoHo or wait for a “real” store to open up in TO?
Cannot wait to check this out. I would’ve gone for the opening but was out of town. I think I will become a regular. yessss!!! http://sevendollarpants.com
What a pussied-out way to showcase the wares of an otherwise brilliant retail institution. I don’t want a handful of goods edited by some so-so buyer in some so called “hip neighbourhood” hole to dictate what TOPSHOP represents to them, gimme the whole godamn store already!!!
Can’t we just plug a TOPSHOP into Bloor st? It’s already a mess waiting to become something anyway!
I went to the opening of the so-called TopShop store on June 19th and was completely disappointed by the selection they had. Futhermore, the owner of Johnathan and Olivia got into an argument with me after I expressed my disappointment to someone standing outside the store. I thought he was completely rude and did not deserve my business. I agree with Snark-E. We should get a full TopShop store, not just a few crappy, over-priced items in the back of a store.
If you guys did some research you would see that this pop up shop is only a test. They did the same thing before moving into the states. They test some of their product in a store to get a feeling for sales and the demographic trends. That way when they open the full blown store (which they will within a year…guaranteed) they will have the best product to suit Toronto. Why does everyone have to be so damn negative? Instead give Jonathan and Olivia a break! They are a boutique! Not a big box store that manipulates the retail market! I give J &O kudos for taking on this challenge and doing such a good job at it. Way to represent T.O!
Okay so first off, yes its OBVIOUSLY missing the WOW FACTOR that the stores in SOHO NY or UK have (personally I was just at the flagship topshop on oxford st in london & after those heavenly 5 floors nothing cuts it now)
Two things I will say though: One is that the selection definitely was overpriced, I mean yes were dealing with pounds but even after conversion the top shop in UK offered price points from $20 and above, atleast an average of $50, I mean yes most of the stuff from top shop which by the way is DEFINITELY NOT A DISCOUNT SHOP is around the $80 mark but you would always find something affordable to wet your appetite….and secondly I hate this whole boxing of so called “NORTH american style” I understand you need to test a market so you don’t go bankrupt but please I think we are capable of a bit more funk, individuality and style so please stop boxing us into the mundane land of boring cardies and black dresses…please throw some color at us, throw something different cause the variety and breadth of style across the pond doesn’t seem to have arrived here yet, i’ll keep checking back but I’m sorry for the time being i’ll be saving my TOP SHOP experience for across the border or over the pond.
Too bad they put it in such a blah store.
@RIMA: “The Owner” is a woman. Not only is that mentioned in the article above, but Jackie is great and believes in solid customer service. This man that you got into an argument with was clearly not “the owner.” Please get bent. Thank you.
Wow! Such hostility, Seb. You clearly have mental issues. If the man who decided to argue with me was not the owner, then why did he claim to be? There is such a thing as having TWO owners. The man could easily be the woman’s husband, making him a partial owner. Did you ever think of that before you decided to attack a complete stranger?
Jonathan & Olivia sells garbage merchandise at high prices and then refuses to refund the money. I bought a $499 leather and fabric top there. When I took it home I realized that the leather had a bad rubbery smell. I checked where it was made and it turned out it was
made in China, which explains the bad smell. Don’t shop in that store – you might get stuck with substandard merchandise made in China. I lost $563 including HST. Disgusting!!!