Smythe to Open First Brick-and-Mortar Store in Toronto
Canadian ready-to-wear brand Smythe will open its first brick and mortar store in the Summerhill neighborhood of Toronto.
The 1,250-square-foot shop will open March 8 at 1116 Yonge Street.
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Cofounded by Andrea Lenczner and Christie Smythe in 2004, the brand built its reputation on the women’s tailored blazer and has since expanded into jackets, coats, dresses, blouses, pants and knitwear. Smythe sells such stores as Holt Renfrew, Nordstrom, Revolve, FWRD, Intermix and Shopbop, in addition to stores in the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, and New Zealand. The company also has its own e-commerce site.
Patrick Biller
Asked why they wanted to open a brick-and-mortar store now, Lenczner said, “You mean during a pandemic with online commerce at an all-time high? Opening Smythe retail has been a long time coming.
“Not only does it afford us the opportunity to express our design and brand as we envision it, but it allows us to dialogue directly with our customers. It gives Smythe legitimacy to have a place to go and see the entire collection and touch and try it. In a crowded market, you need to be everywhere and meet everyone’s needs and preferences of how to shop,” she said.
The cofounders, who met as undergrads at McGill University, said they would like to open stores in the U.S. as well; combining e-commerce and wholesale, the business is equally split between the U.S. and Canada. They believe the Toronto store will give them an opportunity to gain retail experience and refine the concept before rolling it out. Earlier in their careers Smythe worked in design at The Gap and Lenczner was a buyer for Holt Renfrew.
Discussing how their online business has been performing, Lenczner said, “Like many brands, we have enjoyed a significant e-commerce lift since lockdowns began. Initially our product mix wasn’t necessarily what customers were looking for, however as soon as freedom was on the horizon, many customers, who may have been hesitant to risk a significant Smythe purchase online, took the leap. If you’ve had a good experience online, there is no going back.”
Patrick Biller
Christie Smythe explained that in fall 2020, the brand launched Smythehouse, a collection of archetypal Smythe silhouettes reimagined in seasonless fabrics and colors. They are currently sold exclusively on Smythe’s website.
Retail prices at the store will range from $175 to $1,695.
They also view the brick-and-mortar experience as a way to test merchandise and get feedback.
“This intimate neighborhood location can serve as a testing ground with our community Smythe customers for new product extensions; collaborations and experiences that go hand in hand with our vision of the brand,” said Lenczner. The shop will also spotlight special collaborations, such as the most recent co-design with Wear Cisco, a “reinvented basics” line founded by Smythe’s first model and muse, Lisa Priolo.
The shop will also carry Smythe’s first fragrance, created using globally sourced ingredients in partnership with perfume brand Fueguia 1833.
courtesy shot.
As for why they chose the Summerhill neighborhood, Lenczner said, “We are both partial to neighborhood shopping. It feels more casual and less intimidating. Even when we travel, it’s fun to suss out where the locals go. We chose Toronto because like our manufacturing, our first store was always going to be close to home. We like to keep a close eye. We observe, learn, and then improve.”
The store’s aesthetic was developed in collaboration with interior designers Ashley Botten of Ashley Botten Designs and Tommy Smythe of TOM (who is Christie’s brother).
“We were conscious that Smythe is a Canadian brand with global relevance when designing the space. With both Tommy’s and my Canadian roots and collective international experiences, our focus was on the layering of texture and the balance of materiality. The store design feels familiar yet also like you have left the city for a moment,” said Botten.
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