British bouquet
Ray Kelvin, the founder of fashion brand Ted Baker, brings Brit chic to Vancouver
When you think of fun, flowery fashion, the British lifestyle brand Ted Baker might not be the first thing that comes to mind. But it soon will be.
The company, which stocks clothing and accessories for men and women, as well as assorted lifestyle good such as luggage and housewares, recently opened its first western Canadian location in Vancouver’s Pacific Centre shopping mall, ushering in the arrival of a veritable English garden of style options.
“Blending attention to detail, beautiful designs and high quality fabrics, Ted mixes traditional and contemporary influences with colour, an irreverent sense of humour and a quintessential British attitude,” Ray kelvin, chief executive officer and founder of Ted Baker, said in an interview with The Vancouver Sun.
Kelvin’s new Vancouver shop is set to solidify the brand’s presence in Canada — which began with the unveiling of a Ted Baker store in Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre in 2012.
“Canadians have been incredibly receptive to Ted,” Kelvin says of the country’s reaction to his tailored designs. “They really love that it is quintessentially British — our Tight Lines collection, a more heritage product group, has been especially popular.”
Kelvin took a few moments to chat in advance of the opening of the new 2,860-square-foot Vancouver store, revealing his ambitions for the Ted Baker brand — and how he’s manage to grow his business from a one-store T-shirt shop in Glasgow in 1988 to a sprawling lifestyle brand.
Q When and why did you start Ted Baker?
A I started the Ted Baker brand as a shirt specialist in Glasgow back in 1988. My original plan was to deliver outstanding quality, uniqueness, innovation and attention to detail both in terms of the clothes and the customer service. Q What made you believe it was filling a void in the current fashion market?
A I knew that I wanted to design and create a beautiful collection of shirts that were unique and top quality yet affordable, offering customers twice the quality at half the price. Q How has it changed since you started the brand?
A From the humble beginnings of the business in my front room, the growth of the Ted Baker brand has been carefully managed and developed, ensuring the culture of the business has been maintained and nurtured during its rapid growth. The key to Ted’s success and his mantra is, and always will be, ‘people, product, passion’. Get those right and profit follows. Q You’ve just opened the first Ted Baker store in Vancouver. What made this the right time to introduce the brand to this city?
A We have seen great success in the Toronto market and as Vancouver is one of Canada’s largest fashion destinations, it was an easy choice. We know we already have loyal customers there that love everything Ted has to offer. Q The store will be located in the newly renovated Pacific Centre mall. What makes this location a good one for Ted Baker?
A We have been keen to open in downtown Vancouver for some time now. The new expansion of Pacific Centre enabled us to secure a prime location in an already very productive mall. Q Ted Baker is known for fun fashions for both men and women as well as accessories. Will shoppers be able to find the full range in the Vancouver store?
A Absolutely, the store will open with Ted’s spring/ summer and high summer ’15 womenswear, menswear and accessories collections. The womenswear collection captures the imagination with colour — combining classical romantic impressions and blooming prints. The menswear collection is smart yet stylish with a fantasy of relaxed layers. Q What’s next for Ted Baker in Canada? Any other location opening in the works?
A We are looking to open our fourth store in Toronto in the second half of 2016 in the new expansion wing of Sherway Gardens, so watch this space.