FRENCH FASHION, WEST COAST STYLE
Dior boutiques open at Fairmont Hotel Vancouver.
You don’t need to travel to Paris in order to get the complete Christian Dior Couture experience. You don’t even have to leave the city.
The French fashion house recently opened its first Dior and Dior Homme stand-alone boutiques in Canada at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver.
“Hotel Vancouver is a heritage-listed building, returning to Dior’s own heritage of timeless elegance, luxury, and innovation,” Pamela Baxter, president of Christian Dior Couture, said of the location choice in an interview with The Sun. The opening sees Dior nestled in good company in the hotel’s lobby area, joining Louis Vuitton, St. John, Gucci and Omega in the shopping concourse.
The crisp white-walled boutique, which occupies the renovated corner space previously held by St. John at 900 West Georgia St., features a comprehensive collection of Dior designs — from handbags and shoes, to evening wear and ready-to-wear — displayed with museum-like precision.
“The Dior boutique takes its inspiration from the original concept of the Paris Avenue Montaigne Flagship boutique designed by Peter Marino,” Baxter said of the modern retail-meets-gallery decor.
“Dior commissioned several contemporary artists to design works for the boutique, providing a unique and modern shopping experience while maintaining the codes of the house.”
From a sparking, stainless steel and quartz Damian Garrido cocktail table to an eye-capturing video wall by artist Yoram, which is displayed beside the boutique’s scenestealing staircase, the boutique is clearly more than a mere shopping space — a fact that is in keeping with Dior creative director Raf Simons’ mission for the storied house.
“Often taking inspiration from art and architecture, Raf Simons has given Dior a new modernity and an innovative energy while still maintaining the elegance and femininity embodied in the original designs of Mr. Dior himself,” Baxter says.
“Canada is an important luxury market because of its steady economic growth and growing numbers of younger af fluent customers.
In addition to the pre-fall 2015 designs, iconic Lady Dior handbags, stylish pumps and gleaming fine jewelry, the women’s Dior boutique also features a sumptuous VIP fitting room on the second floor, where clients can receive additional personalized service.
Linked by an interior walkway, “in an effort to encourage a complete Dior experience,” the almost blindingly lit Dior Homme — which features the house’s winter 2015 range — is less fantasy and more masculine.
This, of course, is by design. The same-but-different ambience is a calculated attempt by the fashion house to provide a more tailored, less feminine, experience to its male clients.
“Young men in particular have become more fashion focused in the last few years,” Baxter says.
“The Dior Homme customer is a confident, fashion-forward man — someone who admires sharp creativity and fine, innovative luxury goods made of exceptional quality.”
The Dior Homme boutique includes much of the traditional fare one would expect from a fashion boutique including watches, leather goods and clothing — with the exception of the brand’s made-to-measure Demi-Mesure offering, which will be available by special request.
And judging by the crowd that packed the pristine space for the recent opening gala, there just might be a few of those special requests coming through.
A selection of Vancouver’s most stylish set sipped chilled champagne and nibbled hors d’oeuvres while they toured the boutiques to the music of Toronto-born DJ and model-entrepreneur Brendan Fallis.
The crowd, many of whom were sporting pieces from their personal Dior collections, appeared to confirm the brand’s gamble that luxury offerings have a growing influence in not just Vancouver, but Canada, as well.
“Canada is an important luxury market because of its steady economic growth and growing numbers of younger affluent customers,” Baxter says.
“Luxury sales are on the rise in Canada largely due to this new client, making 2015 the perfect time for Dior and Dior Homme to open its first stand-alone boutiques in Canada.”
And much like its red-hot real estate market, Vancouver consumers are reportedly ravenous for luxury goods — more so than in other cities across the country — a major deciding factor behind the store location.
“The Vancouver luxury market has heated up with new stores opening, as well as renovations of existing stores,” Baxter says.
Baxter pointed to Metro Vancouver’s population breakdown as another major motivator.
“Asian consumers represent the No. 1 and fastest growing nationality for luxury goods worldwide,” she explains. “Dior and Dior Homme have a strong presence in Asia and are very appreciated for the quality and craftsmanship demanded.
“We are looking forward to welcoming these clients into our new Dior Maison in Vancouver.”