Joseph Mimran’s Fresh Approach

Intelligence | Toronto

Joe Fresh Fifth Avenue Flagship | Source: Courtesy photo

TORONTO, Canada — These days, it’s not uncommon that a weekly trip to the local supermarket for milk, cereal and bread might involve coming home with a coat, dress or pair of jeans. Since 1990, when British supermarket chain Asda launched George, the world’s first grocery store clothing label, companies like Tesco and Sainsbury’s have followed suit, capitalising on well-established relationships with their customers, who visit

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The Spotlight | JUMA

The Spotlight | Toronto

JUMA Inspiration | Source: JUMA

TORONTO, Canada — Following our piece on Vancouver’s Digital Olympics earlier this week, it only makes sense that the BoF Spotlight should focus on the Great White North for our monthly inspiration from emerging designers. This month I turned to long-time friends of BoF, Alia and Jamil Juma. The designer brother-and-sister duo are based in Toronto, not Vancouver, though they have called both cities home. They are of South

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NRDC | Setting its sights on Canada

International | Toronto

TORONTO, Canada - When Richard Baker, CEO of NRDC, bought The Hudson's Bay Company for a cool $8 billion last month, he announced his plans to turn Canada’s oldest retailer into an industry leader, using a similar strategy to that of US retailer Lord & Taylor. Lord & Taylor, which happens to be America’s oldest department store, was also recently acquired by NRDC. So, with two of the oldest department store chains on the continent in his portfolio, what are Baker’s grand plans? In Canada, Baker believes that there is a gap between mass-market The Bay and luxe player Holt Renfrew. Thus, he plans to open 10 to 15 Lord & Taylor stores within existing Bay flagship stores or within…

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Cottage country: Canada’s top (business) models

International | Toronto

I am filing this post from “Cottage Country”, north of Toronto, very far from the centre of the fashion world. Nontheless, when I first arrived in Toronto about a week ago, I asked local fashionistas the same questions I ask everywhere in an effort to seek out local stories which are still relevant to the international readership of the Business of Fashion. There's always an interesting story to tell. Who should I try to meet, where should I go to see designs by the top local designers, and which fashion brands and retail chains are using innovative ways to build their businesses? Almost without exception, these questions were met with a slight shrugging of the shoulders and a resignation that…

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Juma: Exploring contemporary-LAnd

International | Toronto

To many die-hard fashionistas, Los Angeles has always been considered the less sophisticated, dressed-down, in your face, suburban, over-celebrity conscious little sister to New York, which has consistently retained its place amongst the world's fashion capitals.  However, our visit to L.A. has revealed an interesting mix of local designers and boutiques combined with the glossy global brands along Rodeo Drive. Driven by its native contemporary brands, L.A. is experiencing a fashion renaissance. Yesterday, I cruised around some upcoming fashion districts here with Jamil Juma, of Juma, which he designs with his sister Alia. Juma's collections (one fashion forward RTW, one activewear) are carried at more than 30 boutiques around North America, including Fred Segal  in L.A. and Caravan in NY.…

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