When Parisian fashion house Chanel shuttered its decades-old Vancouver storefront location at 900 West Hastings Street this summer, Chanel aficionados wondered where they would go to satiate their demand for high fashion. No longer.
Holt Renfrew launched the expansion of its Chanel collection September 22 after a posh in-store private party the night before.
“We now have a full ready-to-wear [Chanel] collection. It’s a world class Chanel boutique here now,” Holt Renfrew president Mark Derbyshire told Business in Vancouver Wednesday morning. “It’s a store inside a store.”
Previously, Holt Renfrew only carried Chanel “accessories” such as handbags. Now, dresses, blouses and other items are available.
Parts of the 137,000-square-foot Holt Renfrew store on Granville Street remain empty, such as some space on the roof where there was once speculation about a rooftop restaurant run by the likes of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.
Holt Renfrew operates restaurants at its Edmonton, Toronto, Montreal and Quebec City locations.
Derbyshire, however, said that while he is open to the concept of launching a Vancouver restaurant, there are not yet any concrete plans to make that a reality.
He also confirmed he is not negotiating with any other high-profile fashion house to close a Vancouver storefront location and move indoors at Holt Renfrew.
Many media reports have estimated Holt Renfrew’s annual revenue at about $600 million. Derbyshire would not confirm the figure as the department store chain is privately owned by the Weston family, which is best known for owning Loblaw Companies Ltd.
Derbyshire would say Holt Renfrew's Vancouver store sales have grown 12% in the past year.