Photo: connect2source via Vancouver Skyscraper Page. — Photo: connect2source via Vancouver Skyscraper Page.

Canada's second Versace fashion store has opened in Vancouver. the 1,875 square foot boutique joins recently opened locations for Brunello Cucinelli and Strellson, all located in the base of the new 745 Thurlow Street office tower. Versace occupies municipal address 747 Thurlow Street.

Versace held a by invitation-only private cocktail party last week, hosted by Vogue Magazine, and Retail Insider's Helen Siwak was in attendance.

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Installation of Italian lime plaster sealed with Marsi soap wax. Photo: Darrell Morrison — *Installation of Italian lime plaster sealed with Marsi soap wax. Photo: Darrell Morrison*

Italian brand Moncler just opened across the street from Versace at 748 Thurlow Street, and a three-level Prada flagship is under construction at the southeast corner of Alberni Street and Thurlow Streets, in the area now referred to as Vancouver's 'Luxury Zone'. Sources say that more luxury brands are negotiating to open nearby.

Canada's first free-standing Versace fashion store, measuring 2,820 square feet, opened in the summer of 2014 at Toronto's Yorkdale Shopping Centre. The Italian luxury fashion brand was founded by the late Gianni Versace in 1978, and it is seeing a resurgence as it opens stores around the world. Upscale Vancouver-based fashion retailer Leone continues to operate a Versace shop-in-store, and Versace Home opened last summer in Vancouver's Gastown area.

745 Thurlow is a 25 storey office tower encompassing 400,000 square feet at the southwest corner of Thurlow and Alberni Streets. The tower is designed to achieve LEED 'Core and Shell' Gold certification - the first office tower in downtown Vancouver to do so.