Corner of West Georgia Street and Burrard Street. Photo: Helen Siwak — *Corner of West Georgia Street and Burrard Street. Photo: Helen Siwak*

Christian Dior has opened its first Canadian flagship location, in Vancouver. The two-level store is located within the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver at 900 West Georgia Street (corner of Burrard Street), and features a separate men's Dior Homme boutique with its own entrance.

Estimated to span about 12,000 square feet, Vancouver's Dior features a ground-level with accessories, fine jewellery and watches, as well as a Dior Homme shop which can be accessed from a separate hotel entrance as well as from within the Dior store itself. The second level features women's ready-to-wear, evening wear, footwear, and a dedicated 'VIP' fitting room.

*Second-floor salon. Photo: Christian Dior*

The store's interior reflects the Peter Marino-designed Dior Flagship on Paris' Avenue Montaigne. The Vancouver store also features several works of art, commissioned from contemporary artists. A Louis XVI style marble and bronze antique fireplace anchors the second-floor evening salon, and zodiac lighting in the shape of the Aquarius sign characterizes the store's ground-floor fine jewellery salon.

*Dior Homme entrance from inside the Hotel Vancouver. Photo: Helen Siwak*

"The Dior boutique is an exquisite two story shopping experience! From both entry points space flows organically with the customer being gently guided from salon to salon prompted by glimpses of original artwork, chic decor and stunning pieces" said Retail Insider's Vancouver correspondent, Helen Siwak. "The customer service included not only personalized tours through the new boutique but the detailed accounts of the represented artists and their histories made each salon even more personal. It was explained that even the colour palette of this seasons collection, muted silver and soft pink are colours from Mr. Dior's childhood home in Normandy. Sincere congratulations to the staff for giving customer service a couture edge", she said.

Window at the Vancouver store. Photo: Helen Siwak — *Window at the Vancouver store. Photo: Helen Siwak*

Pamela Baxter, president of Christian Dior Couture, North America, told Women's Wear Daily: “Canada is an important luxury market because of its steady economic growth,” she said. “The number of top household incomes grew 15 percent last year, with a growing numbers of younger affluent customers. Young men, in particular, have become more fashion focused in the last few years. They are all highly educated, fashion forward and demanding of excellence in the products they choose. Quality and craftsmanship are at the top of their expectations. 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 their first stand-alone boutiques in Canada", said Ms. Baxter.

“The Vancouver luxury market has heated up with new stores opening as well as renovations of existing stores. Asian consumers represent the number-one and fastest-growing nationality for luxury goods worldwide. More than 40% of Vancouver's population is of Asian descent, many having emigrated years ago. Dior and Dior Homme have a strong presence in Asia,” Ms. Baxter told Women's Wear Daily.

Ground-floor handbags department. Photo: Dior — *Ground-floor handbags department. Photo: Dior*

Besides the new Vancouver flagship, Dior bags and accessories are also available at Dior concessions in Holt Renfrew locations in Vancouver, Toronto (Bloor Street, Yorkdale Shopping Centre) and in Montreal.

Dior joins a number of other luxury brands within the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. Gucci's free-standing unit is located at the opposite end of the hotel, at the corner of West Georgia Street and Hornby Street. Luxury jewellery and timepiece brand Omega is located next to Gucci, and American luxury womenswear brand St. John Knits is also located in the hotel. A 10,000 square foot Louis Vuitton store sits opposite from Dior with its own extensive Burrard Street frontage. Although Vancouver's Vuitton was originally declared to be a 'Maison' location, sources at Vuitton say that the 18,000 square foot Toronto Bloor Street flagship is Canada's only 'true' Maison, as Vancouver lacks some product customization capabilities.