By Craig Patterson

Italian luxury brand Ermenegildo Zegna has re-opened its store at CF Pacific Centre in Vancouver, revealing the brand’s most updated retail design. The Vancouver opening marks the first of two Zegna stores to open in Canada this month, with a standalone store on Toronto’s Bloor Street West set to open within days.

Both stores are being operated by upscale multi-brand menswear retailer Harry Rosen, which has had a partnership with Zegna for decades. CEO Larry Rosen in an earlier interview said, "My father was the first retailer to introduce Ermenegildo Zegna to North America in the early 1970s. He recognized the inherent quality and craftsmanship that the Zegna family offered. Our families have been in business ever since.”

The 4,730 square foot Vancouver Zegna boutique, located across from Harry Rosen’s CF Pacific Centre flagship and next to a recently opened Links of London store, has operated in the space for more than a decade and it recently closed temporarily for an overhaul. The store’s interior is based on a design concept by internationally-acclaimed architect Peter Marino, who has designed some of the world’s most spectacular stores.

Rich colours, materials and fabrics are used throughout the new space, which is masculine yet warm with a mix of Italian marble flooring and rich wood tones. Luxury is the theme throughout the store, which carries Zegna’s expansive line of fashions for men as well as accessories, leather goods, footwear, and fragrances.

The Vancouver store’s facade has also been revamped with a new exterior that also reflects Zegna’s updated branding.

This month, Zegna will unveil a 3,000 square foot store at 100 Bloor Street West in Toronto, which will be located next to the Hermès flagship which opened in November of 2017. CBRE Toronto negotiated the Toronto Zegna deal under the direction of Arlin Markowitz, and we’ll profile the space in a separate article when it opens.

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In an earlier interview, Harry Rosen’s CEO Larry Rosen explained that the company was opening standalone Zegna stores to create a “pure” Zegna experience that is in line with the world’s major cities — the brand has fans around the world who will visit Zegna stores during their travels. Zegna, which is considered to be one of the world’s leading luxury brands for men, is also the top-selling brand at Harry Rosen’s stores nationally.

More standalone Zegna boutiques could open in Canada, according to Mr. Rosen, though nothing is confirmed as of yet. Harry Rosen is also considering opening standalone boutiques for some of its other leading brands (including Dutch custom menswear brand Atelier Munro). Harry Rosen is considered to be one of the world’s top multi-brand menswear stores.

We’ll follow up this article with photos of the new Toronto store once it is open.

Craig Patterson, now based in Toronto, is the founder and Editor-in-Chief Retail Insider. He's also a retail and real estate consultant, retail tour guide and public speaker.

Follow him on Twitter @RetailInsider_, LinkedIn at Craig Patterson, or email him at: craig@retail-insider.com.

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