By Kayla Matthews

You may know that Zvelle is a Canadian-based women's footwear brand. It primarily operates online but has launched several physical pop-up shops since 2017. The latest opened this month at Toronto's Yorkville Village.

On Oct. 23, Zvelle's official Facebook page announced the pop-up and the retail space will operate through November and December — and potentially for longer. However, the company kept most of the details under wraps with its initial announcement. A photo accompanying the post showed the glass front of a retail store, and the smooth surface featured the Zvelle name and logo, plus text that informed people of the opening.

The post also mentioned that the brand's Facebook followers should stay tuned for more updates. At the time of this writing, the brand had not provided further content about its launch in Yorkville Village.

In the Yorkville Village Upper Oval

Yorkville Village mentions the Zvelle pop-up on its homepage while covering the latest news for the shopping establishment. The content solely talks about Zvelle as a brand rather than the pop-up itself. For example, readers learn that Zvelle offers high-quality, stylish and enduring shoes that support the brand's aim to make sustainable pieces.

Shoppers can find the Zvelle Yorkville Village pop-up in the Upper Oval section of the multilevel property.

A Bit About the Brand

Zvelle was established in 2015 by its founder, Elle AyoubZadeh. Materials are ethically sourced near a family-owned factory in Brazil that makes the shoes and counts other luxury brands among its clients. One of the standout characteristics of a pair of Zvelle shoes is the angular heel. It has a block design from the back but looks like a traditional heel from the side.

AyoubZadeh said she hated getting stilettos stuck in grates, so the signature heel came from that frustration. Giving back is also a priority for the brand. When it kicked off the ZvellexEarhart collection, inspired by aviator Amelia Earhart, proceeds from the sales went to the Fly With Amelia Foundation, a nonprofit that gives scholarships for flight training to young women.

A Series of Pop-ups

This is not the first time Zvelle extended its reach to the offline realm. In 2017, Zvelle had its first pop-up shop in the United States when it made a splash in Manhattan's SoHo district. That event lasted a month and was a partnership with Marie St. Pierre, another Canadian designer.

“I am very proud that we are an independent, self-funded brand building the next global brand that will be around for the next 100 + years,” AyoubZadeh said. “This is our first pop-up of the year and it's not for lack of opportunities. We tested pop-ups at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre, at the CF Toronto Eaton Centre, CF Sherway Gardens, in New York City’s Soho area and we were looking for the perfect spot in Toronto’s Yorkville area. We are not a "mall brand" — rather we are a brand with an independent spirit who does not prescribe (fashion or other things) to its customers. Our #GlobalCitizenry manifesto ends with saying Walk How You Want. So a place like Yorkville makes a lot of sense for us right now. It has transitioned over the years and there's a new energy in the air.”

Zvelle's first foray into pop-up shops was in the fall of 2015. Then, in September and November 2016, the brand had stints at CF Toronto Eaton Centre and CF Sherway Gardens, respectively. When Zvelle arrived at Yorkdale Shopping Centre in the spring of 2017 for another pop-up event, it extended the stay there through the end of the year.

Pop-ups Help Online Businesses Test the Waters

Analysts say pop-up shops can be great for e-commerce businesses thinking about expanding to the brick-and-mortar world. They can see if consumers have an appetite for what they offer without the risk of a long-term lease. Many brands do that in New York to take advantage of unused but well-placed real estate.

The timing of the Zvelle Yorkville Village pop-up is fantastic too. It's just in time for the holiday shopping season.

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@cullinmcgree in #Zvelle for @1883magazine Styled by @desireemorales #WalkHowYouWant

A post shared by Zvelle (@iamzvelle) on Oct 14, 2019 at 7:49am PDT

View this post on Instagram

Forough meets Rayna. #Zvelle

A post shared by Zvelle (@iamzvelle) on Oct 16, 2019 at 6:58am PDT

In-Person Shoe Shopping Made Simple

If you are not familiar with Zvelle or don't like buying shoes online, this pop-up will suit you perfectly. Shoppers can be introduced to the brand by heading to Yorkville Village.

“We're excited to welcome new and existing customers and offer them an opportunity to interact with us in person,” said AyoubZadeh. “We are also offering free shipping in North America for any in-store purchases. This is great for the holiday season or if you want to send a special gift to someone. We will be hosting Zvelle In Conversation events as well as some events to support causes we believe in.”

“For example,” she said, “on November 14th we are hosting a private fundraiser for Toronto Summer Music where we will have exceptional musicians perform. There will be great music, food and drinks and opportunity to shop. Zvelle is donating proceeds from the evening to Toronto Summer Music and we are also covering all the costs of the evening. It’s one way for us to support causes and people we believe in. And musicians are very much like entrepreneurs.”

Kayla Matthews is a researcher, writer and blogger covering topics related to technology, smart gadgets, the future of work and personal productivity. She is the owner and editor of ProductivityTheory.com and ProductivityBytes.com. Previously, Kayla was a senior writer at MakeUseOf and contributing freelancer to Digital Trends. Kayla's work on smart homes and consumer tech has also been featured on Houzz, Dwell, Inman and Curbed. Additionally, her work has appeared on Quartz, PRNewswire, The Week, The Next Web, Lifehacker, Mashable, The Daily Dot, WIRED and others.

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