Canada news and archive

Zara Canada faces allegations of forced labour by local watchdog

In what has become a continued crackdown on potential malpractices within the supply chains of various fashion companies, a Canadian watchdog is set to launch yet another investigation into claims of forced labour, this time at Zara Canada. The Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE) is already currently carrying out a number of...

Business

Ralph Lauren expands in Canada, opens first store and launches digital commerce

Premium lifestyle brand Ralph Lauren has revealed Canada expansion plans, which largely involve the launching of a dedicated commerce platform and the opening of its first store in the country. Having recently opened in Toronto's Yorkdale Shopping Centre, the store acts as the first in what is to be an ongoing retail expansion in Canada, where...

Business

Allbirds secures distribution deal in Canada and South Korea

Sportswear and footwear brand Allbirds has announced two new agreements with distributor partners in Canada and South Korea as it looks to move towards a third-party model. The company, which had initially adopted a direct go-to-market strategy, made the shift as part of its ongoing Strategic Transformation Plan which it announced earlier this...

BusinessFeatured

Ralph Lauren, Diesel and Hugo Boss face Canadian watchdog investigation for forced labour claims

A number of fashion and apparel companies are facing investigations by a Canadian watchdog in regards to complaints alleging there was evidence of forced labour in their production. The Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE) published its initial reports for each of the companies in question, responding to a series of complaints...

Business

Canada bans animal testing and trade in cosmetics

In what is being hailed as a monumental victory, the Canadian government has passed a bill that will prohibit animal testing and trade within the cosmetics industry. Made through the Budget Implementation Act, the measures will also ban the selling of products that rely on new animal testing data to establish their safety, as well as false or...

Retail |Beauty

Maëlys continues global expansion with Canada launch

Prestige body care brand Maëlys is expanding into Canada after announcing a retail partnership with beauty retailer Shoppers Drug Mart. Maëlys, known for offering body care solutions that help firm, tighten, sculpt and shape, will be expanding into Canada as part of the ‘Thoughtful Choices at Shoppers Drug Mart’ platform, which offers a curated...

Business

FatFace set to make first move into Canada

As part of its ongoing growth strategy, FatFace has revealed plans to enter the Canadian market, with its first store in the region set to open in Ontario. The announcement is linked to the brand’s growing presence in North America, in which it currently operates 24 stores in the US across nine states. Its Canadian store opening is currently...

Fashion

Ssense co-founders to be honoured at CAFA 2022

The Canadian Arts & Fashion Awards (CAFA) has revealed the official 2022 nominees for its eighth edition of the event. The nominees were announced by CAFA president Vicky Milner during a private reception at Toronto’s Design Exchange. Among the announcements, co-founders of multi-brand retailer Ssense, Rami Atallah, Firas Atallah and Bassel...

RetailFeatured

Hong Kong: most targeted market for international retailers in 2017

Hong Kong is the place to be for retailers exploring foreign markets. For the third year in a row, the region has scored the top spot on an annual list of most targeted markets for international retailers, made by real estate investment firm CBRE. A total of 85 international retailers have entered Hong Kong’s market for the first time last year,...

Report

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s engagement, a boost for Canadian fashion

On Monday, Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle announced their engagement. Barely hours later, the Canadian fashion firm Line the Label hung the ‘sold out’ sign for the white woollen coat the royal fiancee wore, now re-named as the “Meghan”. The Canadian fashion brand has seen its sales soar after Meghan Markle wore one of its coats during...

Retail

Hudson’s Bay considers bringing Saks Fifth Avenue to Amsterdam

London - Hudson’s Bay, the Canadian department store group is said to have its sights on acquiring a 75,000 square foot building located in centre of Amsterdam’s shopping district, known as the Rokin, in order to open a Saks Fifth Avenue. The Canadian group is currently in negotiation with the group behind luxury department store Haussmann to...

Retail

Canada cracks down on US price competition

Consumers buying clothing in North America have seen a disparity between the prices in Canada and US, where they are often much more expensive. While they are different markets, the Canadian government is set to unveil legislation to target the retail price gap between its country and the US, giving the domestic competition watchdog new powers,...