ALDO X YORKDALE: A VIP Shopping Event

Wondering what to do this weekend? Might I suggest a little shoe shopping? (I mean, why stop now?) The new ALDO Flagship just opened at Yorkdale Mall and let me tell you, it's a little MAJE. The store, now the largest in North America, has an extensive collection of the brand's on-trend footwear and super cute accessories, all housed in a modern, boutique-feely shop.

Check out my pics from the media preview last week and be sure to pop by the new ALDO at Yorkdale Mall today or tomorrow to score 15% off your purchase and enjoy promotions, giveaways, great beats and sweet treats. It's gonna be a party, y'all..

xx

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Holt Renfrew Yorkdale Unveils New Beauty Hall

The new and beautifully improved Beauty Hall at Yorkdale's Holt Renfrew. Pics by Johanna Simmonds

With Nordstrom and the new Premium Outlets set to open shortly, Canadian retailers are stepping up their game to stay relevant. Holt Renfrew, never one to rest on her lofty laurels, unveiled its brand new beauty hall at Yorkdale Mall on Thursday and we were among the first to check it out.

The massive 10,000 square foot space includes 4 new treatment rooms where you can be spoiled by La Mer, Sisley, La Prairie and the Skin Lab, featuring Darphin, AmorePacific, Erno Laszlo and ReVive. Meanwhile, the hall features boutique-like shops for Chanel, Aesop, La Mer, La Prairie, Sisley, Jo Malone, Bobbi Brown, Kiehl's and Hermès. Customers can head to the Beauty Bar for skin-care consultations and makeovers, plus complimentary makeup brush cleaning and makeup bag overhauls, which will hopefully make the Holts beauty experience a little less intimidating.  

As a girl who just loves primping, I'm especially smitten with the new Primp and Polish Bar, a must-visit for blowouts, manicures, lash extensions and brow shaping. Not sure how you like that new red lipstick? Be sure to check out the clever camera wall where you can snap an 'after' photo and instantly share your look with friends on FB, Twitter etc. How fun is that?!

According to WWD, Holts plans to roll out the concept to other stores, too. “Yorkdale is the prototype for how all our stores will be made over,” said Wayne Peterson, divisional vice-president of cosmetics at Holt Renfrew. “We see all of our beauty halls converting. We will expand in the next two years.”

But the makeovers don't stop at beauty. Word is, Holts is completely renovating its Yorkdale store, with the beauty hall the first in a series of major changes for the store.  Expect the big reveal this Fall. Can't wait! x 

Nordstrom Coming to Yorkdale!

A pretty pic from the Nordstrom March 2013 Catalogue - photo courtesy Nordstrom.

A rendering of the future Yorkdale Nordstrom. I'll be the happy girl with the shopping bags.

I'm constantly on the lookout for exciting retails news but am especially happy when it arrives on a Monday. Well here it is - Nordstrom just confirmed that it will open at Yorkdale Mall in the Fall of 2016. Wheehoo! The three-level, 188,000 sq. ft. Nordstrom will carry the full line of luxury clothing, shoes and accessories that we've come to expect from the American department store.  Yorkdale keeps getting better (and bigger) with its continued expansion - an impressive number of big-name retailers like Kate Spade, Ted Baker and All Saints are already open with David Yurman, John Varvatos, Mulberry, White House/Black Market and Zara Home all set to open later this year.

As already announced, Nordstrom will also be opening stores in the vacated Sears locations at Chinook Centre in Calgary (opening Fall 2014),  Pacific Centre in Vancouver,  and Rideau Centre in Ottawa (both opening Spring 2015) as well as a brand new store at Sherway Gardens in Toronto (Fall 2016).

Can't wait to shop Nordstrom without having to cross the border.  Pretty exciting, huh?  I have visions of shoes upon shoes floating around in my head. How's a girl supposed to work with this many distractions??

Happy Monday! xx

Oh When All Saints Comes Marching In...

Photos from the Spring '13 Lookbook - courtesy All Saints

Photo by my Yorkdale spy, rlr mini

Nobody does urban cool quite like All Saints. The brand launched in 1994 on All Saints Road in Notting Hill, London and now operates stores in New York, LA, San Francisco, Paris, Berlin and beyond.  Canadian girls were feeling a little left out but no longer, because All Saints finally opens at Yorkdale Mall this Thursday! Yay! Yay! Yay! (No, I'm not April Fool-ing you, this is for real.) For spring, the collection is full of sleek leather separates, beautifully-cut toppers and killer boots that will make your entire wardrobe. And while the brand errs on the expensive side, a singular piece from the collection can change the way you dress.

Have you ever shopped at All Saints? If you haven't, I think you will love.  Don't you want to wear your trench exactly like the girl on the far right, right now? See you at the checkout - but first I need to figure out what I can Kijiji to afford that biker bomber.  Hmmmm...

Hope you had a great Easter weekend! xx

Kate Spade, Ted Baker Coming to Canada

Kate Spade NY Fall '12 Presentation - photo courtesy southmoltonststyle.com

An illustration of the Kate Spade model by Inslee

Floral Print Shorts - Ted Baker London

Just when I thought my cross-border hops had been made completely redundant, news broke today that It-Brit fashion brand Ted Baker London and U.S.-based Kate Spade New York will both be arriving in Canada this fall, with 2 new stand-alone stores coming to Yorkdale Mall. 

I've always been a fan of Kate Spade with her happy prints, preppy colours and must-bookmark blog, behind the curtain.  The Fall 2012 collection, though, is exceptionally charming, with loads of Parisian references and a highly-anticipated collaboration with French street-style blogger Garance Doré.  Youpeee! As for Ted Baker, I'm just getting to know the brand but am already in love with the super chic collection and foresee this being a long and highly profitable relationship (for Ted Baker, anyway..though, I'll surely reap the wardrobe rewards).

Will keep you posted on all the store opening deets.  I so want an invite to those parties!  Hint. Hint.