Last Friday, spring officially arrived (according to the calendar, at least). The weather still left much to be desired, but as the sun went down, one Queen West address embraced the new season wholeheartedly: The Wildfox pop-up at 711 Queen St. W.
The new pop-up is headed up by Marcus Fraser, who has had the space for a few years now. When the former tenants Balisi called it quits, Fraser (who has extensive experience with corporate retail), joined forces with his wife, who sells Wildfox Couture in Canada.
You know Wildfox—they of the stunningly lush lookbooks featuring beautiful, salt-in-the-hair beach babes in playful, barely-there clothes. Although the L.A. brand can be spotted in various stores around the city, this is the brand's first dedicated outpost in the country.
What’s the response been so far? Fraser says he’s encountered “Girls that haven’t heard of it, and girls that are obsessed with it," and not much in-between. Timing certainly helps: “People are willing summer to come,” Fraser says.
The brand began with cheeky printed T-shirts, then expanded into swimwear, sunglasses (which top out around $220), and most recently, denim—all of which you’ll find in the shop (alongside sweet-as-all-get-out sleep sets and lounge wear). One look at the stock makes quick sense of Fraser’s plan to play it by ear for the next three months. The brand is unabashedly suited for sun-drenched summers.
Stand-out pieces include the hand-crafted and artfully torn sweaters in Wildfox’s White Label, which can sport a hefty price tag. You’ll also find sample pieces that haven’t yet hit the wider market in Canada. Swimwear (around $80 for separates and $150-$160 for one-pieces) ranges from ombre, to bikinis sporting bright red lobsters, to my personal favourite: a plunging, butterfly-printed one-piece. These are not the sleek, editorial looks usually seen poolside in Toronto—they’re feminine and young, much like the brand as a whole.
Friday's event was a great introduction to the brand. New-ish Mexican restaurant Fonda Lola provided scallop ceviche shots and refreshing coconut and lime kefir champagne cocktails, King West’s Delysees brought dessert in the decadent form of double dark chocolate mousse, while the Cobra Snake (Wildfox's photographer) made an appearance. Pink balloons littered the floor, and beautiful people milled around, but the pièce de résistance was the wooden dock runway running down the shop’s center (atop white sand) and the slew of Wildfox-clad models strutting it.
“Consumers like change and excitement, and the word pop-up creates a sense of urgency,” Fraser tells me. The shop quietly opened earlier this month, and Fraser says “We’re set for 3 months—I have the space indefinitely, but it depends on how people embrace the brand.” Fraser also hints at other concepts he has in mind, including menswear, so stay tuned.
Wildfox pop-up, 711 Queen St. W., Mon. to Thurs. 11-7, Fri. to Sat. 11-8
