Lack of good promotion? Reliance on word-of-mouth? Keeping it a secret from crazed teenage girls? Whatever the reason, it has just recently come to my attention that the British shop Topshop with the cult following exists on Ossington Ave, in the 800 square foot back section of Jonathan + Olivia. Worried that I was way behind or everyone was keeping it secret from me, I asked around and lo and behold, not many girls I know have heard about it either.
But yes, Jackie O'Brien - owner of Jonathan and Olivia [named after her niece and nephew..cute] - succeeded in stealing Topshop's first foray in Canada from The Bay, where it was originally set to open a pop shop. Instead they set up in the back of her store on Ossington, an area that will surely be a new Toronto hotspot within the next few years. Reviews claim that Topshop doesn't fit in with the style of her store (she carries brands like Alexander Wang and Rag&Bone), that Bloor West would've been preferable to Ossington, and that the collection is overpriced and buyers chose the wrong items for Toronto street style.Can't really comment on these complaints as I haven't been yet, but regardless, it's exciting news. Topshop won't be there for long; a pop shop is essentially a test of the Toronto market. If the pop shop does well, Topshop opens up a legitimate store (expect nothing short of huge and spectacular: Topshop is 5 storeys on Oxford Street in England and 2 storeys in New York) here in Toronto. If it performs decently, they leave the pop shop for a year or two to see if it gains a following, but don't open a store. And if it does horribly................they probably won't be back to Canada for a while.
Anyway, Jonathan + Olivia, Topshop - Kate Moss line included - on Ossington Ave. right here in Toronto. Excellent news for those of us who love London fashion.
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