The fashion hungry lined the streets outside Target‘s Toronto pop-up store early Thursday morning to get their hands on items from The Jason Wu for Target line–the first of many marketing moves from the American retailer as it prepares for its Canadian launch in 2013.
While the store didn’t open to the public until noon, one woman waiting in line had been braving the chilly temperatures since 7 a.m. Thankfully, Target ambassadors were on hand serving hot chocolate.
The press caught a first glimpse of the retail space, which fit perfectly with the cheap and cheerful Target brand and Wu’s ultra feminine designs. One section of the store was a sea of navy and red, and popped nicely against the crisp white shabby chic facades holding the designer duds.
An area for broadcast media was appropriately done up in Target red with framed branded posters on the wall. On a couch sat a well-behaved bull terrier known as Bulls Eye, patiently letting photographers snap away at the Target logo ringing one of his eyes.
While a Wu-designed cocktail dress can sell for as much as $5,000 at the Bay, Target’s six-hour event allowed Wu’s Canadian fans to purchase more affordable designs.
“To bring such a great collaboration here and to just be a part of the legacy of Target collaborations is really special,” Wu told the crowd.
Prices for the collection, which included T-shirts, dresses, skirts, raincoats and blouses, ranged from $10 to $45, with all proceeds benefiting the United Way of Toronto.
Last week Target announced it was opening the temporary location to give shoppers an idea of what to expect when the retailer opens in Canada a year from now.
John Morioka, senior vice-president of merchandising for Target Canada, told Marketing that bringing Wu’s collection to Canada brings to life Target’s “Expect more. Pay less” tagline by making well-designed products “affordable to all and accessible to all.”
This kind of marketing tactic isn’t new for the chain, which has become synonymous with the phrase “discount chic.” Target has hosted more than 20 pop-up stores across the U.S. (and one in France) since 2002.
The target store on King Street in Toronto was hard to miss. Dozens of shoppers waited outside for doors to open.
Designer Jason Wu and John Morioka, senior vice-president of merchandising for Target Canada.
To Canada with love. Wu’s designs on display at the King Street store.
Marketing‘s Kristin Laird does a little shopping of her own.
