Essential Calgary Magazine Essential Calgary 2017 | Page 40

Gem by Carati: Scotia Centre, 225 - 7 Ave SW, 403-264-8772, gembycarati.com Supreme Men’s Wear: 401 - 4 Ave SW, 403-266-4417, suprememenswear.com La Chic: Bankers Hall, 315 - 8 Ave SW, 403-269-4775, lachiccalgary.com Neal’s Yard Remedies: 2207 - 4 St SW, 403-460-8400, nealsyardremedies.ca Southcente Mall, 100 Anderson Rd SE, 403-271-7670, nealsyardremedies.ca Oska: Bankers Hall, 315 - 8 Ave SW, 403-384-9772, calgary.oska.com Nordstrom: Chinook Centre, 6455 Macleod Tr SW, 587-291-2000, shop.nordstrom.com 40  Neal’s Yard Remedies The Wild Rose Beauty Balm was all it took for Lisa Costello to be smitten with the organic skincare products in the signature cobalt blue bottles. So much so that she decided to take a leap from her cushy accounting career in London, England to business ownership back in her hometown of Calgary. In May of 2014, she opened the first Neal’s Yard Remedies store in North America in the heart of Calgary’s 4th Street shopping district. A year later, she opened a second location at Southcentre Mall. “Neal’s Yard Remedies is about making people feel beautiful every day and really respecting the whole supply chain that comes along with that,” says Costello. “So, it’s about feeling good, doing good, looking good.” As a sixth generation Calgarian, Costello comes from a line of experienced business people. Her father, a chartered accountant, owned the Subway franchise in Western Canada and her mother owned a shop in Canmore. One cold call to the London-based natural skincare retailer was all it took to begin a partnership between two successful entrepreneurial families. “When you have your own business, it’s like your child,” says Costello. “You’re investing everything into that and to watch something grow that you helped grow is so rewarding that I could never regret the decision to leave [accounting].” Oska It was January 2006 when a serendipitous stop at a Soho shop in New York City brought Alberta clothing retailers and best friends Lida Lahola and Calli-Ann Rudiger face to face with European label OSKA. “It was so cold and I was desperately looking for a toque,” THE ESSENTIAL CALGARY 2016/17 says Lahola. “So we entered this OSKA shop and we loved everything we saw.” They left a note for the manager and within weeks they ordered the women’s collection for their boutique Callidas in Edmonton. Soon, they were selling out faster than they could stoc k them. “My customers range in age from about 30 to 90 and they wanted something sophisticated but casual,” says Lahola. “Finding eclectic, funky clothes for that age group isn’t easy. But OSKA is a look you can build on year after year. I’ve had a 90-year-old woman come in and buy OSKA season after season. I’ve had women bring their daughters. My son’s girlfriend wears it.” The simple, clean-lined, comfortable style reflects “Asian inspired silhouettes.” Their success and enthusiasm drew the attention of Helmut Bayer, the Munich-based owner of OSKA. He approached the two women and they hit it off immediately. They struck up a partnership to set up OSKA shops in Canada. The flagship store, OSKA Calgary, opened in downtown Calgary in 2012 and OSKA Vancouver followed suit in 2014. Nordstrom It was with huge fanfare and anticipation that 1,500 fashion fans lined up in the wee hours of the morning in September 2014 to await the opening of Canada’s first Nordstrom in Calgary’s Chinook Centre. While fellow American retail giant, Target, had just closed 133 of its stores in Canada, things were looking much better for Nordstrom as Calgarians and visitors flocked to the upscale fashion retail for unique brands and exceptional customer service. Lisa Berg, Calgary’s Nordstrom’s general manager, says it’s difficult to compare the two companies. “It isn’t apples to apples,” says Berg. “We’re approaching things differently. We’re opening six stores over a total of three years as compared to opening more than 100 stores upfront. Now that we have four stores up and running in Canada, we’re learning from customers about what they like and what we can improve upon to best serve them.” Nordstrom opened two locations in Toronto in the fall of 2016 while Vancouver got its store in the fall of 2015. Ottawa was second to Calgary with a Nordstrom opening in March of 2015. Canadian openings of Nordstrom Racks are soon to follow. “Canada continues to exceed our top-line expectations,” says Berg. “Our new store plans are long-term investments for us. Our focus is on better serving our customers. When we’re able to provide good service, we believe good results will follow.” PHOTOGRAPH: COURTESY NORDSTROM Carati: Bankers Hall, 315 - 8 Ave SW, 403-264-5557, carati.ca this as an art. I’m a good tailor and I enjoy what I’m doing here, and if I can make a guy look and feel like a million bucks, I feel good about it.” Like father, like son. Along with devoted employees and loyal clientele, a whole new wave of customers is discovering Supreme for the first time. “Calgary is the most awesome place to be because it’s young, vibrant, and the younger male is becoming fashionaware,” says Darren. “The millennials don’t want to dress and look the same as everyone else. They want to express their uniqueness in every way they can.” They’ve come to the right place.