Inside the Eaton Centre’s new Nordstrom, with a Madewell boutique and 24-hour concierge
The Eaton Centre’s north end is no longer a construction zone: as of tomorrow, shoppers will be able to explore three palatial floors devoted to designer goods and in-store boutiques from the likes of Loewe, Miu Miu and Stella McCartney. The space is flooded with natural light from rows of windows and skylights, and the customer service goes above and beyond: there’s a 24-hour concierge who will help you put together a last-minute outfit at 3 a.m., personal stylists who will come to your office, and free delivery in under two hours to anywhere in Toronto. A centralized bar on the second floor offers liquid cures for shopping-related stresses, and plush private shopping suites provide a zen space to try on dramatic Alice and Olivia ballgowns or laid-back Madewell basics (yup, Madewell has finally arrived in Canada).
The main floor’s help desk can assist shoppers with with anything (even if you just need to charge your phone—there’s a charging station here and others around the store). Collectively, the staff speak 31 languages:
The store will also have a space on the first floor for rotating pop-ups. First up will be athleisure apparel from Alexander Wang:
The beauty department has open shelves (so customers don’t have to ask to see products) and staff (not commissioned salespeople) on hand to answer questions. Here, shoppers will find more than 2,300 different shades of lipstick and a “mini must-have” counter stocked with top-selling products in miniature sizes:
In the middle of the second floor (which is devoted to men’s apparel, accessories and grooming products), casual cocktail lounge Habitant serves up beverages like the “Dundas Streetcar,” which is made with bourbon and vanilla bean simple syrup:
There are also light meals for shoppers to tuck into, like fish tacos:
When you’re done snacking, you can peruse rows of knapsacks from Montreal-based brand Want Les Essentials de la Vie ($550):
Guys can also chill out in the men’s personal shopping suite with a beer as stylists showcase outfit options (the TVs are real, but the books are fake):
Men’s shoes include fancy Gucci loafers and slick Common Projects kicks (from $585). Shoe shinings and sneaker cleanings are available for $2.50 each:
Women can also snap up some pretty snazzy footwear, like these embellished Gucci heels ($2,210):
Men’s brands include Vancouver-based Wings and Horns and Japanese minimalist designer Yohji Yamamoto. There are also more than 1,000 different kinds of neckties in the store:
Women’s wear is on the third floor, including brands like Rag and Bone, Alice and Olivia and Madewell. The women’s department is organized by lifestyle and staffed with seven complimentary personal stylists:
The swish JWN Room, the women’s private shopping lounge, is named after Nordstrom’s founder, John W. Nordstrom. The chandelier is by Charles Loomis:
The Space is a department dedicated to emerging designers like Simone Rocha, Roksanda Ilincic and Brother Vieilles. It’s where you’ll find avant-garde items like this furry orange leather jacket:
The Apartment, a lounge area for younger women, features “girlfriend dressing rooms” that can accommodate large groups and feature selfie-friendly front-lit mirrors:
A surf hut holds vacation-worthy bathers, including these Toronto-focused one-pieces:
Of course, Torontonians will also be able to satisfy their cozy parka needs (winter is coming):
Sparkly black-tie attire for proms, galas and fundraisers is in good supply:
The store’s kidswear department has a playhouse with a touchscreen TV for playing games. Each month the store will host shoe-tying lessons and first-time walkers can take away a cute doll to commemorate their first pair of Baby Converse or Baby Doc Martins (that they can pair with a head-to-toe Burberry look, like one of these):
The store is filled with works of art from local and international artists. This duo of oil paintings (called “Echos Bound”) was created by Toronto-based artist Gideon Tomaschoff:
The L.A.-based artist Tanya Aguiñiga hand-wove this giant felt wall hanging:
The store offers plenty of interior design inspo. These portraits are by German artist Peter Keil:
.
The main floor's help desk can assist shoppers with with anything (even if you just need to charge your phone—there's a charging station here and others around the store). Collectively, the staff speak 31 languages:
The store will also have a space on the first floor for rotating pop-ups. First up will be athleisure apparel from Alexander Wang:
The beauty department has open shelves (so customers don't have to ask to see products) and staff (not commissioned salespeople) on hand to answer questions. Here, shoppers will find more than 2,300 different shades of lipstick and a "mini must-have" counter stocked with top-selling products in miniature sizes:
In the middle of the second floor (which is devoted to men's apparel, accessories and grooming products), casual cocktail lounge Habitant serves up beverages like the "Dundas Streetcar,” which is made with bourbon and vanilla bean simple syrup:
There are also light meals for shoppers to tuck into, like fish tacos:
When you're done snacking, you can peruse rows of knapsacks from Montreal-based brand Want Les Essentials de la Vie ($550):
Guys can also chill out in the men's personal shopping suite with a beer as stylists showcase outfit options (the TVs are real, but the books are fake):
Men's shoes include fancy Gucci loafers and slick Common Projects kicks (from $585). Shoe shinings and sneaker cleanings are available for $2.50 each:
Women can also snap up some pretty snazzy footwear, like these embellished Gucci heels ($2,210):
Men's brands include Vancouver-based Wings and Horns and Japanese minimalist designer Yohji Yamamoto. There are also more than 1,000 different kinds of neckties in the store:
Women's wear is on the third floor, including brands like Rag and Bone, Alice and Olivia and Madewell. The women's department is organized by lifestyle and staffed with seven complimentary personal stylists:
The swish JWN Room, the women's private shopping lounge, is named after Nordstrom's founder, John W. Nordstrom. The chandelier is by Charles Loomis:
The Space is a department dedicated to emerging designers like Simone Rocha, Roksanda Ilincic and Brother Vieilles. It's where you'll find avant-garde items like this furry orange leather jacket:
The Apartment, a lounge area for younger women, features “girlfriend dressing rooms” that can accommodate large groups and feature selfie-friendly front-lit mirrors:
A surf hut holds vacation-worthy bathers, including these Toronto-focused one-pieces:
Of course, Torontonians will also be able to satisfy their cozy parka needs (winter is coming):
Sparkly black-tie attire for proms, galas and fundraisers is in good supply:
The store's kidswear department has a playhouse with a touchscreen TV for playing games. Each month the store will host shoe-tying lessons and first-time walkers can take away a cute doll to commemorate their first pair of Baby Converse or Baby Doc Martins (that they can pair with a head-to-toe Burberry look, like one of these):
The store is filled with works of art from local and international artists. This duo of oil paintings (called “Echos Bound”) was created by Toronto-based artist Gideon Tomaschoff:
The L.A.-based artist Tanya Aguiñiga hand-wove this giant felt wall hanging:
The store offers plenty of interior design inspo. These portraits are by German artist Peter Keil:
){kind=link}