Inside Filson, the outdoorsy Seattle brand’s first Toronto flagship

Toronto’s sartorial-minded travellers and bike commuters have been toting around Filson’s sturdy, lifetime-warranty rucksacks and duffles for years. But the arrival of the west-coast label at Queen and Euclid means the city’s outdoorsy folks have access to a whole new roster of apparel perfectly suited to hunting deer, chopping logs, handcrafting furniture—or, you know, sipping craft beer at Bellwoods. For its Queen West outpost, the brand went for an especially rustic vibe: the space resembles a cross between a cozy cottage and a carpentry workshop. Here, the products are purely utilitarian and made from incredibly durable materials like waxed cotton, virgin wool and the same bridle leather that’s used on horse saddles.

The front of the store was transformed into a cozy lounge called the “parlour”. A few chairs and couches were custom-covered with the brand’s signature plaid mackinaw wool. The floors are made from west-coast douglas fir and the walls are scattered with images from the company’s archives that date back to the late 1800s:

The parlour also houses the brand’s collection of bags and luggage, most of which are crafted from materials like waxed canvas, heavy-duty twill and weatherproof leather. Prices range from $200 to $1,300 for a large all-leather duffle:

The store opens up into the “workshop”, which was designed to look like a carpentry studio. Workbenches and reclaimed wooden furniture are used to display clothing and accessories. The brand’s design team also stripped back the walls to their frames and hung a custom-painted canoe from the ceiling:

The walls are decorated with all manner of rusty things. The back of the store also houses some of the brand’s more technical apparel and accessories, like electric-orange hunting hats, log carriers and work aprons:

There’s also a comfy plaid couch for weary shoppers:

The brand’s visual merchandiser painted the mural on the back wall, as well as the canvas rugs on the floor:

The women’s department is much smaller. In the event of any damage to items, the shop will send them (free of charge) to their repair and restoration facility in Seattle. They make two shipments every month, and customers will receive their repaired garment four to six weeks later:

694 Queen St. W., 416-348-9485, filson.com.