Kendra Sullivan, store manager of City Uptown says “there’s something for everyone up here.” Photo: Mick Sweetman/The Dialog
George Brown College (GBC) students stood in line down the fourth floor fashion studies hall at Casa Loma campus on Oct. 2 for City Uptown’s grand opening.
Second year fashion students were successful in opening up their first fully functional store, as the welcoming atmosphere they created, generated a positive reaction from both students and faculty.
“There was a line-up down the hall,” says Anthony O’Dell, a current second year fashion student. “I had pretty high expectations, and everything was seamless.”
This year’s turn-out met students’ standards and expectations, as the City Uptown team worked hard to put together a line of clothing that would catch their interests. “Today’s fashion seems to be either to basic or too flashy, and I think we did a great job of finding a balance between the two,” said O’Dell.
Each year second year students at the School of Fashion Studies are required to run a fully functional retail store as part of their program. ‘College creations’ is a class offered in the second year of GBC’s fashion management program, which aims to educate students on how to operate and generate sales from their stores.
“It is our job to run a fully functional retail store from October through December,” said O’Dell.
City Uptown’s grand opening was based around the theme “Home away from home,” which revolves around a year-long cottage feel.
“The theme draws around the inspiration for metal, wood, repurposed furniture and decor,” explained O’Dell. “We want to project a home away from home feel where the customer will really feel comfortable and at rest while browsing our merchandise.”
The team at City Uptown hoped to “generate buzz,” said O’Dell. “The reaction was overwhelmingly positive.”
From handbags to accessories, students swarmed the store. Not only were students able to “shop and mingle,” as O’Dell put it, they were able to enjoy refreshments such as cupcakes, smores, and apple cider.
“It was a smash hit as we not only generated a huge amount of buzz, but we also managed to beat our sales goal,” said O’Dell of the event’s results.
The store is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., students can feel the warmth and comfort of the cottage with a visit to City Uptown.
