{Attending the Saks Fifth Avenue Canada Opening Party}

Exciting news! There is now a Saks Fifth Avenue in Canada! The first Canadian location at 176 Yonge St. in the Eaton Center, opened its doors to the public Thursday February 18th but I was lucky enough to attend the special cocktail party in honor of The National Ballet of Canada on Tuesday February 16th. Saks occupies four floors and boasts luxury brands in an opulent setting; marble floors, white and cream décor and hints of high end perfume in the air left me buzzing with positive energy, and the show stopper:  a towering sculpture in glass, metal and light that hangs from the 4th floor, anchoring the main-floor atrium.

Upon arriving I was greeted by smiling doormen who directed me to the coat check and then into the store. The first floor of Saks is home to luxury cosmetics, accessories, purses, jewelry, and many other high-end, luxury treats that are now all on my 2016 Christmas List (a lady can dream)! Cartier, Hermes, Tom Ford, Valentino and Balenciaga are just a few of the designers boutiques that greet you when you first enter.

After a quick escalator ride to the second floor I found myself in the men’s department. I was greeted by wait staff serving hors d’oeuvres and drinks in champagne flutes, and an ensemble of classical musicians. Guests gathered in small groups around the designer shoes, belts and high end fashion as we all enjoyed the sounds of the violin, Cello and were treated to a performance by the National Ballet of Canada. Fendi, Prada, Givenchy, Gucci and Gorgio Armani were just a few of the designers that caught my eye as I browsed the men’s collections. The sales associates were all upbeat, friendly and greeted me with a smile.

And last, but definitely not least, the third floor, THE LADIES DEPARTMENT, the holy grail of all female fashionistas everywhere! I found myself in retail heaven. I immediately bee lined to the shoe department and there I found myself amidst the heart-stopping, breathtaking, beautiful shoe collections of none other than Christian Louboutin, Manolo Blahnik, Prada and a Shoe salon. The women’s department was elegant, classy and relaxing. Its soft lighting and cream colored walls offers the perfect mood and setting for an afternoon of shopping.
Saks Fifth Avenue also provides its customers with ‘Saks at Your Service’; a shopping service that brings the best of Saks directly to a customer’s home, office, or hotel, anytime and anywhere. They will also introduce Toronto to ‘The Fifth Avenue Club’, a private shopping destination for men and women featuring trained consultants for personalized styling. Additionally, customers can also enjoy a makeover with one of Saks expert makeup artists’ to help prepare for a night out on the town. Customers can also get on-the-go facials, fragrance personalization, red carpet treatments and more at every beauty counter.

The one thing I found odd and unfortunate about my experience was that there are currently no restrooms located on any of the 4 floors of Saks Fifth Avenue. After asking one of the sales associates on the third floor, I was taken to a ‘washroom porter’ who then escorted me out of Saks into the Hudson’s Bay area of the Eaton Center to use the restrooms. The porter also waited for me to escort me back to the Saks. I’m not sure if this will be part of the regular service or if it was part of the opening night events, but I was personally very uncomfortable about having someone wait for me while I was using the washroom.  However, without the washroom porter’s patience and politeness I would have never found my way back! I did find this strange and hope that eventually restrooms will be available right inside Saks Fifth Avenue itself.

Despite this oddity, the store is absolutely beautiful and strives make its customers feel special by surrounding them with a luxury and friendly environment. Saks Fifth Avenue Canada is set to open its second location this week at Sherway Gardens.

Are you excited about Saks Fifth Avenue Canada opening in Toronto? If you’ve had a chance to visit, let me know your thoughts on the store!