TIFF: Target Hotel

Sep 9

Hello Darlings, American retailer Target has been making a big splash in Canada's two biggest cities sponsoring and hosting events at Montreal Fashion Week and Toronto International Film Festival. People who know the brand keep raving to me about how fabulous is Target - humorously pronounced "Tar-Jay" as if somehow a French sounding name elevates it's image. Although I haven't ever shopped at Target, I am impressed with their values and how they position their brand.

Target will open more than 125 stores across Canada beginning in 2013. And to help build some buzz for their launch, Target signed on as one of the main sponsors of Montreal Fashion Week (September 4-7) where they had a highly visible presence including a cute media lounge decked out in their signature red. At the event, Target executives also announced a Target Emerging Designer Award where an rising star designer will win a $25,000 cash prize and an opportunity to create a collection to be sold at Target stores in Quebec.

When meeting Team Target at Montreal Fashion Week, they kindly invited me to check out their Toronto Film Festival activation called "Target Hotel". Again super impressive, Target has rented the entire boutique Templar Hotel located on Adelaide Street in downtown Toronto, and just a stones throw from the Bell Lightbox.

I AM WEARING: Club Monaco Tristan Silk Blouse // Juicy Couture Eyelet Skirt // Kate Spade New Bond Street Sawyer Purse // J.Crew Mona Pump // YSL Arty Ring

Hiring renowned Toronto event producer Jeffrey Roick, Templar Hotel is tastefully transformed to feature all-things Target (think lots of red). For my personalized experience, Target PR head Lisa Gibson invited me to brunch by the executive chef, Roberto Fracchioni, with a group of Toronto media including Erica Ehm and Erin Bury, followed by a tour of "Target Hotel".

If you haven't read much about the Target brand, they have very large stores across North America that sell almost everything including clothes, house wares, electronics, some groceries, and a lot more. The brand competes with Wal-Mart in terms of price, but is from what I can tell way better quality and also a way better shopping experience. Target didn't buy Zellers, but they will open stores in many of their locations when the Zellers brand closes later this fall.

Watch out for more from Target in the coming months, since of what I've seen from the brand that past two weeks, they should have some impressive and interesting promotions in-store for us Canadians!