Canada’s Le Château is continuing on its brand mission to reinvent themselves. The latest from the Montréal-based brand? A more mature, sophisticated feel to its current menswear offerings.
Le Château has been slowly repositioning itself over the last few seasons to compete in Canada’s often challenging fashion landscape. An online wedding boutique, and a more mature women’s collection debuted back in spring 2014, but it’s taken some time for the men’s line to follow suit. That being said, the fall/winter 2016 menswear collection, available in stores now, is a bold step in the right direction.
Originally known as Le Chateau Man, Le Château was founded in Montréal by the grandson of an immigrant tailor as a menswear-only store in 1959. Through ups and down the retailer—who infamously suited up John Lennon and Yoko Ono in velour pantsuits during their Montréal bed-in for peace in 1969—expanded across Canada, and briefly into the U.S., building the brand by targeting young shoppers with affordable and fashionable, often club-ready apparel. Years later the brand is reinventing themselves yet again as global fast-fashion retailers continue to expand. Now the target market for both Le Château’s menswear and womenswear collections is an older, more sophisticated customers… think 25- to 45-year-olds.
“This season is all about exuding your own personal style with unique runway-inspired detailing like contrast trims, unexpected button colours, on-trend prints and fabrics, and a unique take on menswear classics, like coats and blazers,” says the brand’s vice-president of sales and operations, Franco Rocchi.
It’s true. Le Château is closing out the year with a menswear collection of stylish, modern classics to suit all lifestyles – from casual to career. Fall looks include chinos and pants in tweeds and twills, a variety of versatile blazers featuring traditional fabrics and statement prints featured on dress shirts in the form of micro-prints, geometric patterns, florals, and paisley prints. For Canada’s cooler months ahead, sweaters and overcoats take center stage with chunky and faux fur trim looks offering a welcoming alternative to jackets.
“Le Château of Montréal’s F/W 2016 menswear collection is all about mastering the rulebook of what to wear, and is uniquely inspired by the environment in which we live,” says Rocchi. “Our team is constantly being influenced by friends, neighbours, and the local chefs, musicians, art buyers and graphic designers that make up the fabric of this city.”
In addition to Le Château’s elevated offerings, which are entirely designed in Montréal, the Canadian marketplace staple has one other important focus that’s winning them back fans. Consumers are becoming more conscious of where their products come from and Le Château is one of the few remaining retailers that can maintain that the majority of its merchandise is still ethically made in Canada.
Happy shopping.
