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Absolutely Fabrics to Add Menswear in New Flagship

A rendering of the new Absolutely Fabrics store in Toronto.
A rendering of the new Absolutely Fabrics store in Toronto.Courtesy

Don’t let the name fool you.

Absolutely Fabrics is not a textile business, it’s a Toronto-based multibrand specialty store that offers emerging and established women’s brands alongside archival vintage merchandise and an event space.

Owned and operated by Kaelen Haworth, Absolutely Fabrics opened on Queen Street West in 2023 and quickly made a name for itself among Canada’s fashion followers. In September, Haworth will open a 7,000-square-foot flagship in Summerhill, one of Toronto’s exclusive residential neighborhoods. And with the expanded space, it will allow Haworth to add menswear for the first time.

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Among the brands she will offer at launch are Soshiotsuki, who was guest designer at the most recent Pitti Uomo show, as well as Aubero, Sstein, Rier, Sanderlak, Studio Nicholson and Willy Chavarria.

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Haworth, a Toronto native, spent more than a decade in New York designing her own brands, Kaelen and Second Sight. But she admits that she is “a much better editor and curator than a designer.” So she returned home and decided to open a store offering labels that aren’t widely distributed in her home country. That includes Fforme, Ashlyn, Marni, Proenza Schouler, Christopher John Rogers and Conner Ives.

“I always wanted to have a store, but I knew New York wasn’t the place that I was going to do it,” she said. “But in Toronto, there’s a lot of room.”

The new Absolutely Fabrics store in Summerhill will have a dedicated menswear area.
The new store in Summerhill will have a dedicated menswear area.Courtesy

So she found a space on Queen Street, which she described as similar to New York’s Garment District. When she was searching for a name, she said a friend suggested Absolutely Fabrics because of the other textile firms in the neighborhood. “We put it in as a placeholder and then it stuck,” she said.

The new store, which will be designed to feel like a private residence with glass block windows, burled wood accents, carpeted floors and coffered ceilings, will house a footwear and accessories feature wall as well as a dedicated space for men.

“I think menswear is so much more interesting at times than womenswear,” she said. “And it also came down to this being the right place for launching and positioning these really incredible menswear brands that have popped up in the last few years.”

Haworth acknowledged that while there are “some really good menswear stores in the city, there are none in that area. And the brands that we’re picking up don’t have a lot of positioning in Canada at all right now, especially in Toronto.”

She said Absolutely Fabrics will be the exclusive Canadian retailer for Soshiotsuki, which she characterized as “an incredibly beautiful brand.” She also pointed to the “high craft work” created by Aubero from “found fabrics,” pointing to the washed taffeta silk pieces that will be part of the mix, as well as the heritage pieces from Rier. “It’s very functional and rooted in Austrian mountaineering.”

She’ll also add Chavarria’s men’s and womenswear to the store. And although she believes selling the tailored pieces “might be a bit more challenging, I think they’re incredibly beautiful and very well made. So I’m excited to see how we do with that.”

Kaelen Haworth of Absolutely Fabrics
Kaelen HaworthCourtesy

Haworth acknowledged that this eclectic mix represents a bit of a risk, “but I think one of the biggest things that you can do for yourself as a retailer is create a place where if somebody loves that brand, they’ve got to come to you,” she said. “Soshiotsuki is an incredible brand and it’s really picking up traction. If you want it in Canada, you’ve got to come to us.”

Her women’s customer tends to be older — 35 and up — and she’s expecting the same for her men’s shopper. “Some of our best customers are in their 60s, and I think that’s fantastic. They’re the ones who really know their style and if you help them get out of their comfort zone, that’s the perfect customer.”

By offering brands that are not household names, it often takes a while to establish a client base, and Haworth believes that will be the case with her menswear as well. But she’s optimistic that the word will get out — “News travels fast in Toronto,” she said — and it won’t take long for her to find her footing.

“The idea of having a place of discovery and finding something that is not super accessible is a huge part of our success,” she said. “So being in Toronto and having those brands is really what makes us stand out.”

The menswear will only be carried in the Summerhill store. “I wanted it to feel like a very intentional thing and not an afterthought,” she said. “So with the Queen Street store, I think it would have felt like we’re adding this on, and it’s already quite full. So, I think having it uptown is going to feel much more intentional.”

Absolutely Fabrics Summerhill is scheduled to open Sept. 19.

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