Yorkdale Shopping Centre‘s luxury transformation reached a critical milestone in late 2025, as long-awaited flagship openings delivered alongside strategic tenant changes and major construction projects throughout the 1.8 million square feet destination.
Our December 30th, 2025 photo tour documents five months of dramatic change since our August visit, capturing the opening of Tom Ford’s first Canadian flagship, Oliver Peoples and Gentle Monster’s completed stores, AMI Paris’s debut boutique, and Stone Island’s arrival, while also tracking Club Monaco Men’s closure following its Queen Street flagship exit, ECCO’s departure, and an evolving pop-up strategy with temporary tenants including RW&CO, North Face, and Sentaler filling spaces during luxury tenant negotiations.
From completed luxury corridor buildouts to ongoing construction for Gucci and Saint Laurent’s 2025-2026 openings, this visual report tracks Yorkdale’s continued evolution as premium brands expand their footprints while flexible leasing strategies maintain occupancy during the mall’s ongoing transformation.
Oliver Peoples and Creed Open in Former Sunglass Hut Location
What’s going on: Oliver Peoples relocated from its original 2018 location to share approximately 1,400 square feet of the former Sunglass Hut space with Creed, which opened its first Canadian boutique at 650 square feet. The prominent corner location features Oliver Peoples’ gallery-inspired aesthetic with brass accents and a dramatic two-story black façade housing both brands. Sunglass Hut moved to a new location beside Lisa Gozlan in the former Craig’s Cookies space.
Why is this significant: Creed’s opening brings the full fragrance range including Aventus and Green Irish Tweed to a standalone store. Previously available only through Harry Rosen and Holt Renfrew, Creed now controls its own retail experience with bottle engraving and custom services. Oliver Peoples relocates from its original 2018 Yorkdale spot to share this high-traffic corner location. The opening comes as L’Oréal prepares to acquire Creed from Kering for approximately €4 billion in 2026.
Gentle Monster Opens 5,300 Square Foot Flagship
What’s going on: Gentle Monster opened its first Canadian flagship in late December 2025, occupying 5,300 square feet near Louis Vuitton and Acne Studios. The store features the brand’s signature immersive design with kinetic installations including “Giant Head”—three hyper-realistic animated faces that slowly rotate and shift—and a towering fabric sculpture at the centre of the boutique. The space functions as both eyewear retailer and contemporary art installation. Frames retail between $200 and $500, with over 50 silhouettes available and 20+ new designs introduced annually.
Why is this significant: Gentle Monster brings its art-gallery retail concept to Canada for the first time. The South Korean brand treats each global location as a unique sculptural project rather than rolling out cookie-cutter stores—each store features completely different kinetic installations from robotic forms in London to hyper-realistic bison in New Jersey. CBRE Toronto negotiated the lease.
Tom Ford Opens in Luxury Corridor
What’s going on: Tom Ford opened its first standalone Canadian boutique on December 13, 2025, spanning 3,000 square feet between Loewe and Dior. The store carries men’s and women’s ready-to-wear, leather goods, footwear, fragrances, beauty, eyewear, and underwear, with made-to-measure tailoring available through private appointments. The interior mirrors the brand’s Madison Avenue flagship with grey and deep brown palettes, chrome and glass accents, Cala Paonazzo marble, and Macassar ebony display cabinets.
Why is this significant: This consolidates Tom Ford’s scattered Canadian presence—previously limited to Harry Rosen menswear shop-in-shops nationwide and Holt Renfrew boutiques in Vancouver and Montreal. The store positions Tom Ford directly across from Saint Laurent’s incoming flagship and near the under-construction Gucci location, creating an ultra-luxury concentration in Yorkdale’s centre corridor. Ermenegildo Zegna Group operates Tom Ford Fashion following Estée Lauder’s 2023 acquisition, targeting 100 global locations by 2030, nearly doubling from 51 stores.
Stone Island Now Open
What’s going on: Stone Island opened its 3,600-square-foot store beside Apple in the former John Varvatos space. The store features the Italian brand’s technical fabrics and signature compass badge logo, marking Stone Island’s second Canadian location after Vancouver.
Why is this significant: Stone Island replaces John Varvatos, which operated as Canada’s first John Varvatos location since November 2013. The American menswear brand has temporarily relocated elsewhere in Yorkdale. Stone Island’s arrival adds cult streetwear to Yorkdale’s luxury mix, targeting the demographic that bridges high fashion and contemporary menswear. The brand’s first Canadian store opened at 104 Yorkville Avenue in fall 2019 across two levels.
Dior Opens Flagship
What’s going on: Dior opened its Yorkdale flagship featuring the brand’s signature white quilted façade design. The store occupies prominent square footage in the luxury corridor between Tom Ford and the under-construction Gucci location.
Why is this significant: Dior’s standalone flagship gives the brand complete control over merchandising and client services after years of operating through the Holt Renfrew concession. The move follows LVMH’s broader strategy of pulling its fashion houses out of department stores to run their own operations. This joins recent Canadian Dior flagships as the luxury conglomerate invests in direct retail rather than relying on Holt Renfrew partnerships.
Gucci Construction Underway for 2026 Opening
What’s going on: Construction hoarding now covers Gucci’s future 12,000-square-foot flagship, with “Opening 2026” and “Visit our boutique inside Holt Renfrew” signage directing customers to the existing concession. The space will become one of Yorkdale’s largest luxury boutiques upon completion.
Why is this significant: The relocation from Holt Renfrew will be significantly larger than the current boutique, allowing for expanded product categories and potentially restaurant or café concepts that Gucci has introduced in other global flagships. The move gives Gucci complete control over store design and operations. This follows Kering’s broader strategy of moving brands into company-operated stores.
Saint Laurent Construction Progresses for Fall 2025 Opening
What’s going on: Saint Laurent’s 11,000-square-foot flagship remains under construction with “Opening Fall 2025” signage and directions to the current Holt Renfrew boutique. The space will span two levels in the luxury corridor directly across from Tom Ford.
Why is this significant: The two-level flagship will be one of Yorkdale’s largest luxury stores, accommodating Saint Laurent’s full men’s and women’s collections plus dedicated spaces for made-to-order services. Like Gucci, this relocation from Holt Renfrew gives Saint Laurent complete control over store design and operations.
AMI Paris Opens First Canadian Store
What’s going on: AMI Paris opened its first Canadian boutique in December 2025, spanning approximately 2,500 square feet in the former Nespresso location. The space became available after Nespresso relocated to a new concept store near UNIQLO in March 2025. The store features Euville stone, beige limewash, and dark oak wood with striped parquet flooring and champagne gold accents, recreating the brand’s Paris flagship aesthetic. The boutique carries menswear and womenswear collections including the Fall Winter 2025 line and AMI Holidays seasonal assortment.
Why is this significant: AMI brings Alexandre Mattiussi’s accessible luxury to Toronto in standalone retail for the first time, building on previous presence through Holt Renfrew partnerships. The brand fills a gap between ultra-premium houses like Tom Ford and more contemporary brands, appealing to younger luxury consumers seeking understated Parisian style.
Moncler Relocated to Expanded Space
What’s going on: Moncler completed its relocation within the luxury corridor, moving from its previous location to an expanded boutique. The store now displays the Italian luxury outerwear brand’s full collection in a larger, more prominent space within Yorkdale’s premium retail zone.
Why is this significant: The relocation to larger square footage allows Moncler to showcase expanding collections beyond core down jackets, including the Grenoble ski line, Genius collaborations, and year-round ready-to-wear. This positions Moncler more prominently in the luxury corridor among Tom Ford, Dior, and other ultra-premium neighbors as the brand transitions from specialty outerwear to full-fledged fashion house.
Michael Kors Completes Relocation to Prominent Corner
What’s going on: Michael Kors’ original 5,776-square-foot location in the Luxury Loop now displays relocation signage directing customers to the new 2,160-square-foot store across from Aritzia in the former Marciano space. The move represents a significant re-posturing on the Yorkdale map.
Why is this significant: This represents something new for Michael Kors at Yorkdale, moving to roughly one-third of their previous square footage, with higher visibility. The relocation away from the prime Luxury Loop location beside David Yurman and Kate Spade suggests changing brand strategy or the push from the property to allocate that prime space to higher-performing luxury tenants. The vacated 5,776-square-foot space becomes one of the most desirable availabilities in Yorkdale’s luxury corridor.
Michael Hill Reopens After Renovation
What’s going on: Michael Hill Fine Jewellers completed its major renovation and reopened with “The New Era” branding. The Australian jewellery retailer temporarily operated from a space opposite Michel’s Bakery Café during construction and has now returned to its permanent location with an updated design.
Why is this significant: The renovation likely resulted from the landlord’s requirement that tenants modernise during lease renewals. Michael Hill’s investment signals commitment to competing against Cartier, David Yurman, and Tiffany & Co. in adjacent locations.
Massimo Dutti Relocating to Larger Space
What’s going on: Massimo Dutti is moving from its current 6,144-square-foot location to a new 7,170-square-foot store beside ECCO and across from Club Monaco. Construction hoarding displays “New Store Arriving Soon” with directions to the current location.
Why is this significant: This represents a rare size increase at Yorkdale—particularly notable given Massimo Dutti closed its CF Toronto Eaton Centre and PATH locations. However, the move shifts away from the luxury corridor into a more contemporary fashion zone.
RW&CO and North Face Pop-Ups
What’s going on: RW&CO operates as a temporary pop-up displaying “RW&CO POP UP” signage with promotional sale messaging. The North Face similarly runs a pop-up location on the upper level. Both occupy spaces as short-term tenants while permanent tenant deals are finalized elsewhere in the mall.
Why is this significant: The pop-up strategy generates revenue from vacant spaces while keeping the mall looking active, rather than displaying empty storefronts with generic hoarding. This avoids long-term commitments that could complicate future luxury tenant negotiations.
ECCO Closing Sale
What’s going on: ECCO displays “STORE CLOSING SALE!” signage with discounts up to 50% off as the Danish comfort footwear brand exits Yorkdale. Directional signage points to GARAGE, Kids Foot Locker, and LEGO as nearby alternatives.
Club Monaco Men Closes
What’s going on: Club Monaco closed its men’s store located next to Lacoste and across from Pottery Barn and Coach. The brand continues operating its combined men’s and women’s location between Dynamite and B2 elsewhere in the mall.
Why is this significant: This closure comes shortly after Club Monaco shuttered its original Queen Street West flagship, signalling broader contraction. The brand consolidates into a single Yorkdale location while mid-market contemporary fashion faces continued pressure at premium malls.
Hudson’s Bay Remains Vacant
What’s going on: Hudson’s Bay at Yorkdale remains shuttered with security gates down and branding still installed. The department store closed June 1, 2025 as part of the chain’s complete Canadian liquidation following bankruptcy proceedings.
Why is this significant: The massive Hudson’s Bay space represents one of Yorkdale’s largest redevelopment opportunities, though no replacement tenant has been announced. Unlike some former Hudson’s Bay locations that quickly attracted new tenants, this space requires extensive planning given its size and the mall’s luxury positioning. The continued vacancy suggests strategic patience about the space’s future use—potentially subdividing for multiple luxury tenants, attracting a single large-format retailer, or incorporating experiential elements.
Sentaler Pop-Up
What’s going on: Sentaler, the Canadian luxury outerwear brand known for alpaca and wool coats, operates a temporary pop-up location at Yorkdale featuring the brand’s minimal aesthetic and seasonal collections.
Why is this significant: The pop-up allows Sentaler seasonal visibility during peak outerwear months without long-term lease commitments, while the mall retains flexibility for future permanent deals.
Rivian Coming Summer 2026
What’s going on: Construction hoarding for Rivian displays “Opening Summer 2026” with “Experience our all-electric vehicles” messaging. The California-based electric vehicle manufacturer is preparing a showroom in the former Peloton.
Why is this significant: Rivian replaces VinFast within the Yorkdale EV/Auto category. VinFast closed five of its 10 Canadian stores in May 2025 including Yorkdale, Park Royal, and CF Carrefour Laval.
Patties Express Construction
What’s going on: Patties Express construction hoarding displays “Opening Fall 2025” with “We are Hiring!” signage. The Caribbean quick-service restaurant will join Yorkdale’s third-floor food court.
Luxury Corridor Density Intensifies
What’s going on: The centre corridor now houses an unprecedented concentration of luxury brands within steps of each other: Tom Ford, Dior, Moncler, Loewe, Brunello Cucinelli, Loro Piana, Versace, Jimmy Choo, and others operating alongside under-construction Gucci and Saint Laurent flagships.
Why is this significant: The concentration creates one of North America’s most significant luxury retail clusters outside dedicated shopping districts like Rodeo Drive. The density allows luxury consumers to visit multiple flagships in a single trip, positioning Yorkdale as Canada’s premier luxury destination.
Thanks for joining our December 2025 photo tour through Yorkdale Shopping Centre. We documented the completion of major luxury flagships first announced months ago, tracked ongoing construction for 2026 openings, and captured the continued bifurcation of Yorkdale’s tenant mix as luxury expands while mid-market brands contract. The next year will bring Saint Laurent and Gucci online, further solidifying Yorkdale’s transformation into Canada’s luxury retail anchor.
Dustin Fuhs is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of 6ix Retail, Toronto’s premier source for retail and hospitality industry news. As the former Editor-in-Chief of Retail Insider, Canada’s most-read retail trade publication, Dustin brings over two decades of expertise spanning retail, marketing, entertainment and hospitality sectors. His experience includes leadership roles with industry giants such as The Walt Disney Company, The Hockey Hall of Fame, Starbucks and Blockbuster.
Recognized as a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert in 2024 and 2025, Dustin delivers insider perspectives on Toronto’s evolving retail landscape, from emerging brands to established players reshaping the city’s commercial districts.