Chinese customers flock to Canada Goose’s first China flagship store opening despite calls for boycott
- Long queues form on freezing-cold opening day as high-end jacket maker tries to make a mark in the world’s largest luxury market
- Canada Goose’s stock has tanked since arrest of Huawei CFO Meg Wanzhou
The first China flagship store of luxury parka-maker Canada Goose opened in Beijing to long queues despite tensions between Beijing and Ottawa over the arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou.
The 600-square metre flagship store, which opened its doors on Friday, was originally scheduled to kick off on December 15. Canada Goose delayed the opening, citing ongoing construction.
The delay came amid a furore in China over the arrest of Meng, which set off calls for boycotts of the high-end brand on Chinese social media platforms.
China is the world’s largest luxury market, and Canada Goose is part of a flood of upscale international brands trying to develop a fan base there. Other Canadian companies hoping to make a mark in China include fashion store Club Monaco, sportswear retailer Lululemon Athletica and cosmetics firm M.A.C. Doughnut retailer Tim Hortons plans to open is first store next year in mainland China and aims to have 1,500 branches in 10 years.
The brand had opened one pop-up shop before in Beijing, with jackets selling for more than $1,400, but the new store in the trendy Sanlitun neighbourhood is its first long-term physical presence in mainland China.