Joe Fresh Opens on Fifth Avenue
Photo courtesy of Joe Fresh
A trio of Joes: Joe Zee and Joe Mimran at the opening of Joe Fresh.
Add one more stop to your lower Fifth Avenue shopping itinerary: Canadian fashion mega-chain Joe Fresh has landed in New York City, and it’s open for business.
This is the first American outpost for Joe Fresh, which launched five years ago and has 330 locations in Canada. The shop, started by Club Monaco founder Joe Mimran, offers womenswear, menswear, active wear, and a full range of beauty products, at seriously competitive prices (think $39 skinny jeans, $69 cashmere V-necks and $39 silk blouses).
On the morning of November 3, the shop was introduced to editors by another Joe: Elle creative director (and Canada native) Joe Zee, who calls Mimran his "first fashion boss.”
“Twenty-five years ago, when I was 17, I walked into a brand-new store on Queen Street West in Toronto … it was pulsating with energy, and I just thought, ‘I have to skip school and work here right now!’” The store was Club Monaco, and Zee was hooked.
Joe Fresh got its start in Loblaw’s, which is actually a Canadian supermarket chain. It began selling clothes, and the company kept growing.
“We've gone from the frozen food aisle to Fifth Avenue!” Mimran laughed. While his new digs might be a little more upscale, he explained that the store's original home helped mold the brand into what it is today.
“When you’re in a food store, you’re very conscious of your budget,” he said. “And the colors have to be appetizing—that’s part of the concept [with Joe Fresh] as well.” True to form, the store’s signature color is bright orange.
The company doesn’t offer e-commerce yet (though Mimran said it’s in the works), and instead is focusing on settling into its new home.
“I see world domination—I always have!—but we want to take it one step at a time. We want to become a fabric of the city here. To be accepted in this market is the biggest vote of confidence you can get.”
Joe Fresh is open at 110 Fifth Avenue (at 16th Street).
In related news, check out another international retailer that recently landed on Fifth Avenue.
