From England, With Love

November 23rd, 2009

The high street finally made its way to Vancouver last week with Manchester’s edgy brand Bench. The street-fashion retailer opened its first store in Western Canada on Thursday, and The Block was there to celebrate. Free-flowing wine, mini-burgers, and tiny boxes of delectable mac ‘n cheese didn’t stop us from hitting the till with an armload of statement-making styles.

Wall-mounted lightboxes featuring art, ranging from runway shows to lifestyle shots, flaunted Bench’s trend-setting image and style.

With a second Western store slated to open in March 2010, Bench is currently planning various guerrilla-style events to coincide with the 2010 Olympic Games. (Bench is the official sponsor for Jeff Batchelor, a Canadian snowboarder and Bench model for the A/W 09 Snow collection.) But really, this is nothing out of the ordinary for party-conscious Bench; the brand is known for throwing elaborate outdoor events, including previous Block favourite Ibiza Rocks.