Canada Goose turns dressing room into freezer

Bloomberg

Canada Goose Holdings Inc. wants its customers to know what real cold feels like—from the comfort of a $1,000 parka.
The company is adding frigid rooms to some of its stores where shoppers can test the luxury coats in temperatures as low as -25 degrees Celsius. A Montreal location is the fifth to include the fancy freezer, and Beijing will join later this year as the company rolls out its China expansion plan.
“People tell me all the time trying on a Canada Goose jacket was the first time that they ever truly felt warm in cold climates,” Chief Executive Officer Dani Reiss told analysts.
“With our cold rooms, we are creating that moment even before they purchase.”
The rooms have become selfie magnets, some with sculpted ice blocks lining a glass window. They are part of Canada Goose’s plan to increasingly sell directly to consumers after decades of relying on wholesalers. Putting its coats to the test in a subtropical place like Hong Kong also helps the brand tout its authenticity in new markets while it adds lighter products to its collection.
“The ability to experience the feel of a coat at a given temperature is a smart concept that goes beyond buzz,” says Greg Portell, lead partner at consultant A.T. Kearney’s
retail practice.
While Canada Goose’s small retail network—11 stores to date—and its high prices make the concept workable, it would be a challenge to scale up, Portell says.
The company, which used cold chambers at trade shows in the past, first tried one in a store in Tokyo last year. Short Hills, New Jersey, Hong Kong and Boston followed.
“People in Tokyo, where it rarely goes below into the minuses, went ‘oh wow, this
actually works!”’ says Chief Marketing Officer Penny Brook.