The news is out! Fashiontruck Canada is heading to Calgary for the Stampede! Woo! As a company, we couldn't be more thrilled to be bringing our brand out West. With the amount of people that attend this event and the opportunity to grow this brand has us all sorts of excited! Before this event kicks off, we wanted to let all of our amazing customers in on all of the details to give you a sense of what this upcoming month will look like. Below, Kayla sat down with Ashley to discuss the Stampede and the landscape of the business for the near future. Grab a coffee or a glass of Rosé and enjoy!
Ashley, I want you to be able to break the news, since this is the first time in four years the Fashiontruck is able to attend this coveted event. What is the huge secret?
I've applied to participate in the Calgary Stampede every year since 2014. We finally made the cut and we couldn't be more excited to head out West.
Congratulations all around! What an incredible experience this is going to be for you and the entire company. What made you take the plunge for this specific event?
I'm from the West. Cranbrook & Calgary will always be considered home (as well as Toronto) as I have tons of friends and family in both (all) cities. Not only that, but I draw a lot of inspiration from the West. From the lifestyle to my family and friends, it's all played a roll in the success of the company. I gravitate towards that laid back, free spirited aesthetic & vibe and I think that's what sets us apart in a hectic city like TO.
Is the truck going to make it out all the way to Calgary? What will the setup be like?
The fashiontruck will stay in Toronto...we have tons of upcoming things going on in Ontario, including the Canada Day long weekend in Muskoka. For the next little while, our weeks are packed with private shopping parties and days that we're open to the public.
Inventory is going to be key when it comes to an event of this magnitude. Are you keeping all the same brands and staying true to your style or introducing a few new ones?
Inventory is going to be key when it comes to an event of this magnitude. Are you keeping all the same brands and staying true to your style or introducing a few new ones?
Staying true to our style and our brands. We're excited to introduce a few new things, but it's still kind of a secret...... lol.
Will these new brands and styles be available online for your regular customers to shop?
We will have lots of new arrivals online and on the truck. A lot of what you'll find on the truck you'd also find at Stampede. We want to make sure our customers all over the country have access to all the exciting things we're doing.
The crowd will be the biggest you've ever seen. You must be so anxious to spread the word about FTC and inform that side of the country about your mobile business. Do you think it will be well received?
The crowd will be the biggest you've ever seen. You must be so anxious to spread the word about FTC and inform that side of the country about your mobile business. Do you think it will be well received?
I have a good network of friends, family and industry peeps in the West. I know there excited to have me home as well as share in a little bit of what I do back home here in Toronto.
In July, the Fashiontruck will not only have a booth setup at the Calgary Stampede, but the mobile boutique will be continuing private shopping parties in the GTA and a few pop-ups in Muskoka. This certainly is a busy time for the company. The growth will be quite impressive, wouldn't you say?
I'm so excited for the opportunity to introduce the brand to Western Canada! Who knows? Maybe there's a franchise opportunity out there....I'm always open to exploring new opportunities and would love to eventually expand out west.
What inspired you to expand FTC like this?
What inspired you to expand FTC like this?
The brand is growing so fast, expanding out West is the next big move for the company. West is also home for me so it's kind of a no-brainer. The evolution of retail is happening so fast! Mobile vending and online shopping is dominating the fashion industry. A lot of the inspiration behind the business and the merchandise comes from the West so I'm excited to see the reaction of the concept.
The Calgary Stampede will be so different from the events and private shopping parties you are used to. What are you most looking forward to?
The Calgary Stampede will be so different from the events and private shopping parties you are used to. What are you most looking forward to?
First and foremost, sharing the business with my family and friends. Not only that, on average, the Calgary Stampede attracts thousands of people and the opportunity for brand exposure is massive. I'm excited to introduce fashiontruck Canada to a new market. I'll be onsite every day to personally style new customers, talk about the brand, the business model and the concept. The sky is the limit.
After all of the preparation and planning, you must be so ready to get out there and get to work.
To be honest, it's been a lot of hard work and I've had a few sleepless nights lol. But despite all that, this has been a bucket list project for me so to check this off my list is an incredible feeling.
______
These next few weeks are going to be a wild ride! You can find our Stampede pop-up shop located in the BMO Boothe #0213 (July 6-16) or follow along and check out what we're up to daily on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Of course, our online shop is open 24/7..you can #shopthetruckonline here.
Ashley & Kayla