Club Monaco recently opened a larger store on the corner of Peel and St. Catherine in Montreal. I thought it was time I checked it out again. After my trip I was reminded again why I don't shop there.
When you walk into the store, you feel like you're in a high-end boutique. Everything looks crisp, clean, and white. The clothes are elegant and beautiful and in the middle of the store is a display case with vintage Chanel purses. The first thing that caught my eye was a pleated flora dress. I found it in my size, looked at the price tag, and immediately placed it back. The dress was $260! Almost every item in the store was above $100. The only thing that wasn't were the plain t-shirts and they were still $60. CM carries their own line of shoes and they too are retailing at over $200.
What I want to know is, when did Club Monaco become the next Holt Renfrew?
As for sale items, you're still not getting much of a deal. Winter wool coats are on sale for $550 from an original price of $650. A BCBG leather jacket at regular price is cheaper than that. As I scanned the sales rack I noticed that the sales are not greater than 20% off. The one thing I did buy from the store was a toque. It was on sale for $29, but it had an original price of $150. $150 FOR A TOQUE!!! This thing better be made of cashmere and gold, but it wasn't; just plain wool.
If I were to invest $200-$300 on a dress, I would purchase a BCBG dress rather than a dress at Club Monaco. CM's clothes are elegant and pricey and geared towards a more mature clientele. I'll head back to CM in a few weeks to see if their sales get better with time. Stay tuned for an update!
Store: Club Monaco
Age Group: 30s+
Type: Casual business wear
Sizes: 0-12 (dresses, pants) or XS-L (shirts, jackets)
Price: $$$
Sales Assistant: 3/5 (They'll introduce you to the store if this is your first time there, but after asking if there's anything specific you're looking for, they'll leave you alone.)