Louise Dirks, owner of Gravitypope and Gravitypope Tailored Goods has created a landmark in Western Canada.  The original store opened in 1990 on Edmonton’s Whyte Avenue, expanding to 5 stores across Western Canada, including two Tailored Goods shops since 2007. Gravitypope Tailored Goods carries the most extensive brand list in Canada, offering some of the most coveted labels hitting the Canadian shelves. With gear by such coveted labels as Acne, APC, Band of Outsiders, Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair, Margeila, and Nom de Guerre, I had the chance to speak with Robert Kirkwood, Clothing Buyer for all Gravity Pope retail locations to find out whats hot for SS10.

Check it out…

What is GravityPope’s mission?

Our mission is to provide our markets with leading contemporary brands, in the most beautiful stores, with relaxed, conscientious service.  We don’t put on any airs, and we like to take the pretentiousness out of the sales experience for our customers.

Who is the Gravitypope customer?

Our customer has great taste, and appreciates quality and design above audacious branding.  They are trend-aware, but not trendy.  They are men, women, young and old.

What inspires the store and products from season to season?

We’re always looking for better brands and products.  We try to push our assortment to a new level every season, and bring our customers along with us.  We always want to bring in something amazing, something not being offered in our markets.

What are some of your favorite labels?

Stephan Schneider, Robert Geller, Paul Smith, Jil Sander, Raf Simons, Acne, and Fiorentini & Baker.

Describe your personal style?

I’m really attracted to quality – great fabrics and beautiful construction.  I love wool.  I’m not loyal to one particular aesthetic, but I look for the best execution of whatever “look” I’m going for.  I also have a bit of a practical streak, and end up buying things I know I’ll get a lot of use out of.

How have both GravityPope and Louise inspired you?

Working for Gravitypope and for Louise has been a great experience.  Louise has always been willing to take risks, and it’s very exciting for me to be able to find new brands and new products, and to be encouraged to do so.  My own personal style has really evolved working for Gravitypope, and I’ve learned to appreciate great design and quality.  The other great thing about Louise is that she has a great perspective on fashion – we buy and sell beautiful, exclusive, expensive product, but at the end of day, it’s just clothes.  She keeps it real, and I’ve learned a lot from that.

What are 3 timeless pieces that everyone should have in their wardrobe?

Cardigan, straight-leg raw indigo jeans, and a great leather jacket.  This is true for men and women.  And splurge on the leather jacket.

Whats can we expect from Gravitypope for SS10?

More great fashion of course!  We’re extremely excited to introduce Hussein Chalayan to our stores – he’s a real visionary in the industry.  Cacharel, the great French fashion house, has been reinvigorated by Cedric Charlier, former designer at Lanvin, and we’re excited to bring in his first collection with them.

What makes GravityPope such a haven for exclusive labels? How does it stand its own?

We have a reputation for being a leader in our markets.  We bring in a lot of small, new or unknown collections that we really believe in and we stay true to them.  We take the time to grow a loyal customer base, even if it takes several seasons, and I think this speaks to our integrity as a retailer.

Any parting words of wisdom?

Just remember, as Louise would say, in the end it’s just clothes.

BY: CARRIE BUCHWALTER