Harry Rosen is putting in work on the weekend to bring attention to its laid-back side.

The Canadian retailer staged its first Sundays with Harry experience at Fairgrounds Public Racket Club in Toronto’s Rosehill neighbourhood on Aug. 10. The launch event was open to both VIP invitees and public walk-ins and featured a styling suite, local food tastings, curated gifts and pickleball and padel court takeovers.

Harry Rosen EVP Jessica Gale tells strategy that the experiential series, developed with creative agency Cartel, is designed to highlight the brand’s fashion credentials beyond its traditional buttoned-up image.

“This is about us showing up in a way that’s approachable, that is showcasing our entry-level and casual wear that we’ve been expanding on in recent years,” Gale says. “We are most certainly known, and will continue to be known, for our suiting and tailoring business, but we’ve really rounded out our product assortment and we are really playing into being a part of our clients’ lifestyle.”

Gale says Sundays with Harry was developed around four conceptual pillars: curate (a focus on personal style), energize (food and beverage), move (physical activity) and restore (a space to relax reflect).

While the Fairgrounds event offered style advisers, pickleball and local favourites like Primrose Bagel Co. and Milky’s coffee, future activations could include style or wellness talks, table tennis, brunch or whisky tastings, depending on local opportunities.

“Having each of these four pillars, we have a platform to bring different events and experiences into our brand activations and into our stores,” Gale says. “So we plan to bring Sundays with Harry rituals across our stores nationally and, especially, in our new concept stores, where we have experiential spaces.”

The launch was amplified through press and influencer previews, plus a partnership with brand ambassador Emmanuel Uddenberg. Harry Rosen’s weekly lifestyle newsletter will also be rebranded Sundays with Harry to further promote event programming to subscribers. Jaime Eisen Communications supported the launch on PR.

With the launch, Harry Rosen is seeking to connect with two millennial personas, Gale says: “brand-driven spenders,” who are loyal to and seek out specific labels they love, and “style seekers” who are willing to take chances and make statements with their wardrobe.

Cartel founder and managing director Hillary Gonzalez tells strategy that the agency was intent on bringing grassroots and community elements to the table. It was important to create a space that was welcoming to potential customers passing by who might’ve never considered the retailer as an option for casual dress before.

“We built this whole universe and we transformed Fairgrounds, but it was really important to make this really fun and approachable,” Gonzalez says. “We invited a lot of people – these partners, these brands – but anyone walking the street could come in, and I think that was also important. It’s like how you would spend your Sunday in a way that felt authentic. We tried to humanize it.”

In-store events are planned this fall at Harry Rosen’s West Edmonton Mall and Square One locations, as well as its First Canadian Place and 153 Cumberland St. stores in Toronto.

Cartel is currently working on a new brand campaign for Harry Rosen after completing its first work for the retailer with the Sundays series.