Sentaler to offer its high-end outerwear collection at Neiman Marcus
Sentaler, the Toronto-based luxury outerwear company that sells in Canadian retailers such as Nordstrom, Holt Renfrew and Hudson’s Bay, is coming Stateside. The company has confirmed that it has sold Neiman Marcus for the first time this fall, its first major brick-and-mortar account in the U.S.
The high-end outerwear collection, which is made of Peruvian alpaca, exploded when Kate Middleton made an appearance in a Sentaler coat during her Royal Tour in Canada. She wore the ribbed sleeve wrap coat in gray. Business was further fueled when Sophie Trudeau, the wife of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, appeared in five Sentaler coats, including the white suri alpaca coat she wore at her husband’s inauguration ceremony. Sentaler coats have also been worn by actress Meghan Markle, Prince Harry’s girlfriend.
Plans call for the collection to be carried in several Neiman Marcus doors, starting in September, including in Dallas, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Short Hills, N.J. It will also be carried online at neimanmarcus.com and bergdorfgoodman.com in August. Neiman’s will feature one of the coats in its September catalogue.
“Their signature ‘ribbed sleeve’ detail is unique, and stands out in the market. The feminine silhouettes and colors are sure to delight our loyal customers,” said Mitch Johnson, division merchandise manager of women’s apparel at Neiman’s.
Bojana Sentaler, designer and creative director of the brand, said, “There is a huge demand for Sentaler in the U.S., so this partnership could not have happened at a more perfect time. Neiman Marcus is among the best in luxury retailers and precisely what Sentaler stands for.” Sentaler added that while the brand ships worldwide, adding Neiman’s will enable shoppers to touch, feel and try on its coats.
As reported in February, Sentaler said it was targeting the U.S. market for growth.
Sentaler said she spent six months in Peru in 2009 on a media trip and heard all about the exceptional qualities of alpaca. “I was looking for something niche I could do,” she said, and launched the company that year. The fiber is obtained by sheering alpaca animals, which thrive in the high altitude of the Peruvian Andes. Their hair has microscopic air pockets that provide excellent thermal insulation, which makes the outerwear warm, lightweight and soft to the touch, she explained. “The styling is very feminine, comfortable and lightweight. It’s not a heavy coat,” Sentaler said. The coats, which are manufactured in Peru and come in sizes XS to XL, retail from about $800 to $1,800. She also designs custom pieces for larger sizes.
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