Barbara Atkin

Barbara Atkin is Vice President of Fashion Direction at Canadian high-end fashion retailer Holt Renfrew. Joining the company in 1987, she has over the years become one of its most reputed and highly publicized figures.

Atkin has introduced several innovations to the luxury retail business, including the new Vintage Couture concept and the award-winning Holt Renfrew World Design Lab, an incubator for emerging designers and a laboratory for experimental ideas and new merchandising techniques.

She identifies and selects winning colors, fabrics, themes, trends and seasonal must-have items for Holt Renfrew, and these choices sets the stage for the company's buyers as they head to market, bringing the "firsts", "bests" and exclusive products and designers to the chain of luxury stores. Atkin has a track record of "getting it right" that has helped establish Holt Renfrew as one of the world's leading fashion and lifestyle destinations.

Atkin was named by ELLE Canada as one of Canada's Top 30 Power Women. According to the article, "if she says it's in - it's in."

Atkin also serves as a member of the board of directors of Tourism Toronto and is a member of the advisory committee for the Fashion Design Council of Canada.

Toronto is Atkin's home, but she frequently travels to fashion capitals such as New York, Milan, Paris, London and Los Angeles.

References

* [http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/lifestyle/story.html?id=7c6582f4-2c2c-43ad-856f-db54781dbbd4&k=70604 Saskatoon Star-Phoenix: Hip things for spring - Holt Renfrew's fashion director lists must-haves, by Rebecca Osler, CanWest News Service. Published: Monday, March 13, 2006]
* [http://www.ellecanada.com/ellecanada/client/en/Fashion/DetailQuestion.asp?IdQuestion=5766&Id=27 Ask ELLE Canada: When no dress code is given for a party, what should you wear?] Response by Barbara Atkin
* [http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1142420587728&call_pageid=973280119494&col=969048867776 Toronto Star : Standing on guard for whom, exactly? March 16, 2006.] Holt Renfrew fashion director Barbara Atkin says: "When you analyze everything, it's not as bleak and dark as on the runways."