TORONTO, Sept. 25, 2011/ — Express, Inc. the specialty retail apparel chain operating close to 600 stores, celebrated the launch of its first ever Canadian store at Fairview Mall on Thursday, September 22nd, 2011.

Special guests included HBO’s Entourage star Emmanuelle Chriqui and Toronto Maple Leafs’ Luke Schenn, who were both outfitted in Express. Michael Weiss, CEO of Express, also attended the event. The first 200 customers who arrived at the store received a special edition Express painted Canada flag tee.

“Canada is the perfect country for Express’ first foray into wholly-owned international bricks and mortar locations thanks to its cosmopolitan cities filled with young, fashionable men and women,” said Michael Weiss, president and chief executive officer of Express.

“We sincerely appreciate the warm welcome we have already received from the Canadian people and look forward to expanding our reach as a fashion authority and to the growth potential of the brand in this new market.”

The product assortment in Canada mirrors that of U.S. stores, including the iconic Editor Pant and 1MX Shirt. The Editor Pant is Express’ best-known, best-selling, most popular women’s pant and stands for sexy style, fine fabric, and a flawless fit. The 1MX, Express’ best-selling men’s shirt features an engineered collar, endless color options and an exclusive signature stretch fit.

The Express store at Fairview Mall features a sleek white color palette with touches of black, white lacquer fixtures and an open ceiling plan. The store has been designed to give women and men access to a stimulating shopping environment where both can shop for the latest trends and everyday fashion essentials.

Fairview Mall is located at 1800 Sheppard Avenue East, Toronto, Ontario. The Express store is located on the lower level at entrance two. Regular store hours are Monday to Friday 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Express Fairview Mall store phone number is (416) 491-4763.