Early September is one of the busiest times of year for the Dalhousie Bookstore as students rush to grab textbooks, merch, and more for the term. This year, the buzz began earlier thanks to a unique collaboration.
Last Wednesday (Sept. 2), students lined up hours ahead of the store’s 9 a.m. opening to scoop up limited-edition items launched with OVO, the luxury streetwear brand co-founded by pop star Drake. The collaboration included Dal-themed hoodies, rugby shirts, and t-shirts emblazoned with the Toronto-based clothing line's distinctive owl logo and what the brand calls “architectural gothic” lettering.
By Saturday, the only items left in the collection — which marks OVO's first collaboration with a university outside of Ontario — were a small supply of t-shirts.
We sold through 40 per cent or 50 per cent of the entire inventory in the first hour, which is unheard of for us.
OVO, which stands for October's Very Own, was co-founded by Drake in 2011 and has partnered on merch with major sports leagues (NBA, NFL, MLB) and entertainment touchstones (Batman and the Joker). Dal has also collaborated with other brands, including Lululemon and Roots, but this has been its most successful yet.
"We sold through 40 per cent or 50 per cent of the entire inventory in the first hour, which is unheard of for us,” said Katrina Ross, the manager for General Merchandise and Clothing for Dalhousie Bookstore.
The Dal-branded OVO hoodie, priced at $188.
Gauging interest
Although OVO has been collaborating with Canadian universities since 2021, this is the first year Dalhousie has launched a collection with them. The brand approached Ross around three years ago, but she decided to take time to gauge potential demand, given the premium price point.
Ross made Instagram surveys to investigate student interest and examined university enrolment data, especially regarding students from Ontario. She recognised it’s a specific Ontario brand that may not resonate with students outside of that province.
“I’m always very cautious because I don’t want to be stuck with something that expensive,” said Ross.
Prices for the Dal collection are $72 for a t-shirt, $178 for a rugby shirt, and $188 for a hoodie.
Worth the wait
When doors opened, students descended on the merch. Buyers held up products with grins, people scrambled to find sizes, and a line formed from the cash towards the back of the store while all four tills tried to keep up.
Customers gave many different reasons for buying the merch. Some students from Toronto described themselves as “die-hard” Drake fans. Others said his music was not “their thing,” but wanted merch for the cultural aesthetic.
If customers were not in the bookstore, they still made their desire known, with calls coming throughout the day about whether supplies would last.
Shown left, a student who managed to snag a rugby shirt before they were gone.
Even Makayla McDonald, a bookstore employee, lined up. Her shift didn’t start until 10 a.m. and her employee discount was not applicable yet, but she wanted any limited stock available.
“It’s a cool new drop. I felt like everyone was going to have it and I wanted to join in. There was going to be nothing left.”
By Saturday, some late-comers were disappointed at the lack of stock left, with one even describing the display to his friend as “bare bones.”
Students who missed out on this year’s in-store drop shouldn’t be too discouraged. Some Dalhousie merch is still available on the OVO website.
Ross said she would “without a doubt” do another collaboration with OVO in the future. She was also proud Dalhousie was the only university outside of Ontario included.
“It was very very successful,” said Ross, “I think everybody was pretty happy about it.”