Shelby Watt Knows the Perfect Pair of Jeans
On Boxing Day mornings in Calgary, when most teenagers were still asleep, Shelby Watt was already lined up outside Holt Renfrew with her mom. They’d slip through the store’s glass doors at 7 a.m., looking for luxury finds while the rest of the city was waking up.
“I had no idea what Holt Renfrew even was at first,” Shelby says, laughing. “But once I went, I was obsessed.”
Those early pilgrimages planted a seed. Years later, Shelby is one of Holt Renfrew Calgary’s Million Dollar Sellers and a Designated Denim Sales Associate, whose job is part styling, part trend forecasting, part retail strategy.
Shelby didn’t picture herself in sales when she graduated from JCI’s Fashion Business & Creative Arts program. Her first job at Holts was as a personal shopping assistant—a behind-the-scenes role that taught her the mechanics of high-end retail.
“I was learning everything: alterations, client relationships, back-of-house systems,” she says. “You’re doing all the heavy lifting, but I loved it. It was the perfect way to start.”
Four years later, she made the leap to sales. “I didn’t think I’d like sales,” she admits. “But as an assistant, the pay is capped. I thought, Why not try commission? And I ended up loving it.”
Now, Shelby’s denim expertise is just one part of her role. As a Denim Designated Sales Associate, she’s part of a national network of specialists who help shape Holt Renfrew’s denim strategy.
“I definitely don’t just sell jeans,” she says. “But denim is my responsibility. I make sure I know everything about the brands, so I can share that knowledge with coworkers and clients. We do product knowledge sessions with vendors, and every year I get to fly to Toronto for Holts’ Denim Conclave. All the brands present what’s coming, and we give feedback to buyers. It’s such a cool part of my role—it’s more than sales, it’s about driving the business.”
That broader knowledge translates into client trust. “One thing I love about Holts is I don’t just have to sell jeans,” she says. “A lot of my clients are lawyers or business professionals. I’ll sell them suits, shoes, a bag, cosmetics—it’s a full wardrobe experience. I credit the personal shoppers I started with for teaching me how to sell the entire store. That’s what clients expect when they’re spending that much.”
Retail, Shelby says, is often underestimated. “When I tell people I’m in retail, they picture something totally different,” she says. “Holt Renfrew is a career. I’m one of the top sellers in the women’s department, and my clients come back again and again. They send their kids, their friends. You build a network of trust. It’s not transactional.”
That trust extends to her colleagues, including Tony Poteet, another JCI alum who works alongside her in denim. “Tony and I weren’t in the same year at JCI, but we both worked at J’adore and started at Holts as assistants,” Shelby says. “I’m grateful to have her in my life. We’ve shared so many of the same experiences.”
Shelby grew up on a farm outside Calgary, where a practical business degree seemed like the obvious choice. But she was drawn to a faster track into fashion—and JCI offered exactly that. “I liked that the program was business-focused but in the fashion industry,” she says. “It wasn’t four years of theory before you could start working. I wanted to get experience sooner.”
She credits JCI with building her confidence and versatility. “They pushed us to put ourselves out there,” she says. “I got to try everything, figure out what I liked, and the instructors were so invested. Moving to Vancouver was scary, but it changed me.”
Breaking into fashion, she says, is rarely smooth. “I cried every day my first week at Holts,” Shelby says with a grin. “You just have to take it day by day. Your first job won’t be your forever job. Apply everywhere, get experience. It works out if you’re passionate.”
Shelby lights up when the conversation turns to denim trends. “Agolde has been incredible for years, and Citizens has gotten so much better,” she says. “Rag & Bone’s sweat jeans are flying off the shelves—they’re sweatpants printed to look like jeans. We can’t keep them in stock. They’re phenomenal for travel.”
Her personal style leans toward polished femininity—with an edge. “It’s kind of funny that I’m the denim specialist, because I hate wearing pants,” she laughs. “I’m usually in skirts or dresses, with my The Row combat boots to balance it out. Winter in Calgary is the exception—then I’ll wear jeans because it’s freezing. But I love mixing high and low pieces.”
Dance, too, remains part of her creative identity. Shelby trained in ballet for years and still takes barre classes weekly. “I think dance taught me discipline and an appreciation for aesthetics,” she says. “It’s all connected to how I approach fashion.”
From those early morning Holt Renfrew shopping trips to her role as one of Calgary’s go-to denim experts, Shelby’s career has been shaped by instinct and intention.
“I’m glad I trusted myself,” she says. “Taking that leap to JCI, to Vancouver, to Holts—it was scary, but it made me grow. Trust yourself, follow your gut, and just take it one day at a time.”
