FINDING CANADIAN FASHION
- Gail E. Meaker, Certified Style Coach
- Mar 23
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 28
In the current political climate many Canadians are becoming more focused on supporting and wearing fashion made right here in our own country. Maybe we should have been doing this all along! Now that we have had a change of heart, we need to discover our home grown designers and their collections. I have done a little research so you can familiarize yourself with some of them and where you can find them.
ANDREA ISABELLE DE OCAMPO - DE OCAMPO FASHION HOUSE.
I discovered Andrea De Ocampo at The Foundry on Whyte in Edmonton, Alberta about three years ago and have purchased several of her unique garments from her 2011 SOLSTICE Collection and her 2012 FEAR Collection since that time. Andrea has been designing fashion since before she was 15 when she won the Emerging Artist Award at the Western Canada Fashion Week in Vancouver, BC. She creates one-of-a-kind garments for discerning clients and because she makes only one custom item you won't find it on another person. Ever. She designs dresses and skirts of varying lengths, unique layering pieces like capes, pretty lace belts and appliques you can pin onto skirts and hats, and pretty much anything else you desire. Her garments are often made with heavier fabrics like organza or taffeta that withstand our harsh winter climate, along with satin linings and chiffon sleeves and hems. She is very talented and doesn't overprice her garments so she is absolutely worth checking out. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram and reach out to her on Instagram Messenger to discover where she is showcasing her latest collections.
ARITZIA
Most Canadians are familiar with Aritzia because there are at least 68 stores in large-scale shopping malls all across the country. Many people may not be aware they began in Vancouver in 1984 as a small collective of Canadian designers whose sole focus was to offer versatility and longevity (quality) in their garments. They carry 11 in-house Canadian-designer brands, including Babaton, Denim Forum, Golden, Little Moon, Sunday Best, The Group, Tna, and Wilfred and their prices are very affordable, ranging from $5.99 for their Fishnet Crew Socks to $450.00 for their virgin wool cashmere "Constant" Coat. Their clothing offerings are extensive, ranging from intimates and shapewear to suits and tailoring, and their sizes range from 2XS to XL with some garments offering two height lengths - short and regular. Although they target a younger demographic, a lot of their clothing is appropriate for any age group. They are a wonderful place to shop if you are petite because, not only do they offer an XXXS size, they also carry predominently solid-coloured items perfect for creating height-lengthening monochromatic outfits, and no frumpy styles that so many petite designers are notorious for.
ELIZA FAULKNER
Eliza Faulkner is a Montreal-based design brand with Eliza herself being born and raised on Vancouver Island. She is known for creating romance-inspired garments full of ruffles and other playful elements and her clients have included Marisa Tormei, Nelly Furtado and Kelly Clarkson. Her aesthetic is proudly described as "The Bold Feminine". It is clearly targeted towards younger clients, or youthful, spirited women such as Betsey Johnson. Her 2025 Spring/Summer Collection offers the latest trending pastels and a few bright bold reds and jacquard patterns. She creates quality pieces that include tops, bottoms, dresses, coats and jackets, as well as micro knits, lingerie, and accessories. Her prices range from $128.00 to $750.00 and her sizes range from XS to XXl. The store is located at 174 Rue Bernard Ouest in Montreal, or you can shop online and receive a 15% discount for signing up.
FRANK AND OAK
Frank and Oak is an everyday lifestyle brand that was founded in Montreal's Mile End in 2012. Its focus is on responsible fashion sourced from sustainable material that guarantees fair labour practices. Their fabrics are organic, biodegradeable or recycled. They claim to have almost eliminated the use of virgin polyesters (synthetic fabrics) and replaced them with recycled polyesters. Their denim can be easily recycled as well. They offer a great range of items such as shirts, sweaters, blazers, dresses, skirts, pants and shorts; and accessories including bags, belts and socks. Prices are very affordable for an organic brand, ranging from $28.99 on sale to $449.00 regular price. The size range for women is XXS to XL and for men XS to XXL. Women's jeans range in size from a 23" waist to a 32" and for men jeans range in size from a 28" waist and 32" inseam, to a 38" waist and 34" inseam. There are currently nine Frank and Oak retail stores all across Canada from BC to Ontario, or you can order their garments online.
MIIK
Miik is a wonderful small women-owned Canadian brand that offers a very inclusive size range from Petite XS to Plus 4X. It is often difficult to find a clothing company that offers plus sizes above 2X. Not only that, they offer an inclusive online Visual Size Guide with regular people modelling so customers can see what their clothing looks like on normal-sized bodies. They also have quite recently started offering live shopping shows which they call "Virtual Happy Hours", showcasing their latest collections. The Spring 2025 show is offering a $300 giveaway to viewers right now! This brand predominently targets older women, however younger plus-size women who need some basic wardrobe pieces could also benefit from checking them out.
ANNE MULAIRE
Andreanne (Anne) Mulair Dandeneau is an Anishinaabe/French Metis fashion designer from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Her one-of-a-kind prints are handcrafted by her father and indigenous Metis Elder, David Albert. Their manufacturing practices are highly ethical and responsible with certifications to back them up. The brand has been manufacturing in Canada for 20 years now. They offer a great range of clothing items from dresses to sleepwear, as well as a variety of interesting accessories like spa robes, cashmere comb sweater shavers, and even bumwarmers! The sizes range from XXS to an amzing 6X! This is practically unheard of! The prices range from $12.50 for a zero waste scrunchie to $4,500 for their spectacular Couture Whispers of the Birch maxi dress with hand-painted birch trees circling the skirt. Even more, they have an online gift shop that carries "W8sted" socks, bamboo accessories, jewelry and "Every Day Reminder Pins" designed by Anne herself that support indigenous organizations and residential school survivors. This is a wonderful nature-inspired clothing brand that celebrates Canadian indigenous roots and respects all people and the planet.
PIPA FASHION
PIPA Fashion is a Canadian family-owned plus size fashion company based in Oakville, Ontario that is passionate about offering comfortable fun fashion for plus size women who are tired of wearing drab colours. Their quality fabrics are often sourced from Italy, the UK, and the US, however they are then manufactured in Canada. They offer tops and tunics, dresses, skirts and jumpsuits, cardigans, kimono's and jackets, pants, jeans, joggers, leggings, tights, and anti-chafing shorts, in sizes ranging from 14 to 26; and bras and underwear in sizes ranging from 14 to 20 and 40 to 48. The price range of their garments is exceptionally affordable from $4.99 for socks on sale to $58.90 for regular priced maxi dresses. They offer a 15% discount for online account signup and free shipping on orders over $80.00.
SMYTHE
Smythe is a Toronto-based women-owned brand that has been operating for 20 years, with exclusive boutiques in Calgary and Toronto. They are well known by personal stylists for designing and perfecting a quality women's blazer since 2004, and have grown into a multi-faceted contemporary fashion brand that offers ready-to-wear collections with their inclusive "360 degree lifestyle wardrobe" that includes cargo shorts, culottes, flood pants, wide-leg and bootcuts, and even a cumberbund pant. Their Spring 2025 collection includes a bright blue retro '90's blazer, a pretty medium-pink or blue crochet cardigan, and some trendy lemon-print pantsuits that will definitely get you noticed. Their sizes range from XS to XL or 00 to 16 and their prices range from $195.00 to $895.00. Smythe is an upscale Canadian brand that uses only quality fabrics to produce their garments, therefore their prices are reflective of that. If you can afford them they are well worth the investment because they are beautiful classic pieces that retain their value and maintain their durability for a really long time. Find this Canadian clothing brand in upscale boutiques and department stores such as Blu's, Holt Renfrew, and Simons.
Not only is it a great idea to shop local and support your countrymen (or women), it can also be a lot of fun! There are so many amazing Canadian designers to discover and you will be pleasantly surprised by the quality of their garments. Yes, some of them are a little pricey, but the quality definitely warrants the extra money and you will have them for years to come!
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