True North Style: A Showcase of Canadian Fashion Designers

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Jack Victor

Jack Victor, the century-old menswear brand from Montreal, knows how to keep up with the times. By focusing on the quality of its suits, shirts, and accessories many of which are still made in Montreal—and tweaking cuts, Canada’s homegrown champion of formal wear remains as relevant today as it was 100 years ago. What Jack Victor has contemporized, it has done with luxurious comfort in mind—nowadays, the Italian wools and velvets that make up the brand’s suits and tuxedos are frequently woven with a touch of elastane, providing the ease of movement that the modern man expects. Turns out that keeping up with the times just demands some flexibility.

Jack Victor clothing; Gravitypope loafers; socks stylist’s own.

Jack Victor suit.

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A Bronze Age

Renée Power may have the pandemic to thank as the catalyst for her going all-in with A Bronze Age. When her day job was put on pause, she decided to focus full-time on A Bronze Age, her passion project making oversized scrunchies and the hit Croissant bag. In her Vancouver atelier, Power has enlisted three generations of women from her family to help drive the made-to-order production, which, with no excess stock, mass-production, or waste, supports greener practices. The brand has evolved beyond accessories to a range of womenswear that redefines classic femininity.

A Bronze Age clothing; Maguire loafers; socks stylist’s own.

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House of Gallagher

There is something timelessly classic yet modern with House of Gallagher designs: time-honoured silhouettes accessorized with cutouts or bows that make for an individualistic feminine expression. Founder Matthew Gallagher, who was born in Nova Scotia and studied at Istituto Marangoni and Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan, credits Italy for shaping the way he designs and his fashion sensibility: a “feeling of nostalgic minimalism” is how he puts it. Our impression is clothing that highlights the inherent elegance of the contemporary woman.

House of Gallagher look; socks stylist’s own.

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Libero

Italian aesthetics meet Canadian craftsmanship in the designs of Toronto clothing brand Libero. With their vintage-style, ligne-claire-influenced graphics and eye-catching prints, each piece from the mind of founder and creative director Adam Appugliesi is a feast for the eyes. But as always, the devil is in the details, and Libero is as detailed as a Dostoyevsky novel. Made entirely in Toronto with materials from places like the United States, France, and of course, Italy, these are garments that are made to last and look good while doing so.

Libero clothing; Gravitypope loafers; socks stylist’s own.

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James Coward

The understated designs of Vancouver’s James Coward have been taking the fashion world by storm over the past few years. In fashion capitals like New York, Paris, and Copenhagen, shoppers flock to the brand’s simple silhouettes crafted from heirloom-quality materials. Taking design cues from classic menswear items such as chore jackets and fisherman’s sweaters, friends and collaborators Patrick Bull, Daniel Garrod, and Aaron Gray let the high-quality fabrics and rugged construction details of their designs do the talking. Each of James Coward’s pieces proves that, even when it’s not raining, the rest of the world wants some of the West Coast’s minimalist workwear aesthetic.

James Coward clothing; Gravitypope loafers; socks stylist’s own.

James Coward look.

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MAR by Maria Kamini

Before launching her line Mar by Maria Karimi in 2017, the Afghanistan-born, Montreal-based designer had stumbled into the industry when she landed a high-end retail job. The fashion flame was ignited, and Karimi enrolled at fashion school, where she focused on haute couture, learning the essential techniques of the discipline. From her studio, Karimi creates ready-to-wear and bespoke garments for both men and women—evening wear, suits, coats, shirts, knitwear, trousers—each intended to last a lifetime. Karimi’s skill is evident, her tailoring a rare aptitude of so few, and this fashion designer is just getting started.

Mar by Maria Karimi look.

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Maguire

Montreal sisters Myriam and Romy Maguire have put their best foot forward with their namesake footwear brand Maguire. Their mission, they say, is to make high-end products available to everyone at fair prices. Myriam cultivated her knowledge of the industry as a designer for the Aldo Group, while Romy has a background in marketing and communications. The Maguire product selection ranges from classic ballerinas to chunky-soled loafers and winter boots you can walk long distances in. What began as an online business in 2017 led to pop-up shops, which swiftly progressed to mono-brand retail locations in Montreal, Toronto, and New York. Maguire is a female-led business that has hit its stride.

Gravitypope

Since opening its first footwear store in Edmonton in 1990, all Gravitypope has done is grow. Consecutive expansions brought the company’s selection of on-trend footwear to Calgary, Vancouver, and Toronto and precipitated a move into clothing and lifestyle goods. Along the way, Gravitypope also launched its own line of footwear, putting to use the knowledge gained from years of outfitting shoppers in everything from niche sneakers to traditional, handcrafted oxfords and stilettos. Today, Gravitypope’s in-house line consists of well-made men’s and women’s shoes that play with classic shapes, but given the company’s propensity to expand, there’s sure to be something new just around the corner.

James wears Mar by Maria Karimi suit; Gravitypope shoes, socks stylist’s own. Akech wears Mar by Maria Karimi dress; Maguire shoes; socks stylist’s own.

 

Models: Akech Yak for Key Model Mgmt; James Lam for Lizbell Agency. Hair Tania Becker. Makeup Maria Walton. Set design Keagan Archer-Hastie. Assistant photographers Sean Best and Sean Ponsford. Assistant stylist Kristine Wilson. Production Anne Lee. Post-production Marius Burlan. Videographer Kasey Lum.

March 1, 2024