We The North

Canada may be cold, but if it’s one thing that we know best, it’s how to keep ourselves warm. Our nation continues to hold the throne when it comes to the standard of excellence for outerwear purveyors. Alongside our winter dominance, we’ve also carved out a reputation for leading the way as masters of the retail landscape, from the echelons of luxury fashion to technological innovation.

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Nobis

For creating the global consumer’s new outerwear staple



A legacy that spans over a decade with technological innovations, Nobis bills itself as a brand that you could take against the backdrop of literally anywhere in the world. No kidding: with a presence in over 40 countries, Nobis (latin for ‘us’) caters to the unique palette of international consumers, with a fashion forward emphasis on highly functional collections geared toward both distinct regions of the world as well as the ever-changing impact of global inclement weather. VP and co-founder Robin Yates says part of the mission at Nobis is “our uncompromising fixation for style, fit and function. We want ours to remain unparalleled in the highly competitive outerwear landscape”. Having a foothold all over the world, it’s clear that for the foreseeable future, Nobis products will stay that way. - EH





Arc’teryx

For reminding everyone of Canada’s dominance in cutting-edge outerwear technology



Named after one of the first known flying birds, Vancouver-based Arc’teryx lives up to the reputation of indeed being a rare breed. With a philosophy that is guided by the belief that the strongest path to sustainability is durability, Arc’teryx made its mark in the early '90s with a mountain climbing harness using thermolamination technology. With the addition of the Bora backpack just a few years later, Arc’teryx generated some $126 million dollars in revenue in 2018. Despite the ever-growing practice of outsourcing, Arc’teryx continues to produce gear catered to the outdoor crowd, with some of it still being produced in North Vancouver. Their commitment to technological innovation further proves Canada’s reputation as a leader in cutting edge winter fashion. - EH







Moose Knuckles

For injecting a little personality into the outerwear market



While Moose Knuckles’ name may allude to its nonchalant personality, make no mistake, their commitment to quality is world-class. With a legacy that stretches as far back as the early 1920’s, the brand is on a mission to ensure that its jackets come loaded with personality and warmth— a prerequisite for any self-respecting Canadian outerwear brand. With a diverse range of different styles, their consumers come for the fashion and stay for their technical durability and strength. What makes them even more unique is their deep investment in Canada. With designs coming out of Montreal and jackets being produced in Winnipeg, they are a testament to honouring homegrown production with a global aesthetic - EH





Sentaler

For cementing Canada’s fashion status credibility





Bojana Sentaler’s passion for fashion has been a monumental climb, both literally and figuratively. A brief encounter with designer Karl Lagerfeld propelled the Schulich School of Business graduate into founding the outerwear company that bears her name in 2009. Sentaler’s signature outerwear stands out in the fact that it’s sustainably made from Alpaca wool, an animal native to the Peruvian Andes. While most Canadian outerwear brands tend to focus on technical performance, Sentaler’s appeal is in its luxurious designs that are fitting for any occasion, from your morning commute to a holiday gala. And the world has certainly taken notice. Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, Kate Middleton, Gigi Hadid, and the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, are among a few of the brand’s clientele, proving that Canadian designers have what it takes to cater to a global consumer. - EH





Canada Goose

For always staying loyal to its community



Founded in 1957 by Jewish immigrant Sam Tick, Canada Goose is the example of a true Canadian dream. Headed now by Tick’s grandson Dani Reiss, Canada Goose generated $591.2 million in revenue during its 2018 fiscal year. Outfitting everyone from civilians in New York to Canadian rangers in the North, its down-filled products have circumvented the globe, without losing touch with its roots. Despite obstacles such as minimum wage hikes and growing pressure to outsource its production, Canada Goose continues to manufacture its outerwear on home soil. It has also kept a close relationship with Polar Bears International, and its launch of Inuit designs in 2019 shows that despite its popularity, the brand is committed to keep its base at home with warm jackets, and a warm heart. - EH





October’s Very Own (OVO)

For merging music, sports, and fashion together to create a cultural phenom





When Drake said, “I let Ollie take the owl, told him brand it for me” on the song “NONSTOP”, he was offering a nugget on the backstory of October’s Very Own (OVO). Co-founder Oliver El-Khatib took what he learned from working for Toronto Hip Hop clothing retailer The Lounge (where he and Drake met) to a line of luxury-inspired streetwear, which is projected to reach $50 million in revenue from robust online sales and their seven retail shops across Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The brand has also created coveted pieces through collaborations with Jordan, Canada Goose, Roots, Timberland, and Takashi Murakami. Not limited to clothing, the empire has also expanded to the OVO Sound label and OVO Sound Radio on Apple Music. Of particular note is their partnership with the Toronto Raptors, which includes team gear that can’t be stocked quickly enough (including in-game jerseys), a redesign of the court the team plays on, and a renaming of the Raptors practice facility to the OVO Athletic Centre. - CP







SSENSE

For pioneering fashion’s e-commerce millennial makeover



Co-founded in 2003 (with an e-commerce extension in 2006) by Rami Attalah and his two brothers, SSENSE specializes on selling a mix of luxury and streetwear brands. While the Montreal company has a number of larger competitors, they have a business model that has them moving in their own lane with sales projected to reach 1 billion Canadian dollars by 2020. SSENSE’s strength has been in its ability to harness business in the digital and social media landscape, building the voice of their brand through a strong editorial strategy and catering to the millennial demographic. According to Business of Fashion, SSENSE’s workforce is 70 percent comprised of millennials, while 77 percent of their audience is of the same generation. They’ve further earned the loyalty of emerging designers by taking a chance on them (including now-Louis Vuitton men’s creative director, Virgil Abloh), all of which has proven to be valuable in an industry whose customers are obsessed with access, exclusivity, and newness. - CP

Shopify

For powering Canada’s cannabis takeover



As more and more businesses continue to expand (or start) their offerings on digital platforms, they can thank Shopify for pioneering much of the progress that has been made in the space. With the platform founded in 2006, the Ottawa-based e-commerce platform has seen incredible growth. A quick run through some of their numbers makes that case: they have 800,000+ merchants in 175 countries, and have 4000+ employees that have helped them reach 100 billion in sales since founding. Toronto became an important part of Shopify’s operations, where they have plans to expand their space to over 500,000 square feet by 2022 and double their workforce. One of their signatures has been a commitment to supporting entrepreneurs through meet-ups, learning opportunities, and workshops (often held in their office spaces). And of particular significance, when cannabis was legalized in Canada, Shopify was selected to handle online and retail sales for provincial governments including Ontario, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland, and Labrador. - CP





MEC

For marrying social impact and transparency with our love of the outdoors



MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-op) curates and sells the best of equipment and clothing for the outdoors. Founded on a retail membership model in 1971, the company has grown to over five million members since. But what’s most impressive is their foundation built on ideals of sustainability and corporate social responsibility: while reporting $455 million in sales and more than 13 million products sold in 2017-18, they also achieved 1.8 million pounds in diverted waste and $4.65 million in community investments. As the conversation around environmental waste rises to a fever pitch, consumers continue to demand radical transparency from the companies that they invest their dollars in. MEC takes accountability to their environmental and ethical goals seriously, reporting on their website what their goals are and how they measure, from how safe their factories are to the sustainability of their products. (They don’t shy away from reporting when those goals haven’t been met, either.) - CP









Hubba

For helping businesses swipe right on each other



Consider Hubba a social media platform, of sorts, which connects brands and retailers together. The problem Hubba’s founder, Ben Zifkin, set out to solve when the platform was founded in 2011 was making sure that product information was consistent and accurate. At the time, there was no one doing this, leading to puzzling levels of inconsistency about products online. Modeled after LinkedIn, they are now creating connections between more than 50,000 brands and retailers. While there is a “freemium” version, charges for advanced features have Hubba projecting $100 million in profit by 2020. - CP