Fashion Industry with a Focus on Fashion in Canada

The Canadian Fashion Industry

Written by

Helen Kerr

Reviewed by

Michelyn Putignano

Jane Witte

Edited and Managed by

Michelyn Putignano

July 2002

The Fashion Industry with a Focus on Fashion in Canada

The following information has been assembled in an attempt to provide teachers of the two new fashion courses, Fashion and Creative Expression, and The Fashion Industry, some resources on the Canadian fashion industry. It hits only some of the highlights, it includes a segment about a non-Canadian event, Premiere Vision, as it and other fabric fairs play an important role in showcasing the fabrics that will be available for designers.

Questions are included with some of the topics covered to help direct discussions, as well as, show opportunities for extending the information. A career project and evaluation rubric are included in this package of information as well.

Photos could not be included in this resource without the consent of the designers. Photos are not necessary to use this resource package. Some teachers may wish to have their students access pictorial representation of the Canadian fashion industry and perhaps share their findings with the class, teachers must be aware of copyright infringements and laws.

Toronto’s Spadina Avenue - Scene of the Garment Industry

What area comes to mind when you mention garment manufacturing in Ontario? As you can tell from the title of this segment, we are talking about Spadina Avenue. Now, well ensconced in the geographic area known as the Greater Toronto Area, this area was once considered to be the just off the western boundary of the town of York. The area has a history rich in culture and the history of garment manufacturing in Canada.

The area is home to a variety of immigrant groups. Many of these groups have made significant contributions to the Canadian garment industry as: importers of fabrics or equipment; owners and operators of manufacturing facilities; skilled and unskilled workers; garment designers; and as sellers of garments at both wholesale and retail levels. Among the well-known companies that have inhabited factory space on Spadina are The Eaton Company and McGregor Hosiery. McGregor Hosiery was one of the early manufacturers and still remains on Spadina in the year 2002. Perhaps this area attracted new immigrants because of its sense of community, or perhaps it was the certainty of jobs to support a family. Whatever the reason, Spadina has welcomed diverse cultural groups including Portuguese, Southern Asian, Greeks, Italians, Germans, Chinese, and Russians, just to name a few.

Labour unionization occurred along Spadina on an “as need” basis. Much of the garment manufacturing was paid on a piecework basis. As the workers considered the pay to be unreasonably low a variety of unions thrived. A few of the unions on record in 1928 included: The Amalgamated Clothing Workers’; the Capemakers’ Union; the International Ladies’ Garment Workers; the Fur Workers and the Industrial Union of Needle Trades Workers. It is important to note that not all factories were unionized at this time. There were general strikes by the garment workers along Spadina Avenue in 1931 and 1933. This militancy of some of the factory workers and their desire to form unions was enough to concern some of the factory owners so much so that one unhappy owner closed down his establishment and moved to another city. Garment workers who traveled from Spadina Avenue to protest, picketed the new location.The new factory was forced to close down and return to Toronto and where it reopened but not in the Spadina area.

The Spadina area and its workers experienced growing pains as technology began todominate the garment industry. In 1910, a large, local manufacturer introduced a new system for sewing linings in by machine, this improvement in technology caused job loss among the garment workers. This mechanization sparked an 18-week strike by the workers to protest the loss of jobs. Labourers were brought from England to keep the factories running. The company’s workers eventually gave in and negotiated a return to work. Inevitably, jobs were lost. Some of the workers ventured out on their own, while some found employment as contract workers for their former employer.

Although one can still see some of the original architectural features that were present during Spadina’s hey days as a center of the garment trade, you might have to look a little harder and travel a little farther, especially down some of the crossroad of Spadina Avenue, to find the garment trade now. Some sources still attribute a large percentage of garment manufacturing to Toronto, specifically the King and Spadina area.

Adapted from Spadina Avenue, by R. Donegan.

Questions

1.If one end of Spadina Avenue originates close to the lake, and the other end is further north, where would most of the early garment factories have been located and why?

2.a) Based on your knowledge of the history of Canada and immigration, what other Canadian cities do you think would be known as the traditional garment areas of Canada?

b) What factors influenced you to name these cities?

3.What part did the Hudson Bay Company play in the garment industry in Canada? Hint: Think about the early fur traders and the Hudson Bay blanket.

Possible references for teachers and students:

Donegan, R., Spadina Avenue Douglas & McIntyre Ltd., 1985

Stephens Frings, Gini. Fashion From Concept to Consumer. 7th ed. Pearson Education Inc., New Jersey Prentice-Hall, 2002.

*Teachers and students may also want to locate an elementary school history text that covers the fur trade and the Hudson Bay Company.

Canadian Fashion Designers

The designers mentioned in this first segment, in most cases are internationally renowned for a particular design innovation; it is for this reason they have been called fashion innovators.

Alex Tilley

What is his ‘claim to fame’?

Alex Tilley is known for his Tilley Endurables, a line of active wear garments designed and constructed to last. The company offers to replace any of their damaged garments. His first successful design was for an outdoor hat, commonly referred to as the Tilley hat. Travelers, adventurers, golfers, and Canadian Armed Forces personnel wear Tilley hats.

What lead him to design the hat?

Unable to find and purchase a suitable hat for outdoor use, Tilley designed and made one to suit his own specifications.

What lead to the reputation for almost indestructible garments?

Those who purchase and wear Tilley hats and other garments frequently write to Tilley and tell anecdotes about how the garments stood up during their adventures, under adverse conditions. One such tale was from animal trainer, Michael Hackenburger, whose elephant stole the trainer’s hat, three times from his head and ate it. After the animal expelled the hat and it was washed, the trainer resumed wearing the hat as it was still in good condition.

What advice has he given regarding his own success?

Although admitting to not be a guru on retailing, Tilley is often known for attributing some of the following to his own success – focusing on your target market and customer service, producing quality merchandise and marketing and promotion savvy.

Adapted from AlexTilley press package.

Linda MacPhee

What is her ‘claim to fame’?

MacPhee is a graduate of the University of Alberta. Unlike the other designers noted here, she designs mostly for the home sewer. Developing her own patterns for parkas and mukluks was the beginning of her line of patterns and the Linda MacPhee Workshops. Her patterns and workshops show home sewers how to use many unconventional steps in garment construction. The workshops also treat fabrics in untraditional manners. MacPhee’s ideas and patterns work and are very popular. MacPhee uses fashion shows to markets her patterns, fabrics, notions and workshops.

Adapted from and presentation by Linda MacPhee.

Paula Lishman

What is her innovation?

Lishman is known for her innovative use of fur. She has spent 25 years working on the process of cutting fur into yarn, which is then reinforced, with a cotton core. The yarn can be used for knitting, weaving or crocheting. A double-faced fur fabric is created one that has fur on both the inside and the outside providing the both the soft luxury the warmth of fur. Lishman’s yarns and the garments produced from them are known and sold internationally.

Adapted from

Linda Lundstrom

What is her ‘claim to fame’?

Lundstrum, a graduate of Sheridan College, is best known for her Laparka design coat. This coat is said to pay tribute to Canadian heritage. The coat consists of an outer shell layer of coat, which can be removed, and an inner layer of coat, which can be used separately. The hood of the coat is trimmed with fur.

How is Lundstrum helping to foster the talents of Canadian Native and Inuit?

Lundstrum uses Native art in some of her designs. Lundstrum is the founder of the Native Awareness Education Fund.

What other garments are in her line?

Lundstrum produces many lines of garments. She produces coordinated clothing and accessories for the Laparka line, as well as clothing for the executive, leisurewear, cruise wear, and special occasions.

Adapted from Linda Lundstrum press kit.

The Canadian Fashion Design Establishment

This segment will focus on Canadian designers who have been in the Canadian fashion industry for a number of years and have established businesses or are well known in Canada.

Lida Baday

How did she prepare for a career in the fashion industry?

Baday was born in Hamilton, Ontario. As a young child she watched her mother work as a custom dressmaker. She studied at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute. Baday applied her skill and knowledge in the Toronto fashion industry, where she quickly worked her way up through positions of apprentice, assistant designer, to head designer.

How would she characterize her designs?

Baday aims for a classic, ageless quality. Baday’s garments are characterized by clean lines, which are softly tailored, and with a focus on the fabric rather than embellishments.

Adapted from Lida Baday press kit.

Marilyn Brooks

What is her fashion background?

Raised and educated in Michigan, Brooks began making her own clothing early in her life. In the early 1960s Brooks came to Canada as the display director for a company. She later opened her own ‘one of a kind’ boutique called The Unicorn. The Unicorn boutique is no longer in existence. Brooks has several other stores, called Marilyn Brooks Boutiques, and also sells her line through numerous quality women’s stores.

What are some of Brooks’ more memorable or notable designs?

Brooks has numerous designs for which she became known. Early in her design career, she was known for her ‘see through’ dress design, the chain bra, black satin hotpants. During the 1970s, the vinyl jumpsuit was a noteworthy design. In the 1970s she began designing uniforms for various businesses. Also of interest, are her town hall clock purse and birdcage purse. Brooks is quoted as saying, “my designs are for people who love comfort and have a sense of humour”.

What are her other ‘claims to fame’ in the Canadian fashion community?

Brooks is known for her commitment to the development of the Canadian fashion industry and has held executive positions in several organizations of fashion designers. She has received numerous awards for her work in design and dedication to the fashion industry. Brooks has also established a reputation for supporting numerous charities including the Parkinson’s Foundation.

Adapted from Marilyn Brooks press kit and interview with Marilyn Brooks.

Simon Chang

What were his areas of study at college?

Chang, born in Canton China,moved to Vancouver where he studied graphic design, photography and fashion merchandising, at the Vancouver College of Art.

What is the market segment for his designs?

Chang focuses on the active professional woman. Chang has also designed uniforms for health-care professionals.

What does Chang see as the disadvantages of off shore manufacturing?

When questioned about his manufacturing, most of which is done off shore, he says when manufacturing is done off shore, there is little to no room to makes changes and to expect that your wishes will be accommodated.

*Note that this question has been included to show that even though designers are Canadian, the assumption cannot be made that all garments are constructed in Canada. Teachers and students may wish to construct a chart to note the perceived advantages and disadvantages of in-house, contract out and off shore contract out. The text Fashion from Concept to Consumer may be of assistance with this.

What are Chang’s other ‘claims to fame’?

Chang is known for his philanthropic endeavors including scholarships for the study of creative arts and medicine, as well as, a foundation whose funds help battered women.

Adapted from Simon Chang press kit.

Sunny Choi

How did she get into the fashion business?

Korean born Sunny Choi obtained a Fine Arts Degree from Seoul National University. After immigrating to Canada, she graduated with Honours in Communication and Design, from the Ontario College of Art. She returned to the college to teach illustration. She began designing for the National Ballet School of Canada . Her work with the ballet helped her to branch into creating couture pieces for a Yorkville retailer . In 1988, she partnered with Jack Atkin. Choi now produces her own signature line, as well as a mid price line of garments. Choi’sdesigns are marketed in her own stores.

How are her garments described?

Her garments and designs are known for their superior quality, attention to detail, elegance and the use of luxurious fabrics.

Adapted from Sunny Choi press kit and interview with Sunny Choi.

Dorothy Grant

How is her background different from many of the Canadian fashion designers?

Grant is a Haida Indian raised in Alaska. She studied under the tutelage of Haida elder, Florence Edenshaw-Davidson where she learned the history and importance of women’s work as well as the art of spruce root basket weaving. Grant produced her first garment the Raven Creation Tunic, which is now part of Canadian Museum of Civilization’spermanent collection, before attending and graduating from the Helen Lefeaux School of Fashion in Vancouver in 1987.

What are the characteristics of Grant’s designs?

In some circles, Grant is known as the ‘foremost First Nations’ fashion designer. Grant’s designs focus on the traditional art of the Haida people. Her men’s jackets and women’s garments, suits, dresses, capes etc., exhibit examples of the graphic themes of the First Nations’ People. Grant also produces a line of ceremonial garments.

Adapted from and Dorothy Grant press kit.

D’Arcy Moses

What is his background?

Moses is a Cree Indian from Edmonton. He worked with a Vancouver designer before moving to Toronto. During his time in Toronto Moses worked out of the Fashion Incubator. (See note below.) He has recently moved to take up a partnership in a company called MWG, garment manufacturers.

*Note: the Fashion Incubator is an organization whose purpose is to assist new fashion designers. The designers may work out of the Incubator and have access to its various facilities such as assistance with business planning, financial accounting, cutting or fabric, machinery for fabrication of garments and more. Since space is limited and some designers may have their own facilities, they may become part of the Outreach Program and have the use the programs and equipment available through the Incubator but not locate their office in the Fashion Incubator building.

How has Moses’s background influenced his designs?

He is known for the embellishments that were influenced by aboriginal designs. He worked in furs and leathers as well as other fabrics.He once suggested that fur is seen as an extension of his native background. Moses was known for using mainly animal species such as muskrat, beaver and fox that overpopulated the north. He has tried to break the image of furs as merely a sign of opulence and return to that of its practicality for the Canadian winter climate. His current designs are inspired by the Deh Cho traditional embellishments, inherent to the MacKenzie Delta Region.

Adapted from and article on D’Arcy Moses.

Peter Nygard

What is his background?

Nygard immigrated to Canada with his family when he was a child. At an early age, he worked to help his family to make ends meet. During the 1970s, Nygard worked in the shipping department for a garment company. He later bought the company. Nygard founded his current business Nygard International.