The New Canadiana: Cultivating a Modern Canadian Fashion Identity Rich in History
Owning a consignment clothing store has been an incredible journey in so many ways; an experience rich in style and creativity has also revealed itself to be one of the best careers I could have found myself in as an art history major. After I graduated in 2011, I really didn’t know what path I wanted to explore with my degree and after working desk job after desk job over the years, I moved on to own a curated consignment shop alongside my mother (a history major herself), which is soon to turn four in the coming months.
Every consignment store is different in the things they accept and how they curate their spaces. As lovers of all kinds of styles and eras of fashion, Bishop Consignment is a pretty eclectic space with pieces ranging from Joe Fresh and Zara all the way to Sacai and Chanel, with an added mix of newer styles and vintage finds.
In December, we acquired a collection of Hudson’s Bay coats from a vintage collector who was looking to downsize their collection. The coats were all a beautiful mix of styles that HBC had produced over the years: beautiful long striped coats, red embroidered jackets, classic cream wool, short striped coats and more. As we were going down the Hudson’s Bay rabbit hole researching each piece, I kept thinking about the complex nature of the coats and the impact that HBC has had in Canadian culture, style and history.
Founded in 1670, the British company sought to monopolize the fur trade in what would later become Canada. They were granted control of 40% of the lands that were inhabited by sovereign Indigenous nations, including the rivers that flowed into Hudson’s Bay where trading posts were established. Thus began a complex history with the company bringing Canada notoriety on the global stage, creating industry in England and colonialism in North America, exploiting the people and resources inhabiting the land to create a booming empire that would last 355 years until its closure in June 2025.
Most notably, the brand was responsible for crafting the iconic wool blankets that were made in England and used as part of their trade with the First Nations people in North America. In central and eastern Canada, many Métis and French settlers wore their Hudson’s Bay Point Blankets as outerwear robes, later turning them into handmade wrap-style coats called capotes. They became so popular that, in 1706, HBC hired a tailor to construct them themselves. In 1811, a new style of coat called the Mackinaw was created, which was designed as a short double-breasted piece and then, in 1922, HBC introduced their first commercial blanket coats, which featured a hybrid mix of the two styles. By 1929, the company had launched a full line of coats available to adults and children. What resulted was a national identity in clothing, with the coats and blankets being household staples and the coats becoming a visible piece of Canadiana.
With the closure of Hudson’s Bay Company, the coats are no longer in production, meaning whatever is on the market currently is all that will be available to people and collectors moving forward. Knowing all of this really got me thinking about the future of Canadian fashion and identity. Americana has always had a strong and consistent look that is totally ingrained in the American identity and quite frankly, their national brand. Designers like Ralph Lauren are synonymous with blending the characteristics of what is sometimes called “American Heritage” together to create the “All-American” look.
What the research on these coats has sparked is the desire to see the world of Canadiana transform and grow in its potential. It would be incredible to see us actively start uncovering more about our fashion and personal histories to be able to ethically and sustainably create a visual identity that celebrates heritage and modern design. One that credits cultures and supports artisans and creates a unifying bridge amongst Canadians and showcases to the world what Canadiana truly is. From fisherman’s sweaters to fringe, cowboy boots, plaid, cowichan sweaters, HBC coats, prairie dresses and everything in between, we have so much that we can work with to really cultivate a new chapter in Canadian heritage design.
Hudson’s Bay Company will always remain part of our modern nation’s origin story, and their pieces will continue to be part of the Canadian fashion history books and icons within Canadiana. How we lean into the next chapter in Canadian fashion will be integral in setting the tone for Canadian identity in the future. I hope that designers, historians, stylists, creatives, artisans and more from all backgrounds and walks of life can come together to create something that, once again, impacts history, but in the most beautiful, unifying way.
Photography: Erin J. Coholan of Fourteen Coats
Styling + Writing: Nicole Bishop
Clothing: Bishop Consignment
Location: Dalewood Icelandic Horses
Model: Bengie Maxwell
