NEVER FREEZE - A BRIF LOOK TO CANADA GOOSE HISTORY - The Flight of Canada Goose-Unless you have an arctic scientist, a Northern Canadian
police officer or dogsled champion in your life, you probably hadn't heard of Canada Goose until the last decade or so. But, out of nowhere, around 2013,
the brand became ubiquitous: the brand's black parkas suddenly became a favorite of any actor, model or CEO who happened to venture into a cold climate.
It may seem like Canada Goose came out of nowhere, but this sudden explosion was the result of decades of development. The brand known today as Canada
Goose came into being in the 1950s, when it was known as Metro Sportswear Ltd. Founder Sam Tick moved to Canada in 1950 and less than a decade later,
he founded the company that initially specialized in professional cold weather wear like woolen vests, raincoats and snowmobile suits.For decades, Metro
Sportswear would cater heavily to a professional class of customer, selling wholesale to police departments, research teams and others who spend the bulk
of their time in frigid outdoor conditions. It was in the spirit of serving this base that Tick's son-in-law David Reiss would invent a volume-based filling
machine that would allow the company to pack more down feathers into the company's products. With this 1970s breakthrough came a new label, “Snow
Goose,” which would eventually evolve into the Canada Goose name we know today.It was this volume-based filling technique that would allow the company to
pioneered its flagship product—incredibly warm parkas, stuffed with down and punctuated with a fur-lined hood—that the company is known for today. Shortly
After this breakthrough, contracts with Canadian governmental organizations like the Ontario Provincial Police, the Ministry of the Environment and Canadian
Rangers followed. During this period, the company also subcontracted the production of coats for LL Bean and Eddie Bauer, but they eventually learned
that the strength of the brand and the quality of the product would be better served by only producing under the Canada Goose banner. This decision
wouldn't be made, however, until 1993.
In the 1980s, Canada Goose partnered with scientists at Antarctica's McMurdo Station to develop a jacket that would hold up in the most inhospitable
elements. This coat, known as “Big Red” would come to define the company. The connection between Canada Goose and Arctic exploration that would come
to define so much of its legacy was forged. Choosing the name Canada Goose would prove as important for the long term success of the brand as this
reputation for adventure. For years, Snow Goose was the North American name for the label, but (due to patent restrictions) in Europe the brand was known
as “Canada Goose.” In Europe, the coats started to appeal to the luxury market as well as the professional cold weather class, a phenomenon that began
among Stockholm's fashionable yet weather-conscious fashion elite. Even though the price tag was steep, customers in Europe had no problem paying top
dollars for a Canadian brand. CEO Dani Reiss compares this phenomenon to the way that Americans relate to Rolex or scotch. He told Entrepreneur, “For
[Europeans] a Canada Goose jacket made in Canada was like a watch made in Switzerland. Rolex is not going to move its production to China.” This led to the
decision to united the entire brand, globally, under the increasingly popular Canada Goose name.
This inextricable connection to Canada has led Canada Goose to make significant commitments to keeping its production in its home country. More than just
in name, the company maintains major production facilities in Toronto and Winnipeg. Toronto is the site of the company's global headquarters, which include
a 96,000 square-foot factory that employs over 100 workers.
Founded in the late 50s, by Sam Tick, Canada Goose was created to meet a simple need. Canada Goose history says that, by then, the goal of the brand was
just to create clothes that could protect you from the weather of the great white North.However, building a fashion brand from the ground up exposes many
hopefuls to quite a bit along the way. When looking at Canada Goose history we find out about just that.In fact, there are very few things quite as strange
and overwhelming. Sure, there are a ton of brands who have taken conventional routes.But, for each orthodox success story, there are countless attempts
that ends in failure. In between those extremes are the shining examples of names that become household through rather unorthodox means. particularly,
Canada Goose history presents an interesting case of finding elite status almost accidentally. Canada Goose begins in the very coldest regions of the West,
otherwise known as the Great White North.
From there, it is all a fascinating tale of a company that never loses its original sights. On the contrary, we see that Canada Goose's rise in global status
coincides with their commitment to their Arctic beginnings.So, just when did Canada Goose originate?Canada Goose was founded way back in 1957, in
Toronto, Canada. The label was founded by Sam Tick. By then, it used “Metro Sportswear Ltd.” as its designation. To make warmer outerwear and everything
else in between to withstand Canadian winters. That was the goal.Just to be sure, pragmatism is at the very heart of everything the brand does. The hefty
price tags and celebrity endorsements all believe the intense focus on each garment's task.Yet, there's an equally sharp focus on the people who wear their
products. From world-class athletes to the risk-takers and adventurers of every day, the recognition spreads wide.
Made in CanadaIt might seem like a silly question: where is Canada Goose manufactured? Well, fear not, because there's a lot to that answer. On a surface
level, Canada Goose history bases its local roots in Toronto.In the 1970s, David Reiss contributes an idea to an age-old industry. Working for his father in
law's Metro Sportswear company, he rethinks the process of filling jackets. By inventing the down-filling machine that operates on volume, tear effectively
changes the very standard by which outerwear manufacturing operates in the 70s.It's at this time that he ponders striking out on his own. As you might
have guessed, he does and the brand we would all come to know as Canada Goose was born.Starting his journey out under the name Snow Goose, Reiss's new
enterprise is very specific. After all, the company was starting out with a home base in one of the coldest parts of the planet. It only made sense to focus
on garments that would protect against those frigid temperatures.One of the first establishing releases from Snow Goose was made for scientists stationed
in the Atlantic.The Expedition Parka, a bulk mass of serious weather protection, keeps staff safe as they plug away at the notorious McMurdo Station.
Much like the version we see in stores today, the Expedition was a beast of a parka.Upon initial release, no piece of outerwear comes close to its weight.
But, this isn't because of too many bells and whistles. On the contrary, a thick and robust Arctic Tech outer layer houses a whopping 625-fill-power duck
down.Of course, this was and still is an intensely purpose driven jacket. Though now available in a bevy of colors, this parka is meant for a part of the world
where “Summer fun” is a temperature just above freezing.Manufactured entirely in Canada, the Expedition Parka eventually becomes an industry standard.
At the time, there's no better option for those looking to keep warm in the absolute coldest of temperatures."Big Red," as it would be called, was inspiring
more adventures into the sub-zero unknown. In 1982, history is made as the first Canadian to ever scale Mt. Everest, Laurie Skreslet, does so in a Metro
Sports wear parka.Known today as Canada Goose's Skreslet Parka, this heavy duty coat boasts even more protection than “Big Red”. climbers, adventurers,
and casual citizens alike can feel the warmth of 750-fill-duck down.
Changing winds - The 90's see the company taken over by Dani Reiss, a pivotal move in Canada Goose history. Though he isn't a fan of taking over the family
business at first, Reiss eventually heads the company and makes a head-scratching commitment.Canada Goose will not change its base of operations. All of
the protective wears remain, to this day, as products of Canadian manufacturing.Now, in almost any other business, resisting the urge to outsource is
inviting financial strain. Unfortunately, that doesn't change when it comes to the particular business of winter gear.
As demand shows signs of steadying and leveling out, local production becomes too cumbersome for even the brightest companies. The result was a mad
dash for overseas outsourcing and the irrefutable cost benefit of doing so.The prevailing thought within the fashion industry, in general, was that consumers
would not care where the products were made. The company's newest chief executive was of an entirely different mind. In fact, the strategy of vacating
domestic production lines was so rampant that Reiss saw it as an opportunity. If every competitor left, quite simply put by Reiss, “we would be the only
one's left."Another key to this was the brand's faith in the consumer. Reiss sets out his strategy with the belief that consumers would indeed pay the
hefty price tag for an “authentic” product.His faith pays off in Europe, as the Canada Goose name takes off across the pond and likes to names such
as Prada and Gucci.Surprisingly, the decision to keep Canada Goose Canadian is the main unique selling point in the European luxury market. Combine this
local ethos with those notorious price tag, and you have an authentic luxury item.Wearing a piece of Canada Goose was like biting into a croissant from
Paris or rocking Armani straight off a runway in Milan. The product is unique to its region, making it especially appealing.
Even today, the company earns praise and recognition for employing 6% of Canada's cut and sew industry. This should come as no surprise, Canada Goose
has always been about its people.Taking Care of Their OwnThrough the 90s, Canada Goose history faces uncertainty. Competition is only getting more
fierce at this point, with bottom lines at the top of everyone's minds.The early 2000s, following the appoint of Dani Reiss, see those fortunes flip, resulting
in the global appeal of the brand. This translates into Canada Goose finding its stride in its homeland as well.Though lauded for their function and design,
Canada Goose wears boast an eye-popping price tag. Marketing this to the local denizens of Toronto, sub-zero temperatures and all, would prove difficult.
Before the European boom, selling product in the local market seemed to be quite the obstacle. But, this soon changes and the global icon eventually also
becomes a badge of native pride.Perhaps the most notable thing to come out of this success is the response from the company. In 2007, Canada Goose
celebrates their 50th anniversary. Well into a position of relevance in the industry, the brand decides to celebrate its customers as well.They put together
and release a book by the name of “Goose People,” spotlighting fifty people who personify the Canada Goose values. Of course, these values are much like
their products, unique to a certain spirit of the Great White North.
goose people Take the example of Lance Mackey. Further away from the Arctic Circle, that name is perhaps unfamiliar. But, Mackey is a record-breaking
champion dog sledder. As if racking up the race wins weren't enough, Mackey comes from a family that lives and grows in the Alaskan wilds.Not impressive
enough? His commitment to his sport was unrelenting even in the face of cancer, with which he would battle for four years. It's fair to say the man earns
his title of “toughest athlete alive.”Throughout his races through unforgiving temperatures, Mackey trusts no other brand than Canada Goose.An equally
compelling story is that of Marilyn Hoffman, a nurse who finds herself alive today because her Canada Goose parka kept her from drowning in the Arctic.
Paddy Doyle is another great story.The lifelong pilot found his plane making an emergency landing due to an ice storm. Alone in the middle of the tundra's
definition of nowhere, Doyle's Canada Goose gear kept him warm while he sought shelter. It was especially useful for the three days it took for a rescue
to arrive.
Canada Goose History: All about Binding Ties - Aside from the frigid temperatures, all of those stories have something in common with each other and the
fire. Upon greeting the rescue team, Doyle insists on flying his own plane home.Hoffman didn't take long after her near-death experience to get right
back to work she was passionate about. And Mackey? Well, you can bet your last dollar he's still mushing his dogs and keeping fit.Because that's what
“Goose People” are. They do not relent in the face of adversity. They do not let even the biting temperatures of the Great White North to distance them
from what keeps them warm.These people represent what keeps Canada Goose history. Much like the company, their passions are near to home.
Make sure you are ready to face every weather condition - Reiss took advantage of his brand's newfound strength with aggressive advertising pushes and
concurrent business expansion. One of the biggest wins under his tenure has been identifying the coats with Hollywood. Canada Goose has sent gear to film
and television sets across North America for years, as well as securing product placements in films like The Day After Tomorrow and National Treasure.
Perhaps the most successful inroad into the film industry came when Canada Goose set out to make its products standard issue at Sundance and Toronto
Film Festivals via full-on brand partnerships. In short, if you're going to sponsor an international film festival or two, then you're certainly going to end up
on the backs of a few A-listers. Fast forward a few years, and now its coats are ubiquitous on cold weather locations, whether it be on projects like Game
of Thrones or James Bond.The era of the Canada Goose's full court press on the entertainment industry culminated in Kate Upton's 2013 SPORTS Illustrated
Swimsuit cover, where she was wearing a Canada Goose coat… and little else. The shoot, which took place on a boat off the coast of Antarctica, solidified
the brand's place in many an American mind.
This advertising blitz was accompanied by a plan to increase supplies in anticipation of the coming spike in demand. In 2013, Bain Capital, known to Americans
as Mitt Romney's private equity firm, bought a majority stake in Canada Goose, setting the company up with a quarter billion dollars of additional cash. by
2015, annual sales were topping $300 million.Because of the massive influx of the brand's profile and the stories of sled racers and explorers in its past,
Canada Goose has been able to act like a legacy brand in recent years despite having a shorter history than many of its peers. Like Pendleton and Patagonia,
Canada Goose has made a move into brick and mortar retail spaces. Flagship stores have opened in six major metropolitan hubs, and the company hopes to
expand to several dozen worldwide. Concurrent with these plans, the long-time privately-held family company went public.As with many other brands in the
legacy space, Canada Goose has also looked to high-end collaborations. In fall of 2016, Canada Goose was seen as a major part of Opening Ceremony's well
Respected, politically-charged “pageant” show. Vetements Spring 2017 collection—which incorporated over a dozen well-known brands including Reebok and
Juicy Couture—featured oversized reworks Canada Goose outerwear. In the last few years, the brand has also collaborated with Pendleton, Levi’s and
Drake's OVO.Now that it is enjoying the status of a high-end legacy brand, Canada Goose is also navigating the pitfalls that come with that kind of status.
With popularity comes copycats, and the company has already gone to lengths to help shoppers suss out counterfeits and reproductions. Will the $800 coats
smash into an oversaturated market once every stylish person in New York, London, Toronto and Stockholm seems to own one? Will public investors and
venture capitalists force the company to compromise its “Made in Canada” promise and commitment to quality?
It's hard to tell, but the reputation of Canada Goose and the leadership of the Reiss family has rarely faltered, and its management blueprint has brought
Canada Goose sustained success. As we look ahead on the horizon, there's nothing in the company's down-warmed DNA to suggest that the reputation of
Canada Goose's legendary parkas will be heading south any time soon.
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