The brands you love and have yet to check out
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Inclusive fashion is important. And more consumers than ever would agree. Thankfully, from well-known labels to smaller shops, styles for curvy bodies have never been more accessible.
Below, we’ve listed brands with plus size sections and a handful of picks up to a 10XL. Of course, plus-size veteran Torrid is on this list. But we’ve also found smaller, home-grown brands like Octopied Mind that cater to inclusivity with a purpose. There are also affordable options below to look good for under $100.
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That said, there’s never been a better time for plus-size fashion. Here are some of the best plus-size brands to shop in Canada that we love.
Summary of the best plus size clothing brands
Penningtons
Hilary MacMillan
Wray NYC
Park + Fifth
Girlfriend Collective
Joe Fresh+
Torrid
Altar
Old Navy
Anthropologie Plus
Nettle’s Tale
Octopied Mind
Laura Plus
Hey Mavens
Connally Goods
Oge Ajibe
Curator SF
Cantiq LA
Best plus size clothing brands explained
About: Penningtons is a banner store of Reitmans, another well-known Canadian fashion brand. The brand was founded in 1926 by Herman and Sarah Reitman, and since then has taken off and offers quality options for curvy bodies. It caters to sizes 14-24 in various clothing and accessories, including wide-width footwear.
Founding location: Montreal, Que.
Favourite item: Wide-width shoes
About: Founded in 2013, Hilary MacMillan is a luxury inclusive brand with sizes up to 4XL. Using only the highest quality materials, the brand also focuses on cruelty-free fabrics. It strives to design products with the boldest colours and textures and have recently expanded into home goods, swimwear and accessories.
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Founding location: Toronto, Ont. 60 percent of production is within Canada.
Favourite item: Barbie Wide-Leg Jumpsuit
About: Founded in 2015 by Wray Serna, Wray NYC is an inclusive fine art-inspired clothing line. The brand was born out of an interest in art and design, with each product influenced by various artistic forms and functions. Each piece is true to size and goes up to a 6XL.
Founding location: Manhattan, N.Y. Created ethically at fair-trade operations in India, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Peru.
Favourite item: Flor Dress (Weekend Plaid + Slate Sky)
About: Park + Fifth was founded in Vancouver by Brooke Johnson and Zoe Tisshaw. What began as a brand for bridesmaid dresses has now expanded to more options for brides and wedding guests. Extended sizing is available for almost any dress that catches your eye, with sizes up to 3XL.
Founding location: Vancouver, B.C.
Favourite item: Eau Claire Dress ES in Jade Fog
About: Girlfriend Collective is an activewear brand founded by husband and wife, Quang and Ellie Dinh. Best-known for giving away free leggings in 2016, the brand strives to produce clothing based on the principles of sustainability, ethical production and inclusivity. From best-selling leggings to sports bras, it offers sizes up to 6XL. Select styles are also available on Amazon.
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Founding location: Seattle, Wash.
Favourite item: The Compressive High-Rise Leggings
About: Joe Fresh is a Canadian fashion brand that can also be found inside most Loblaws locations. It was founded in 2006 by designer Joe Mimran and carries everything from clothes and handbags to beauty products. Since then, the brand has launched more plus-size options in business attire, activewear and basic tops and bottoms. Find sizes up to 3XL in tops and 32 in bottoms.
Founding location: Toronto, Ont. Sourced primarily from Indonesia and South Korea.
Favourite item: Bottoms
About: Torrid was founded in 2001 and offers plus-size bodies various options in clothing and accessories from sizes 10-30. The brand opened its first Canadian store in 2015, adding to its reign of 650 stores in the U.S. For more than 20 years, Torrid has paved the way for fashion-forward plus-size style.
Founding location: Brea, Calif.
Favourite item: Foxy Strappy Front Cami
About: Founded by Cassie Ridgeway, Altar is an American fashion brand with a brick-and-mortar store based in Portland, Ore. It carries everything from beauty products to home goods and has some of the most inclusive range of sizes — up to 8XL in dresses, tops and shapewear.
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Founding location: Portland, Ore. (Made in the USA)
Favourite item: Rove Dress in Agave
About: Old Navy was founded in 1994 by Donald and Doris F. Fisher, the founders of Gap, its parent company. The brand offers affordable style options with deals and discounts on the regular. Over the past few years, the brand has become more inclusive with sizes up to 4XL and a 54″ waist in men’s and women’s apparel.
Founding location: San Francisco, Calif.
Favourite item: Denim (women’s + men’s)
About: Founded by Richard Hayne in 1992, Anthropologie is a fashion retailer and a beloved brand in North America. The brand has everything, from clothing to jewelry and home goods. Over time, Anthropologie has become more inclusive and has added plus-size styles with various options for office wear and special occasions. Tops go up to a 3XL with bottoms available up to size 26.
Founding location: Wayne, P.A.
Favourite item: The Colette Cropped Wide-Leg Pants by Maeve: Ponte Edition
About: Launched via crowdfunding, Nettle’s Tale was founded in 2014 by Julia Church. What began began with six initial swimsuits has since expanded into a full clothing line. Ethical and thoughtfully designed, the brand offers stylish and practical pieces for plus-size bodies up to a 4XL.
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Founding location: Vancouver, B.C. Made within the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
Favourite item: All of their one-pieces swimsuits.
About: Started by two best friends, Sarah Vezina and Jill Davis, Octopied Mind is a brand for freedom of expression through art and fashion. Born out of the desire for individuality, the brand offers graphic tops and bottoms up to a 6XL.
Founding location: Dalihousie, N.B.
Favourite item: Shirts, especially the Mentally Checked Out Modal Tee.
About: Founded in the 1930s by Laura Wolstein, Laura is a family-owned women’s fashion company associated with Canadian brand Melanie Lyne, another well-known retailer. The brand opened in Montreal as a modest ladieswear boutique and now carries an array of fashion options to wear to the office or out and about. Find plus sizes up to a 3XL in tops and a size 24 for bottoms.
Founding location: Montreal, Que.
Favourite item: All of the jackets and blazers.
About: Hey Mavens was founded by Annika Benitz Chaloff. It’s a size and gender-inclusive American lingerie brand that carries up to 10XL. Cute and comfy underwear for all, the colourful designs and luxurious fabrics are sourced with care and sewn in-house.
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Founding location: Founded and made in Nashville, Tenn.
Favourite item: Blue Velvet Wrap Bralette
About: Founded by plus-size designer Connally McDougall, Connally Goods is an innovative clothing company that merges sustainability and inclusivity. Born out of the desire to ensure affordable, high-quality fashion for all, the brand offers curvy bodies a lot to choose from. With sizes up to 6XL, it offers sample sales on the regular for a discounted price.
Founding location: Vancouver, B.C.
Favourite item: The Thomas Shirt- Tattersall Check (Cotton Linen)
About: Oge Ajibe is a Canadian fashion brand founded in 2020 by Ogechukwu Ajibe. With a focus on sustainability and inclusivity, the label offers plus-size bodies tailor-made products up to a 5XL. Each piece is crafted with care, embodying the brand’s core values towards style empowerment and a greener earth.
Founding location: Vancouver, B.C. Made in Canada.
Favourite item: Dresses
About: Founded in 2005 by Deirdre Nagayama and Stacy Rodgers, Curator SF is a clothing brand that offers a selection of in-house and locally made products for the everyday. The brand fits a wide range of bodies up to a 4XL and is easy to wash regularly.
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Founding location: San Francisco, Calif. Made locally.
Favourite item: The Marge Dress
About: Founded by Chelsea Hughes in 2015, Cantiq LA is a size and gender-inclusive lingerie company carrying up to size 6XL. All products are hand-sewn in house to suit an array of identities.
Founding location: Los Angeles, Calif. Locally made.
Favourite Item: Cross Your Heart Bralette
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