Vancouver-Born Artizia Explodes into Global Success

Artizia

Whether it’s a pair of TNA leggings, a Babaton sweater or the iconic SuperPuff, everyone either owns or knows someone who has an item from Aritzia. The Vancouver-based brand was created in the Hills Department Store in 1984, and since then, has blossomed into an internationally sought-after retailer. Popular items from their brands have been worn by celebrities such as Ariana Grande, Kendall Jenner, and Meghan Markle. 

The store carries many brands, including Babaton and Wilfred, which have also become successful independently. The brand has also benefited from their substantial social media presence. Their Instagram account, which actively showcases their clothing, has amassed over 1.2 million followers.

Forbes has described Aritizia’s brand as one that is “leading with empathy, action and innovation.” Aritzia has donated packages of their products to frontline workers during the pandemic, and made contributions to Canadian charities, such as Cause We Care Foundation, Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland, and the Canadian Journalism Foundation. 

Aritzia’s success extends beyond its social media pages and 101 stores across North America. The brand has also had tremendous success in the stock market. The value of the company has increased massively since it went public on the Toronto Stock Exchange in late 2016. 

Though Aritzia only has physical stores in Canada and the United States, the brand recently began offering shipping to China, the United Arab Emirates, Russia, and Singapore. This is in addition to its existing online shipping options to the UK, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Australia.

Fiscally, the company performed better than the year before, as sales skyrocketed to satisfy online shoppers’ demand. Aritzia has been capitalizing off of the stay-at-home lifestyle that was adopted at the beginning of COVID, announcing new collections of loungewear nearly every quarter of a year, and placing more emphasis on the comfort and functionality of their popular items. 

The brand has also begun to release limited collections for occasions such as Mother’s Day and Lunar New Year, which have proved to be lucrative for the company. Pieces from their Mother’s Day collection have made appearances in Forbes, while their Lunar New Year collection was featured in Glitter fashion magazine. 

By far the most popular Aritzia item, the SuperPuff jacket has been worn by numerous Hollywood stars including Hailey Bieber, Karlie Kloss, and Emma Roberts. The jacket has a growing number of celebrities who have worn it, and, by extension, promoted the Vancouver retailer. Aritzia continues to benefit from its growing influence in the affordable luxury wear space, success in the stock market, and stores, and will surely be a formidable fashion force in the years to come.