Category Archives: Canadian dress

Canadian Fashion Connection – Edith Strauss

Posted on 2018-11-29 by Jonathan

Edith was born in Poland, the eldest of four children. Her father, Nathan Solomon, left Poland for Canada in 1928 to find work, and after eight years managed to have his family join him in Montreal. At the age of … Continue reading →

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Canadian Fashion Connection – Dayton Boots

Posted on 2018-11-28 by Jonathan

Dayton Boots was established in 1946 by C. H. (Charlie) Wohlford. Before becoming the manager of The Lumberman’s Social Club at 64 East Hastings street in Vancouver, Charlie had worked for Caterpillar Tractor Company, and as a young man had … Continue reading →

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Canadian Fashion Connection – Applegath Hats (1885 – 1964)

Posted on 2018-11-25 by Jonathan

Applegath Hats was, at one time, Toronto’s largest haberdasher. The business was begun by Llewellyn John Applegath as an adjunct business within the men’s clothier House of Hobberlin, at the corner of Richmond and Yonge streets, when Hobberlin was founded in … Continue reading →

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Canadian Fashion Connection – Kabir Kouba moccasins

Posted on 2018-11-20 by Jonathan

In 1937, Albert-Michel Sioui opened a handicraft store from his family home on the Huron-Wyandot (Wendat) first nation reserve of Wendake, Quebec (about 20 kilometers north of Quebec City.) He called his shop Kabir Kouba, which means a river with … Continue reading →

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Canadian Fashion Connection – Sherman Costume Jewellery (1947 – 1981)

Posted on 2018-11-13 by Jonathan

Gustave Sherman was born in Montreal on October 15, 1910 to Jewish parents who had immigrated to Canada from Eastern Europe. Gustave started his career in the jewellery field as a salesman before hiring jeweller Dmytro (aka Jimmy) Kurica (pronounced … Continue reading →

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Canadian Fashion Connection – Mr. Smith

Posted on 2018-11-10 by Jonathan

David Smith was born in Windsor in about 1930. In 1955 he met television actor Jack Creley and the two opened an antique shop in Yorkville called the Green Dolphin. The business wasn’t doing well, so in 1960 they started … Continue reading →

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Canadian Fashion Connection – Winston Kong

Posted on 2018-10-30 by Jonathan

Winston Kong was born in Ipswich, Jamaica. He studied at Cornell university and planned to go into hotel management before realizing his passion lay in the fashion world. After attending the Fashion Institute of Technology, Kong worked for Henri Bendel … Continue reading →

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That time when hem lengths were measured from the floor…

Posted on 2018-10-28 by Jonathan

When hems started going up in the 1910s, they were measured according to how far off the ground they were, which this picture of the committee of the British Columbia Electric Social Club Dance from April 1, 1921 illustrates exceptionally … Continue reading →

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Beach fashions, 1932

Posted on 2018-10-24 by Jonathan

A fashion show of ladies beach and lounge wear at the Hudson Bay store in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1932. Note that the runway is made up of desks!

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Canadian Fashion Connection – Williams, Greene & Rome

Posted on 2018-10-16 by Jonathan

Samuel James Williams was born March 13, 1853 in Madison, Indiana. In 1874 he went to New York and became a travelling salesman. He married Sarah Freeman in 1880, and continued working as a salesman until October 1881. He then … Continue reading →

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