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The name Snow Goose was already trademarked in Europe, so the younger Reiss-who assumed the CEO role in 1997-morphed it into Canada Goose, which was to be an ethos more than a name. More than that, he saw how the fact that the parkas came from Canada resonated with consumers. In the mid-nineties, while selling the jackets at a trade show in Germany, Reiss noticed the affinity European consumers had for his home country. When Reiss’s father, David, joined the company in the 1970s, his major innovation was a down-filling machine that gave the company a new focus (world-class parkas) and a new name, Snow Goose. That was not the case in 1957 when Reiss’s grandfather Sam Tick founded Metro Sportswear Ltd. The fact that they actually have ‘Canada’ in their name is an incredible bonus.” Beker says Canada Goose’s organic Canadian roots are also a major boon: “The spotlight is so on Canada right now. Reiss may not see his company as style-focused, but certainly Canada Goose’s no-frills aesthetic falls in with major fashion movements of the past few years, from normcore to athleisure, utilitarian to unisex and, of course, authenticity. It’s anti-fashion fashion.” Which is, of course, the best kind. “It’s sending the message that you’re not trying too hard to be in fashion.

We really don’t see ourselves as a fashion brand.”Ĭanadian fashion expert Jeanne Beker endorses that positioning: “There is something about Canada Goose that is no BS,” she says. “We have turned down offers to do women’s jackets that include more frivolous details or design features. The common denominator, says Reiss, is functionality.

Product-wise, Canada Goose has evolved from a single signature parka into a line of 2,000 products, including hundreds of jackets, winter accessories, spring-focused outwear and, most recently, a tentative foray into knitwear. Locations in Calgary, Chicago, Boston, London and Tokyo are on deck (Reiss says the plan is 15 to 20 stores by 2020). Meanwhile, after decades of selling through select luxury retailers and online, the company opened its first Canada Goose retail location in Yorkdale Mall in Toronto last fall, and another in New York shortly after. 171 spot on the 2017 PROFIT 500 ranking of Canada’s Fastest Growing Comapnies. That success reflects years of strong growth by the company, whose revenue has boomed by 393% over the past five years, earning it the No. made its first public offering in Toronto and New York with a $340-million IPO, trading up more than 25% on the first day. That shoot was five years ago, shortly before the then-private company took a $250-million infusion from Bain Capital to support expansion into the U.S. “She put it on because it’s cold in Antarctica.” “It wasn’t the plan to have the jacket on the cover,” says Reiss, revealing the authentic backstory behind the now iconic moment. Meet Canada's Fastest-Growing Manufacturing CompaniesĪnother proud papa moment came when Kate Upton famously wore Canada Goose’s white bomber (and not much else) on the cover of Sports Illustrated while shooting a fashion photo spread in the South Pole. “They view our product as equipment,” he says, and it’s clear that this fact makes him happier than all the pop culture kudos in the world. Cold-weather film crews were also early adopters. In the early years, Reiss made sure his products were on the backs of bouncers and scalpers who faced harsh temperatures in an urban environment. Long before earning the adoration of celebrities at Sundance, Canada Goose was the brand of choice for mountain climbers and Arctic Circle expeditioners, dogsledders and heli-skiers.

“From the beginning, we’ve built Canada Goose as the best, warmest, most functional product in the world.”

Still, the underlying importance of product leadership, says Reiss, is how his company has remained fad-proof. In fact, some of Canada Goose’s most enthusiastic markets are in countries that rarely see snowfall. Just as most people who drive Land Rovers don’t do a lot of off-roading, and most people who wear TAG watches don’t deep-sea dive. A bit of exclusivity works for Canada Goose, says CEO Dani Reiss: “We’re not afraid to be sold out.” (Della Rollins)ĭani Reiss, CEO of Canada Goose, is well aware that the vast majority of people who wear his company’s products will never visit the North Pole.