Vancouver has never been an easy city in which to build a successful menswear label. The list of homegrown brands with staying power could be counted on one hand. Yet Champlain is proving to be a rare exception, carving out its own path at the intersection of sophistication and ease. With their Spring/Summer collection landing in the storied halls of Harry Rosen, Champlain is showing that contemporary Canadian men’s wear can stand shoulder to shoulder with international heavyweights.
Champlain began as an idea sparked by change. In 2022, Jonathan Richard sold his stake in Surmesur, the Yaletown custom suiting business he helped build. As he saw it, the traditional office uniform was losing relevance. Remote work had softened dress codes, leaving a void between formalwear and athleisure. “The corporate business world was shifting quite a bit,” Richard recalls. “Why don’t we go back to the classics? Polos, cardigans, varsity jackets—and put a casual-chic twist on it?”
From this premise, Champlain Apparel was born. Richard set out to develop garments that nodded to icons of classic style while feeling at home in a modern wardrobe. He refined his product line, collaborated with manufacturers, and began raising capital to fuel the vision. That search for partners led him to Cameron Conn, a former tech executive who was completing the sale of his startup to OneComply.
Conn saw himself in Champlain’s mission. “In the tech sector, if you come in with a sport coat everyone in the company is like, ‘Are we getting fired?’” he says with a laugh. He found himself caught between dated, corporate labels and overtly sporty brands. Champlain offered something else entirely—a versatile approach to luxe-leisure that had been missing. “There was no modern take on that middle ground,” Conn says.
Their collaboration quickly deepened. Conn invested early and stepped into the CEO role in June of last year. From the Gastown showroom, he describes Champlain’s ethos as reclaiming the forgotten elegance of everyday staples. “We are not trying to be athleisure wear that you could maybe wear to work,” he explains. “It is about fitting into a proper aesthetic you can wear throughout your day. A polo shirt was a very prep, proper look. We have forgotten how to dress it up again.”
Champlain’s Timeless Collection launched last fall, debuting refined polos, crisp overshirts, and lightweight outerwear—pieces that glide from morning meetings to evening gatherings without missing a beat. The designs channel the quiet sophistication of the 1980s, echoing the clean lines of Ralph Lauren and JFK, while maintaining a West Coast ease that feels distinctly Vancouver.
In an industry where authenticity is everything, Champlain is striking a chord. As Conn puts it, “There is a struggle to find work and play-appropriate garments that present confidence and a care for how we show up daily.” With a growing presence in five provinces and 32 U.S. states, the brand is proving that tradition and innovation can coexist beautifully.
Champlain is not just filling a gap—it is reminding men how timeless style can feel refreshingly new.
Author Profile
- Helen Siwak is the founder of EcoLuxLuv Communications & Marketing Inc and publisher of Folio.YVR Luxury Lifestyle Magazine and PORTFOLIOY.YVR Business & Entrepreneurs Magazine. She is a prolific content creator, consultant, and marketing and media strategist within the ecoluxury lifestyle niche. Helen is the west coast correspondent to Canada’s top-read industry magazine Retail-Insider, holds a vast freelance portfolio, and consults with many of the world’s luxury heritage brands. Always seeking new opportunities and challenges, you can email her at [email protected].
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