Who among us hasn’t dreaded purchasing new clothes? Updating a wardrobe or buying a new outfit for a special event ought to elicit feelings of excitement and renewal. Sadly, the emotions it evokes too often fall on the darker side of the spectrum. Whether it’s a dearth of suitable options or a deluge of body-image qualms, for some women, shopping for the “perfect” ensemble can be a perfect nightmare.
Fashion designer and owner of The White House Design Company in Burnaby, Jan Stimpson, was one of those women.
Petite of stature all her life, Jan’s body changed after having three children. During an outing to buy a seemingly innocuous t-shirt, she found she could only purchase a large, baggy style more suitable for a man’s body. Though frustrating, the experience marked a turning point in the affable designer’s career.
“Every woman should enjoy going shopping,” says Jan. “And I wasn’t. And a lot of the women around me weren’t. We’d see things and think ‘Omigod, that’s so cute, but it’s a size 2’ and an extra-large was a size 10. It was ridiculous. It’s really limiting to a lot of women in the fashion industry. It leaves a lot of women out. So, my focus, initially, was to design t-shirts women could wear that were flattering – so, a smaller fit on top and a sleeve with shape and character.”
And thus began the Sympli Clothing line.
The company’s focus is fit. Sympli customizes its garments to accentuate a woman’s best features and minimize her perceived flaws, whatever her age and body type. Shoppers can choose from a slim fit, a relaxed fit, a tunic fit and a Grand fit for plus-sized women. Sympli also caters to a variety of neck lines: high, low, scoop, or square. Mature women tend not to go sleeveless anymore, so the company offers a long sleeve, a three-quarter sleeve, a shorter sleeve and a cap sleeve with minimal coverage. In terms of style, choices range from casually basic to fun and funky to suitable-for-the-office. Something for everyone’s life journey.
For Jan, arriving at Sympli was a design evolution, but she never swayed from her emphasis on fitting all body types. When she started in the industry, her original designs drew from a strong hippie influence – fun colours, groovy patterns and mixed fabrics – an inspiration currently enjoying a renaissance in the age of hipster millennials and boho-chic fashionistas.
“I really enjoyed that movement, but only to a point,” says Jan. “I wasn’t out in the streets burning my bra or anything, but I really enjoyed the music and the freedom it stood for. When I owned the fabric store, I fell in love with silk, so that became a focus, but I always maintained the loose, comfortable styling.”
While silk is making a comeback at Sympli, the jersey fabric the label is known for isn’t going anywhere. The company is sourcing new fabrics from suppliers around the world for their Spring 2017 line, but their international affiliation ends there. Sympli is 100 per cent Canadian. Aside from raising her children, Jan considers growing the business in Canada and employing amazing Canadian talent as one of her greatest achievements.
“There were a lot of struggles and a lot of challenges… so I’m really proud of that,” says Jan. “I’ve been doing this for 40 years. Initially, one of the challenges was trying to get any kind of Canadian focus on this industry here.”
The struggles Canadian designers face include attracting media recognition, competing against overseas companies with price-point advantages, sourcing good fabric and – the most significant hurdle – financial support. With the fiscal success of The White House Design Company, Jan cites finding qualified employees as today’s biggest challenge.
“Once we find them they stay, but it’s getting harder and harder to find them,” she says. “There’s no real focus here. It’s hard to get young people interested in sewing or cutting or learning about all the equipment in the industry.”
Jan notes the provincial government is trying to put together a program to help this sector of manufacturing, mainly because it’s one of the fastest-growing industries in BC. Whatever program the government comes up with, it will face challenges.
“It’s difficult to interest our young people in that kind of job; they simply don’t want to do it.”
Jan suggests the government plan will likely incentivize foreign workers who are qualified, interested and happy to do those jobs in Canada. “It would be great if we could entertain some of the young people here, who don’t have jobs, and interest them in doing that, but it’s very challenging. We haven’t had much luck with that, at all.”
By creating an environment that encourages growth and empowerment, Jan has had much greater success with holding on to those who come work for her. One employee has been with her for over 30 years. A personal philosophy of maintaining integrity and listening to people has helped Jan build her business, as well as inspired friends and family to join the company. Her employees’ children are also invited to spend time with the company before heading off to college or university. Today, Sympli employs 70 staff onsite and 75 offsite, and its line is sold at 800 North American retailers.
Not bad for a little girl from Calgary who hated school “with a passion” and entertained neighbourhood children with circuses in her backyard, the proceeds from which she donated to a local orphanage. Nowadays, Jan re-energizes by gardening and working on her photography.
“I get very little time at home, but I just love puttering around my house and taking on projects. That makes me happy; I spend a lot of time in my garden room,” she says.
For many years, Jan was the sole photographer for the company’s fashion shoots. “Then my daughter, Abbey, who runs the marketing department, said, ‘Mom, you’re no longer good enough,’” says Jan with a self-effacing yet infectious laugh.
Invigorated by growth – in her garden and her business – Jan and the Sympli team are now playing with ideas about where they want to take the company, how many lines they want to do, and whether or not they can find the help to expand. Amid the continual growth, Jan believes Sympli will experience a spurt when the new collections are completed and launched.
While the pace of growth may be variable, one thing that remains steadfast is Jan’s commitment to the women who adorn themselves in her fashions – regardless of their figures.
“There are a ton of women out there raising families and working and just don’t have the time that’s necessary to maintain a body shape like a fitness model,” says Jan. “It’s unfair and kind of wrong. That’s not to say I think the industry is wrong – there’s always young and beautiful ideas… and these people are extremely talented and the designs are beautiful. But, for me, I like to re-interpret that so it fits all women, so that everybody is comfortable.”
Comfort, not dread. With Sympli, a woman’s shopping nightmare is simply over.
Jan Stimpson’s Thoughts on Fashion:
Attitude versus Attire
“As they grow older, some women lose their own personal sense of style and they start to fit into a pocket. Probably because there’s only a limited availability of items that fit them anymore. So, that’s where we come in.”
“You don’t have to be limited by what’s in the store and you don’t have to go here, there and everywhere. You can explore what’s comfortable for you.”
“I don’t judge women by [what they wear]. If they’re comfortable in their own skin and they’re happy, they can wear whatever they want. It’s confidence. Confidence in whatever holds meaning for them.”
Look Good, Feel Great, Be Comfortable
“It would be great if mature women could take the liberty to explore more things. And that doesn’t mean they have to be outrageous. They just need to explore it – and make sure it fits; make sure they’re comfortable in it.”
“Fit is vital to making a woman comfortable. You can wear something a little bit snugger up top and a little bit looser over the tummy area.”
“It’s always fun to see an older woman really go to town, but not everyone is confident doing that. Others may be really confident putting on a nice suit and going to a meeting or whatever. I think they really need to focus on comfort.”
Show Off Your Best Assets
“In the Grand line, for instance, the woman’s bust line is often fabulous, so we’ll accentuate that for her. And then give her the freedom over her midriff, which may make her feel like she’s heavier; and then put a slimmer pant on her.”
“For bustier women, a deeper neckline is really flattering, but she has to be comfortable. A nice throw or jacket and she’s good to go.”
“Fit is our focus, absolutely. We can accommodate any body and any age.”
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