Blending heritage with modern touches, Northern Reflections is a multi-generational brand 

Northern Reflections is a proud Canadian brand,” Maryann Darling, President, confidently opens. “Having opened our first store in Guelph in 1985, the business has grown into an iconic brand with deep and long-lasting connections with our customers. As we prepare to celebrate our 40th anniversary later this year, our vision as a women’s apparel retailer remains the same as always – to create comfortable, stylish, and high-quality clothing for women to feel great in. 

“This commitment to quality and sustainable clothing, along with our promise of friendly, multi-generational customer experiences, remains at the heart of everything we do. Today, we’ve established a strong online presence and we’ve grown to operate more than 100 stores across Canada. We have a loyal customer base who’ve evolved with us over the last 40 years, and personally, I’m extremely proud to lead the organization through its next era.” 

As Maryann introduces, Northern Reflections is an iconic lifestyle and apparel brand dedicated to making women look and feel confident, beautiful, and incredible. Alongside its exclusive prints, rich color palettes, and comfort-first designs, the company emphasizes creating quality and long-lasting products that remain in wardrobes for decades.  

“Ninety percent of our products are our own private brand and are developed internally by our fantastic design and product development teams,” Maryann explains. “Creating products in-house allows us to retain control over quality and stay true to the regular styles our customers know and love us for. At the same time, we infuse modern trends and styles to keep our collections fresh and relevant, and we supplement our product assortment with a range of selected brands, including Jockey for women’s undergarments.” 

Design philosophy 

Northern Reflections’ approach to design seamlessly blends traditional design and Canadian heritage with modern trends. The brand aims to attract multiple audiences and provide a multi-generational in-store experience where daughters, mothers, and grandmothers can shop together.  

“Innovation and product development are key to our success, and we usually start working on a collection one year before it’s due to hit the shelves,” Maryann shares. “Our approach is mainly customer driven, using feedback and shopping patterns to refine our assortment. From a design perspective, we collaborate with an international print studio to purchase original patterns and prints, which set the mood for our future collections. 

“Our design philosophy is deeply rooted in Canadian living. We have four distinct seasons and extreme, diverse weather patterns from the West Coast through to the East Coast. There can be rainy, brisk winter days, but our ever-changing temperatures could bring summer weather almost overnight. We focus on creating pieces that can easily and effortlessly layer during transitional seasons, such as lightweight knitwear, cozy textures, and breathable fabrics. 

“From inception, we’ve emphasized the importance of quality and longevity,” she states. “We’re not a fast fashion brand and we want our products to last; we love hearing stories from women who purchased clothing items years ago but continue to wear them with pride. We’ve been partnered with our sourcing office in Taiwan for over 40 years, and we collaborate to ensure our sources for materials and products meet our expectations in terms of safety, quality, and sustainability.” 

Special collection 

On a more personal note, Maryann is the ideal President for Northern Reflections, having worked from the ground up after starting her career as a part-time cashier in a women’s retail store. “My experience in the industry means I have a strong understanding of all operational aspects with specific strengths in planning and buying,” Maryann says. “I’ve had the privilege of working with various Canadian companies, which has rounded me into a strong leader and allowed me to step into my role at Northern Reflections.” 

As 2025 marks Northern Reflections’ 40th anniversary later in 2025, we ask Maryann how the company plans to celebrate such a significant milestone. “Forty years is certainly a proud moment, and we will, of course, mark it with some key events,” she reveals. “We’re hosting a huge party in our first store in Guelph for our customers and employees, but we’re also introducing a very special collection inspired by our heritage. There are several surprises happening across the country too, so keep an eye out for those.” 

Brand connections

2025 has already seen significant change for Northern Reflections, as the business was acquired by Putman Investments (Putman) in January. “As a Canadian investor, Putman has allowed us to stay true to our roots while also strengthening our commitment to quality,” Maryann reflects. “The acquisition has also opened new doors for brand awareness in new audiences as Northern Reflections can collaborate with Putman’s other brands.  

“We already have two collaborative collections underway for this year. Firstly, we’re creating a special, brand-new baby collection for Babies R Us, part of the Toys R Us group. The collection, named NR Littles, introduces the trusted quality and craftsmanship of our women’s apparel to the children’s apparel market. We’re also creating a unisex collection, NR Unisex, for Sunrise Records. This includes casual and comfortable clothing like sweatpants, sweatshirts, and hoodies, infusing our original concept of comfort to create a collection within a new market for us.” 

Turning to the future, we ask Maryann where she envisions the brand in five years’ time. “I’d like to see Northern Reflections maintain a strong financial foundation that will allow us to evolve for the future without losing sight of our heritage and loyal customer base,” she explains. “We have an opportunity to become a truly multi-generational brand, growing with existing customers but also introducing new ones. In terms of Putman Investments, I’d like Northern Reflections to become the apparel hub for the group, building strong relationships with our sister banners and staying true to our quality principles. 

“We’ll continue to refine our product range and enhance the in-store experience to ensure our customers feel connected to the brand,” Maryann concludes. “We remain committed to delivering the exceptional products we’re known for, balancing tradition with growth to ensure we can continue to celebrate milestones like our 40th anniversary this year. Northern Reflections is a unique spirit of Canada, and we invite everyone to be part of our journey.”  

www.northernreflections.com