Moose Knuckles’ Toronto Eaton Centre store was recently upgraded to the brand’s latest digital-focused store concept.
Courtesy of Moose Knuckles
Since its founding in 2009, Moose Knuckles has carved out a unique space in the outerwear landscape, equal parts performance and fashion-driven. Born in Montreal, the brand’s DNA blends Canadian craftsmanship with a streetwear edge, offering protection against harsh climates without sacrificing style. It’s a positioning that has resonated with a younger, fashion-forward consumer looking for something more expressive than heritage labels like Canada Goose or luxury labels like Moncler.
This past spring, the brand appointed Ellen Kinney as its new CEO, who previously led A.L.C., a women’s apparel brand based in Los Angeles. The change follows some adaptations in ownership. In 2019, Cathay Capital acquired a majority stake in Moose Knuckles, helping fuel its international growth. The following year, the brand gained another strategic partner when Bosideng, China’s leading down outerwear company, took a minority investment.
The company has been steadily opening stores across North America, Europe, and Asia, while simultaneously evolving its product assortment beyond heavy outerwear, including styles considered level 4 warmth, “Canada Cold”- like Aurora, 3Q, and Debbie. “Our hero [heavyweight] product still drives a majority of the business today,” Kinney said. “But diversification is going to take us to scale.”
The brand’s goal is to evolve with how consumers live now. Even in cold-weather markets, shoppers are seeking lighter, more versatile pieces with advanced fits and fills. The company has also seen strong growth in warm-weather regions, reflecting a shift toward year-round functionality. “Even within cold-weather products, people don’t want heavy,” she said. “They want better fits, lighter fills, better technology.”
Moose Knuckles’ new concept features a digital ceiling display that mimics the weather outside.
Courtesy of Moose Knuckles
Moose Knuckles’ Immersive Store Experiences
Earlier this month, Moose Knuckles opened its latest U.S. pop-up store at King of Prussia Mall, joining the brand’s three existing full-price locations in New York and Michigan, along with two outlets in New York and Chicago. The new space emphasizes digital design elements and interactive storytelling, a model that will serve as a blueprint for future flagship locations. The company also recently renovated its Toronto Eaton Centre and Ottawa CF Rideau Centre stores to reflect its latest digital-focused concept.
Moose Knuckles’ shift from wholesale to direct retail was about deepening brand expression. “There’s nothing like a brand immersive experience by being in an environment in real life,” she said. “We were natively wholesale, so to create the world of the brand in our own environment is very important as we begin to expand.”
Each store represents its local market while maintaining a consistent brand identity. In Montreal, the flagship celebrates the city’s creative culture with architectural detailing and collaborations with local artists. All new store designs will be focused on digital, with some unique features like a ceiling display that exemplifies the weather outside.
“Physical retail gives Moose Knuckles a stage to fully express its brand in a way that digital alone can’t replicate. These spaces serve as living brand environments where customers can engage with the product, understand the craftsmanship, and experience the personality behind it,” shared Amanda Calouro, founder of Catalyst Collaborative, a strategic growth and development retail consulting firm, adding, “What stands out to me is the intentionality. Moose Knuckles isn’t chasing door count. They are creating meaningful high-impact spaces that reflect its evolution.”
Some furniture in Moose Knuckles stores is made from recycled coats.
Courtesy of Moose Knuckles
Moose Knuckles also opened a pop-up in Amsterdam this month, marking the company’s first full-priced store in Europe. The brand’s use of pop-ups to test markets is relatively common in the retail world, with competitor Canada Goose taking a similar approach as it has grown. The flexible model, Kinney said, allows the team to learn before committing to long-term leases, while ensuring each store opening feels rooted in the local community.
Moose Knuckles’ Growth
As Moose Knuckles scales, the company’s focus is on broadening its product mix and refining its global retail footprint. While the brand remains anchored in outerwear, lighter-weight options, transitional layers, and ready-to-wear are becoming core drivers of growth. “We’re always going to be an outerwear-first brand,” Kinney said. “But even with outerwear, there’s a need for global versatility.”
With offices around the world, the company is tailoring its assortment to different climates and consumer habits. In China, for instance, there’s demand for ultra-lightweight pieces and UV-protective materials, while in North America and Europe, the brand is expanding its year-round layering options. The goal is to bring customers into the brand more frequently, not just during the winter months.
For VP of Global Marketing Ian Bertrand, that shift also represents an opportunity to strengthen brand storytelling and connect with consumers year-round. “It brings people back to the brand,” Bertrand said. “Maybe before they only thought of Moose Knuckles once a year when they needed a jacket, now they can explore and find new things all year round.”
That evolution also extends to the brand’s omnichannel strategy. Moose Knuckles continues to balance its direct-to-consumer, wholesale, and e-commerce channels, maintaining a roughly even split across the three. Wholesale partners like Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Nordstrom remain critical to awareness and reach, but Kinney said the company’s own stores help drive overall visibility. With approximately 75% of the brand’s business coming from direct-to-consumer (including ecommerce and retail), the role stores play is significant. “We’ve seen that each new store opening drives a significant double-digit lift in e-commerce sales within the same region, underscoring the strength of our omni-channel strategy and the resonance of the brand with consumers,” shared Kinney.
Moose Knuckles Toronto Eaton Centre store reopened back in September with the upgraded design.
Courtesy of Moose Knuckles
Moose Knuckles’ expansion parallels a broader movement among luxury outerwear brands. Canada Goose, also Canadian, has accelerated its retail rollout across the U.S. and globally, while Moncler continues to double down on experiential flagships in major cities worldwide. Meanwhile, Mackage, another Montreal-based competitor, has been expanding its North American presence with a similar focus on lifestyle branding. Moose Knuckles distinguishes itself by leaning into performance, fashion, and a younger aesthetic, creating a niche between high luxury and streetwear.
Looking ahead, Moose Knuckles plans to accelerate store openings in North America and Europe, while also strengthening its presence in Asia. Pop-ups and flagship locations will anchor key markets, complemented by ongoing investments in digital channels and localized marketing.
Despite its rapid growth, Kinney said the brand’s creative roots and its bold, irreverent personality remain the focus. “We were rooted with two powerful founders who created a new path within this category,” she said. “We have a consumer who is willing to invest in a product where they trust the brand and see the product integrity.” That combination of authenticity, design innovation, and strategic expansion, she added, is what will continue to set Moose Knuckles apart.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brinsnelling/2025/10/30/canadian-brand-moose-knuckles-expands-its-global-retail-presence/
