Shauna Daniels went out “hunting for stripes,” on a busy Toronto workday. She refers to shopping for the iconic, and increasingly rare, coloured stripes that define Canada’s oldest company, Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC). For many Canadians around the nation, these Hudson’s Bay Stripes have evolved into a potent emblem of national pride, legacy, and nostalgia rather than just a product.
Demand for the goods with recognizable stripes—handcrafted wool blankets and patio umbrellas, among others—has surged dramatically. Sales of these classic items surged after HBC declared it would be closing all of its department shops throughout the country. Originally costing about C$300, the wool blankets are now marketed for more than C$1,000 online, especially on eBay. For many Canadians, this increase in demand has not only turned the stripes into a sign of nostalgia but also a source of national identity, so including them into their collective memory and pride.
Why Are Canadians So Attached to the HBC Stripes?
Reflecting on her early memories of skating in downtown Toronto with her parents beside the Hudson’s Bay department store window displays, Shauna Daniels clarified the emotional link to these Hudson’s Bay Stripes. For many, these stripes are more than just a design; they are a deeply ingrained link to Canadian history and a way of life lost in its original form.
Along with a larger trend to “buy Canadian” in reaction to U.S. tariffs and a rising surge of national pride, Hudson’s Bay products are attracting more attention once again Hudson’s Bay Stripes was able to overcome some of its financial difficulties as demand for the product kept rising: debt was paid off, six of its stores were kept open instead being closed. Still, several businesses—including numerous Saks Fifth Avenue and Saks Off 5th stores in Canada as well as 80 Hudson’s Bay sites—have already gone under liquidation.
Many Canadians find great emotional meaning in the Hudson’s Bay Stripes. Whether via the colonial era or the tales of families passing on the company’s goods over generations, these renowned blankets not only reflect Canada’s past but also act as a visual link to it. This link speaks strongly to people throughout the country.
What caused the Hudson's Bay Company to fall from grace?
For one of Canada’s most recognizable brands, the announcement of these retail closings represents a sad chapter. Established in 1670, Hudson’s Bay Company is the oldest business in North America. It was given a royal charter to regulate trade in areas now part of Canada. Originally trading woolen “point” blankets with Indigenous people, the company was made abroad in Witney, Oxfordshire. These blankets frequently displayed vivid hues, including indigo, crimson, canary yellow, and emerald green. Particularly during Queen Anne’s rule from 1702–1714, these colors became ingrained in the Canadian character, and the stripes quickly came to represent the firm itself.
Still, the history of HBC is not without darker notes. Critics of the company’s involvement in the colonial and imperial centuries have questioned its fit in contemporary Canadian society. Critics contend that by its involvement in the fur trade and colonial development, Hudson’s Bay contributed to the exploitation of Indigenous people. Notwithstanding this complex past, the Hudson’s Bay Stripes’ legacy keeps transcending these issues and becomes a symbol of the early years of the Canadian country as well as of the business.
HBC had to turn away from the once-bustling fur trade as Canada grew from a British colony into a fully sovereign country. Opening its first retail store in Winnipeg in 1881, the company began its journey from a trading enterprise to a consumer-oriented company. The firm started mass retail manufacturing of its well-known blankets by 1929. From home décor to apparel, the famous Hudson’s Bay Stripes began to show up in a great range of products over time, effectively cementing the brand in practically every Canadian house.
How Has Hudson's Bargain Changed Over Time?
Working with HBC blankets, Toronto-based interior designer Kate Thornley-Hall says the stripes serve as a constant reminder of the company’s significance in Canadian history. “It’s a constant reminder of the critical part the Hudson’s Bay helped our nation grow,” she said. She has shown the timeless appeal of these famous blankets by turning them into other items such as ottomans and pillow cushions.
Hudson’s Bay department shops were important architectural sites in addition to places to shop at their height of success. Both residents and visitors find them appealing because of their well crafted stone frontages. The stores let one discover quality items and learn about Canadian retail history. HBC became pillar of Canadian shopping culture as it grew in scope. However, the company’s dominance in the market eroded as the retail environment started to change.
What caused consumer behavior to change and retail challenges to arise?
In the twenty-first century, the retail scene started to change drastically. Hudson’s Bay was bought in 2008 by the American-based private equity company NRDC. This purchase signalled the start of the company’s change from a proudly Canadian institution to one more shaped by American interests. The business quickly found it difficult to adjust to a world in which online shopping was surpassing conventional brick-and-mortar retail establishments.
Bruce Winder, a retail researcher, noted that the epidemic sped up consumer behavior shifts even further. More and more Canadians went to internet buying, favoring Dollarama, Amazon, and Walmart for savings. Those looking for luxury items sometimes avoided department shops entirely, choosing instead boutique shopping or direct brand purchase from websites.
Hudson’s Bay struggled to remain relevant in a fast changing industry as NRDC turned its attention to purchasing other luxury retail businesses including Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. The business struggled to pay rent and suppliers as its debt grew unmanageable. Under the Trump administration, the U.S.’s proposed tariffs just imposed more financial strain, which made creditors more concerned about the company’s financial situation.
Is the Hudson's Bay brand survivable?
Notwithstanding the difficulties, some customers think that the comeback in demand for Hudson’s Bay Stripes and other classic products would give the business another opportunity. Designer Kate Thornley-Hall, for example, said she hoped people would go back to shopping for luxury and quality goods instead of giving in to the temptation of rapid fashion and internet buying. She thinks that reviving the brand might depend mostly on the Hudson’s Bay Stripes’ continuing attraction.
Although experts remain dubious about the comeback of conventional department shops, Hudson’s Bay has hope for a future. Licensing the company’s famous stripes to other stores or building smaller HBC-branded boutiques could be two possible plans. “Based on their heritage, I believe it indicates the brand has some affinity in Canada, albeit most likely with specific products,” said Winder.
Hudson’s Bay Stripes is still a constant emblem of Canada’s past and identity, but its future is yet unknown. Nevertheless, whatever route the company finally takes, the memory of these famous stripes will probably enthrall Canadians for decades to come.
