‘Winnipeg feels like a great place to go’

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This article was published 25/10/2023 (760 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Underwear is being unloaded — Knix has come to town and it’s days away from opening.

A sign advertises the women’s apparel and underwear brand on the ground floor of CF Polo Park mall, across the hall from competitor Victoria’s Secret.

“Winnipeg feels like a great place to go,” said Knix founder Joanna Griffiths.

She’ll be in the city Monday celebrating the company’s brick and mortar arrival. The shop, however, will open on Friday.

It’s one of six across Canada launching this fall.

Knix, known for its leak-proof underwear and sizing range, has been rapidly growing since the pandemic.

“We’ve had Winnipeg on our list for a couple of years now,” Griffiths, 39, said.

The city houses brand ambassadors — 50 in Manitoba, including 38 from Winnipeg — who preach the company’s platform of size inclusivity and diversity while promoting products online.

It’s time to bring more physical stores to Canadian customers, Griffiths said. The Toronto-based business is known for its online presence, where it’s seen exponential growth.

It began in 2013 with leakproof underwear. The garments sold in department stores and other retailers.

“The more that Knix as a brand leaned into messaging and our brand ethos around inclusivity and diversity, the bigger at odds the shopping experience was,” Griffiths relayed. “We couldn’t really demand that partners carry our size range.”

Plus sizes weren’t as commonly carried at the time, she noted. She quit selling to other retailers in 2016 after a crowdfunding campaign she’d launched raised more than $1 million.

“That really opened my eyes to the fact that… people were open to buying online,” Griffiths said. “We were probably better off being focused and doing a few things and doing them well.”

Sales skyrocketed as the company moved solely online. Still, some customers wanted “to touch and feel the product,” leading to brick-and-mortar plans, Griffiths said.

Vancouver became Knix’s first such market, hosting a pop-up location in 2019.

It ended once the pandemic hit. Knix reverted to solely online; sales grew further as people stayed home and searched for comfortable clothes.

Knix sells pyjamas, activewear and lingerie, among other items.

“I think we were in one of the more fortunate positions,” Griffiths said. “(We’ve) continued to keep that momentum post-COVID.”

In 2021, Knix reported net sales of $133.6 million CAD and 97 per cent sales growth.

Griffiths sold an 80 per cent stake in the company to Essity, a Swedish hygiene and health corporation, for $320 million USD last year.

She remains the president, holding 20 per cent of the company.

“We’re well on our way — I think Knix is going to be a legacy Canadian brand, much in the same way you see Aritzia or Lululemon,” she stated.

Its 2,592-sq.-ft. Winnipeg shop neighbours both Canadian chains.

Knix will start as a holiday pop-up, emphasizing the brand’s holiday collection, before temporarily closing after the season to switch to a “traditional” store in Winnipeg, Griffiths said.

Shayna Wiwierski has been a Knix ambassador for nearly two years. The brand’s models — in a variety of sizes, baring stretch marks and cellulite — sold her on the company.

“It wasn’t just young women, it wasn’t just the stereotypical beautiful woman, it wasn’t just skinny women,” Wiwierski, 35, said. “It was the first time I saw such a big brand… be more inclusive.”

Manny Martins-Karman also praised Knix’s size inclusivity.

“There were times when I couldn’t fit a body,” said Martins-Karman, who sized women for bras 20 years ago.

She recalled tearing up — alongside her clients — as they’d search for matches in store.

“In this day and age, there’s no reason why all bodies shouldn’t be included,” Martins-Karman added.

She became a Knix ambassador during the pandemic, focusing on women over age 50. There are thousands of ambassadors across North America, according to Griffiths.

“Today’s brand, it’s really more than a product that is functional,” said Fang Wan, a University of Manitoba marketing professor. “It’s (what) are you for?”

Knix has likely taken off because of its inclusive messaging and its product quality, Wan explained. It wasn’t hindered by brick-and-mortar operations during pandemic-era lockdowns and it reaches several audiences via Amazon.ca, its own website and shops, Wan added.

Winnipeg residents tend to seek price and quality, she noted. A pair of leakproof underwear costs upwards of $46; bras start at $44.

“I thought it was a good fit for Polo Park,” said Peter Havens, the mall’s general manager. “We’ve been following their rise.”

He visited Knix’s Toronto store earlier this year before CF Polo Park committed, he said, adding he was impressed by the store layout and customer service.

Knix is opening new locations in Edmonton, Toronto, Calgary, Ottawa and Vancouver. The spree began mid-October and should end mid-November, Griffiths said. It will bring Knix to a total 15 shops.

The company has 450 staff, up from roughly 60 pre-pandemic. The Winnipeg store will employ 10 to 20 people, Griffiths said.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com