Why this unisex, Canadian label should be on your radar

When designer Andrew Coimbra got word that his label had been nominated for the 2017 TFI New Labels prize, he was a bit unsure. "I think I was skeptical because I was worried that although this past intake was open to 'gender neutral' collections – in addition to the standard womenswear labels – the impression of my label as menswear would interfere with the potential of the label being accepted," he told us via email. "I was pleasantly surprised, to say the least!"

Coimbra didn't win this year's TFI New Labels Awards. That went to Michael Zoffanieri, whose collection was filled with bold, printed satin and sheer lace gowns – basically the antithesis of Coimbra's sleek and chic updated minimalism. But the experience of working with TFI was enriching, nonetheless. "It was great. Being able to get direct feedback from industry leaders, like Suzanne Timmins (Senior VP and Fashion Director at Hudson's Bay Company), is invaluable."

Coimbra studied Material Art & Design at the Ontario College of Art & Design University, before landing at The School of Fashion Studies at George Brown College. He has held internships and design gigs at Pink Tartan and Philip Sparks, as well as an eye-opening spot alongside the team at Proenza Schouler in New York.

"Interning at Proenza Schouler was incredible because I was able to apply and expand my knowledge of the Canadian fashion process," he says, "and compare it to something a little more on the international scope. Things I wouldn't immediately have had the access to in Canada, like luxury colour cards, a plethora of fabric cards from international mills, and bustling backstage while Anna Wintour previewed the looks with the team. The resources and opportunity for learning were just different by nature of circumstance, and that was really enriching."

Photography by Karl Simone, styling: Nadia Pizzimenti (Judy Inc.), grooming by Cody Moorefield, model: Model: Ryan Hassaine (DNA Model Management)

Each gig helped to shape Coimbra's label, which he believes is for someone who "appreciates not only fashion and style, but the quality and care that goes into the development of luxury goods. They know their own personal style like the back of their hand, but are not afraid of taking a risk."

The Toronto-native, who counts Christopher Kane and Demna Gvasalia as designers he's watching closely, also doesn't put labels on his line, which is perhaps most refreshing. Considering that we've seen unisex collections from mega brands like Guess?, Zara and the like, what we like most about Coimbra's clothing is how it naturally evolved into a brand for both sexes.

"I have been lucky enough to have had a balanced design career in that I have worked with labels that have been menswear-focused and womenswear-focused, so when venturing into establishing my own label, I really wanted to leave opportunity for the clothing to be applied in whatever way the customer wanted," he explained. "That's the luxury of clothing: although many styles can be gender-specific because of dart placements and the like, for the most part it's very flexible and accommodating."

Photography by Lily & Lilac (Judy Inc.), styling: Nadia Pizzimenti (Judy Inc.), grooming by Claudine Baltazar (Plutino Group), models: Anya (WANT Management) & Marcel (Elite Models)

For Fall 2017 (seen above), you'll find elevated basics in black, camel, grey and white, each with a twist (think oil slick patent, slouchy, cozy sleeves and more). "[This collection] explores the idea of an urban night owl; the city person inside all of us that wants to slink through the shadows, hop over gutters and bask in the glints of light peeking out through the darkness. *dreamy sparkle emoji*," Coimbra wrote. "The coats have a really cool, luxurious fuzzy texture that glints in an incredible way when the light hits it. And the black and white print was developed as a sort of camouflage that plays around with the idea of shadows being cast on snow."

Photography by Lily & Lilac (Judy Inc.), styling: Nadia Pizzimenti (Judy Inc.), grooming by Claudine Baltazar (Plutino Group), models: Anya (WANT Management) & Marcel (Elite Models)

For now, the label is available online through andrewcoimbra.com, which ships internationally, as well as a boutique in New York and one in Toronto (Saudade on Dundas Street West). But Coimbra is hoping in a few years to have more department stores on board – no easy feat, but with his attention to detail, luxe fabrications and instantly classic but edgy pieces, we can see it happening sooner rather than later.

"Online sales are really great for reaching a plethora of people at all points of the earth, but the downside is that people still impart a lot of their luxury spending to a tactile experience, and for good reason," he notes. "A lot of people are impressed with the collection in photos, but their enthusiasm is often doubled once they see the quality in person. That's not a new challenge for online shopping, but it certainly is a challenge nonetheless."