Simon Chang

Simon Chang is a designer of affordable women’s fashion. Designed for everyday life, his collections are known for their bright colours and bold prints. In addition to designing clothing, Simon Chang lends his name to various lines of licensed products, notably cosmetics, underwear, handbags, eyewear, denim, gloves, scarves, linens and even a collection of paint colours for the Home Hardware chain.

His company’s commercial success and philanthropic activities earned him the Order of Canada in 2008.

Born in China, Simon Chang moved to Vancouver with his family at the age of nine. After earning a degree in in photography and graphic design from the Vancouver School of Art, now known as the Emily Carr University of Art + Design, he moved to Montreal in the early 1970s to work as a fashion coordinator for the Hudson’s Bay Company. In 1976, he left his job at the department store to launch his first clothing collection under the Clothes To You label. Simon Chang then brought out numerous collections of ready-to-wear, under labels like Simon Shirts and Simon Chang for Brodkin. In the late 1970s, he worked as the designer for Montreal manufacturer Tyfoon International.

In 1983, Simon Chang founded his own company, Simon Chang Concepts, located at 555 Chabanel Street in Montreal.

For several years, he devoted himself to designing two collections of seasonal ready-to-wear, before significantly expanding his market by licensing his designs.

Simon Chang has often been asked to collaborate with other companies. In 2004, he began creating the uniforms for Air Transat flight personnel. In October 2018, he launched his first collection of women’s clothing for discount retailer Giant Tiger.

As of 2019, the company’s head office, which employs a staff of around a dozen people, was still on Chabanel Street. However, Simon Chang spends a large part of the year in China supervising the production of his various collections. His clothing is sold in over 300 stores in Canada, the United States and the Middle East. In the early 2010s, the company operated six flagship stores in Canada, but Simon Chang quickly decided to focus on his wholesale business.