‘Tis the season to be incredibly grateful for all the amazing women's fashion and beauty brands that have come before me and continue to inspire me every day!! Today, I’m sharing 10 female-owned fashion and beauty brands to watch (and I’m confident you’ll love each and everyone as much as I do!).
1) Betty x Bow
I can’t help but include my own fashion brand in this list because honestly, it’s been such an incredible year over here at Betty x Bow (we turn two later this month!). If you are new to my corner of the internet, I’m Allison. My mission behind Betty x Bow has always been to provide effortless, versatile and feminine style into every woman’s capsule wardrobe. I’m committed to creating high-quality, slow-fashion pieces that you’ll love and reach for every day. If that’s what you need, you can shop my entire collection here. Regardless of where you are at in your sustainable fashion journey, I am so grateful our paths have crossed today!
2) Sheertex
Sheertex = the world’s toughest tights. Enough said. When Katherine Homuth started Sheertex, she said “everyone said unbreakable tights would be impossible, but we knew we could make our own luck”. We have ALL been victims to tights that snag while you are out, and Katherine saw a need and created a product that would solve a problem that truly, almost all of us have faced at one point. Manufactured in the largest hosiery factory in Montreal, Canada, once you shop at Sheertex, you’ll throw away your disposable tights for good.
3) Oak + Fort
The very first OAK Studio opened their doors in Vancouver and they have been valuing cost-conscious looks ever since. Their goal has always been to embody a one-stop shopping experience with an approachable price, and they accomplish this through designs that explore a variety of forms and textures. They are also a member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (we love a company that makes us feel good!).
4) Smythe
Founded by two best friends, Smythe opened in 2004 with only one thing on their mind: creating the perfect women’s blazer. They have come a long way since their inception but that’s still what you can find from them today. At Betty x Bow, we recently went back to the basics with our new Classics collection and I have to say, when you focus on one thing and do it well, magic happens.
5) Sentaler
It’s getting cold outside (again!), so naturally we wanted to include our favorite female owned outerwear company - Sentaler! Based in Toronto, Sentaler opened their doors in 2009 and have been a favorite among Canadians ever since. Like most of the fashion brands we love, they use ethically sourced, sustainable, cruelty-free fabrics for all their collections so when we shop here, we feel good.
6) Favorite Daughter
Most of the brands on this list are Canadian (I have such a love for my Canadian brands) but Favorite Daughter just had to be on the list. Owned by two sisters (Erin & Sara), the two of them made a list of everything they wished they had in their closet and then instead of buying them, made them. Their attention to detail is phenomenal and you really feel like each piece is something you would steal from your sister’s closet.
7) Pearl Beauty
Pearl Beauty grew from a love of everyday makeup and choosing to minimize your product choice for everyday makeup, instead of just adding more beauty products to a saturated industry. Inspired by the confidence and positivity just a little makeup can bring, Elanna launched the “Core Four” multipurpose lip and face sticks in four go-to shades. As they say, they are versatile, buildable, and perfect to pop into your purse!
8) Knix
Don’t we all just want to live unapologetically free? I absolutely love Knix and their founder Joanna Griffiths. Inspired to create underwear with more function (enter: Leakproof Underwear), Knix continues to be a trailblazer in the Intimates space. Plus - we love how inclusive their brand is and seeing the range of models they use to showcase their products! We love women who lift up all other women.
9) So Pretty Cara Cotter
We featured So Pretty Cara Cotter in our Christmas 2022 Gift Guide for Women, because we not only adore their jewelry but their owner Cara is such an inspiration! She creates her jewelry pieces to be timeless and unique, and she designs her pieces so that you can layer effortlessly and wear your favourite pieces day or night. That is EXACTLY what I think about when designing pieces for Betty x Bow. I purposely choose more muted colours and high quality fabrics so that they will become your favourite pieces, and so you can mix and match with ease!
10) Anupaya
For cozy essentials, Anupaya is the first place I go. Valuing supply chain responsibility, ethical sourcing, and sustainable manufacturing methods, their owners Shan + Pete are such an inspiration to me. Anypaya is my absolute favorite place to shop for everyday homewares as I try to romanticize my life on the daily!
Shopping Female Owned Brands
Who did I miss?! I’m always on the hunt for female founder inspiration so if there is a brand that should be included here, DM me on Instagram and let me know! To learn more about Betty x Bow (including a shoutout to the two women who inspired our name!), make sure to learn more about our story here.
