Calgary fashion designer Anneke Forbes has built her label around a simple idea: women deserve outerwear that fits well and feels personal. Most of her work is custom, shaped through a design consultation and a long list of measurements that turn into a pattern made for one body. Her collection is full of clean, polished coats and jackets, with a small ready-to-wear rack for customers who prefer something they can take home the same day.
“I ask about their lifestyle, their personal style, favourite colours, things like that, to really get to know them and understand who they are, so that then I can design something for them that’s going to serve and reflect who they are,” Anneke Forbes says.
Her new hooded duffle coat brings that approach into a more casual place. It’s the first coat she’s made with a hood, designed for the kind of days that move quickly. The billed hood, shoulder yoke, patch pockets and sleeve epaulettes give it a practical feel with a bit of charm. The thickness of the wool means each detail has to be built separately and hand-stitched so it sits cleanly.
Inside, the coat has a smooth, flannel-backed satin lining, plus a two-way zipper for easy movement. It can also be made in a wide range of colours, creating a piece that feels personal while balancing everyday function with the easy, polished style Forbes is known for.
“I definitely still wanted to make sure that the piece aligned with the collection in terms of how sleek it is and how polished it is, but had just a bit more of that practical element so that I’m not just serving women in their work day, I’m also able to help them on the weekend or, you know, in their mom life,” Forbes says.
