Plus-size women have spent too many years being reduced to only their size. The desire to show plus-size women as multi-faceted individuals became the catalyst to the reshaping of Penningtons, the leading Canadian plus-size fashion retailer.

Born from the belief that women are more than just their size, the brand identity celebrates women who are able to proudly share who they are rather than being defined by the size they wear. Which is why the strategy was centered around the persona of “The Freed Spirit”. A woman who has spent too many years being reduced to only her size, but now is freed from expectations, pressures, and compromises. She’s able to finally step out of the mold and fully be herself.

The new identity is vibrant, confident, and fun. It prioritizes self-expression and the freedom to be unabashedly loud.

The system consists of “design accessories”, which allows the brand to be able to flex easily in an industry that is constantly changing with the seasons and passing trends. Bespoke illustrations were digitally painted with fluid textures to support the brand belief of giving plus-size women the freedom to choose what they wear and how they are perceived.

While in the midst of finalizing the brand identity system, the client was so excited about the new brand direction that we did a pre-launch by creating a holiday campaign. Written for both English and French-speaking Canadian audiences, the campaign focused on unapologetically celebrating multifaceted women during the holiday season. The campaign was launched across broadcast, social, radio and in 100+ stores.