Linda Lundström
Canadian fashion designer
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Linda Lundström (born 1951) is a Canadian fashion designer.
Life and career
Lundström was born in Red Lake, Ontario, and raised in the nearby hamlet of Cochenour. When she was a child, her mother bought her a sewing machine, and she learned to make clothes for herself and her friends.[1] She studied fashion at Sheridan College in Oakville before receiving a scholarship to travel to Europe to continue her studies.[2][3]
Upon her return, she started a fashion design business in Toronto in 1974.[4] Her fashion line was sold in three flagship boutiques in addition to retailers across North America, including Hudson's Bay Company and Nordstrom.[5][6] She is most well known for the LAPARKA, a winter coat. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including three honorary Ph.Ds.[2] She was named to the Order of Ontario in 1995, and received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.[2][7] She has been recognized for championing economic growth in First Nations communities and using sustainable manufacturing practices.[8][3]
The Great Recession forced her to file for protection from bankruptcyin January 2008.[4] After her business was acquired by private investment firm Elgner Group, she was able to start designing again but resigned after 17 months,[9] and in 2012, Lundström introduced a new fashion line called "L designed by Linda Lundström".[1]
In 2017, Lundström, along with her two daughters Mosha Lundström Halbert and Sophie Lundström Halbert, launched Therma Kōta, an outerwear brand.[10]