Angelina Claes, the owner of everyBody's, a store on Gerrish Street that provides clothing options to women sizes 12 to 24, is now offering affordable stylish fashion to men.
“What this shop represents to me is inclusivity,” said Claes, standing beside items from the Large Lad Clothing line.
Claes said she's excited to offer more clothing options, and says the owner of Large Lad Clothing, James Weir, reached out to her after a story on her new business was published.
“He has beautiful clothes. It's so well designed,” said Claes. “The fact that he is a Nova Scotia label is the big appeal here.”
EveryBody's is the first store in the Atlantic Provinces to carry Weir's clothing line as Large Lad Clothing is more of an online entity.
“With my label, we really push a body positive image – dress well, feel great. I just wanted to collaborate with Angelina on this,” said Weir.
Large Lad Clothing caters to men wearing XL to 6XL, and provides custom orders for those requiring sizes 7XL or 8XL. The product line features everyday casual wear, to outdoor wear, active wear and accessories.
Weir, who launched his online clothing company in 2015, has a client base that spans across Canada and the United States.
“I wanted to have my product in a local store,” said Weir. “I liked the boutique. I liked the independence of her, plus her being an entrepreneur.”
Weir said he's excited to offer big and tall men even more access to affordable, comfortable clothes that will fit.
Claes currently carries Large Lad Clothing hoodies, dress shirts, polo shirts and some casual wear plus underwear for men. She hopes to introduce pants into the line-up, as well as seasonal products like jackets.
“This is quality wear. I'm so excited to have it here. Hopefully it will continue to grow,” said Claes.
It's a sentiment Weir shared.
“I'm just really pleased that she started this up, went out on her own and is an independent boutique. She's challenging mainstream clothing stores. It's incredible,” said Weir.
Something for everyone
Claes' store may be small in size but it is filled with items for all ages and styles.
“It shouldn't be so hard to find something that fits you. It shouldn't be such a struggle. You should be able to feel good with what you're wearing. That's what I'm all about,” said Claes.
And it's not only clothing that everyBody's features — the store now carries designer jewelry, decorative pillows and artwork by local artists.
“Through these past three months, I feel like it's been a test and I feel so grateful for the people that I have met,” said Claes, noting people have been coming from the Valley, city and even Peggy's Cove to check out what she has to offer.
She hopes that once the 'Big Dig' construction project on Gerrish Street wraps up and the roadway reopens to traffic, business will steadily pick up.
Go Online
To learn more about everyBody's, visit the Facebook page Everybody's Inclusive Fashion.
To learn more about Large Lad Clothing, visit https://largeladclothing.com.
