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Reitmans becomes Reitwoman in honor of International Women's Day

V.RET | March 5, 2020

For the first time in its 94-year history, Reitmans makes a temporary change to its brand name across all digital platforms and on the storefront logo of two key brick and mortar locations. The brand is grasping this moment as an occasion to highlight and put women front and center.

MONTREAL, March 5, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - Reitmans has long been a brand with a strong focus on Canadian women. This has taken on even more importance in recent years with its Really You brand platform, which casts a positive and empowering light on the beauty found in the uniqueness and realness of all types of women. In keeping with this vision, Reitmans is highlighting this International Women's Day with a message of progress. Going beyond the name concept itself, this initiative aims to support a movement at large: making space for women.

The brand wishes to be on the right side of the momentum that women are experiencing in this era, and use the reach Reitmans has to help make women's voices heard. Concretely, as the name Reitmans, which the brand has held since its founding in 1926, contains the word "man", a clear opportunity was identified to replace it with the word "woman", giving the temporary name Reitwoman.

The name change will appear for a few days leading up to International Women's Day on March 8, 2020 on Reitmans' website, social media platforms and email newsletters. The storefront logo itself will also be changed in two high-volume, recently renovated stores, the Carrefour Laval and Bayshore Shopping Center locations.

Reitmans welcomes one third of Canadian women in its stores and on its website every year. Ensuring that women from all walks of life, backgrounds and body types feel seen, heard and catered to is a constant priority for the brand.

"This was above all another step in showing our customer that she is what inspires us. Women are the most important part of our brand and we want to empower them, to give them confidence. We think it is important to take any opportunity to shine a light on this. It is also a way to unite our amazing community of women and show the strength that comes from gathering together and standing up together," said Vice-President of Marketing and Visual Presentation Valérie Vedrines.

Celebrating women is something that has always been present within the Reitmans brand. From offering the greatest size diversity on the Canadian retail market to the various social and philanthropic efforts that Reitmans has undertaken, women's empowerment is a cornerstone of the brand's values.

Launched in May of last year, the Beyond Looks x Reitmans project is an online hub that gathers and shines a light on the causes and organizations supported by the brand, that share similar goals and values such as diversity, inclusion and the empowerment and education of women and girls. Since the launch of this project, Reitmans has collaborated with The Canadian Women's Foundation and Plan International Canada for their Girls Belong Here seat share program, amassing over $100,000 to date from these endeavors.

Reitmans has also taken a stand, through these initiatives and others, against unrealistic beauty standards. The brand signed a non-retouch agreement for its marketing campaigns, attesting that no modifications will be made to the models' body shapes. In addition, their #ReallyMeUnfiltered social media movement encourages their followers to publish photos of themselves without filters or retouching and speak about owning their uniqueness.

About Reitmans

Founded in 1926 by Herman and Sarah Reitman, Reitmans has grown to become one of Canada's most loved women's apparel and accessories brand, with a strong online presence and 260 stores across the country. Reitmans' collections offer everything from timeless styles to lively must-haves in Canada's greatest style diversity with sizes ranging from 0-22 (XXS-3XL) in Tall, Regular and Petite. Reitmans' in-house design team strives to create clothes that fit into their customers' lifestyles and encourage them to feel their most confident while staying true to and celebrating their own unique style. For further information, please visit our website: www.reitmans.com.