From the beginning, the T. LINE brand has been rooted in thoughtful, intentional design—”and as we’ve grown, we’ve refined how we bring that to life,” says founders Britt Barkwell and Alia Bissett.
“In 2026, we’re moving beyond traditional seasonal deliveries in favor of a more fluid rhythm: limited-edition drops released alongside our core shirting. It allows us to introduce considered newness throughout the year while continuing to build on the silhouettes women return to season after season,” say the two business owners in a letter to customers.
Its first two editions set the tone for the year ahead. In January they introduced The Shirting Wardrobe, a refined edit of its foundational silhouettes, alongside a new “find your shirt” tool designed to make discovering the right fit and style effortless. In February they launched The New Blue, a transition-ready palette that also marks the debut of chambray at T. LINE, offered in three classic shades—indigo, navy, and blue.
“For spring, we turn toward colour—introducing a bold colour-blocked capsule that plays with contrast, saturation, and unexpected combinations, bringing a fresh energy to our core silhouettes. As we move into summer, La Dolce Vita follows, defined by bold stripes in primary hues—an expressive, sun-soaked take on warm-weather shirting,” they say.
“As we enter our fourth year, we’re excited to continue expanding our retail presence through strategic partnerships. This spring, we build on our U.S. presence with ongoing collaborations with Kirna Zabête in New York and Palm Beach, and Teller in Los Angeles and Montecito.
“Alongside these releases, we are introducing T. CLUB—a new editorial series rooted in conversation and community. The series begins with an editorial moment, showcasing a curated group of women in our shirts—an iconic celebration of shirting and the way it’s worn in real life. This is followed by T. CLUB In Conversation, an in-store series where we sit down with these women to explore their perspectives, practices, and what informs the way they live and work.”
Founded in 2022, T. LINE is a contemporary womenswear brand built on the iconic staying power of shirt dressing. Purveying always-classic closet essentials that complement their core shirting, T. LINE believes in crafting thoughtfully edited collections that transcend trends and outlast a single season.
T. LINE founders Barkwell, a creative and marketing lead who launched editorial platforms at notable brands like Club Monaco and Canadian retailer Holt Renfrew, and Bissett, the former Director of Strategy at Holt Renfrew, each bring over a decade of fashion acumen. After seeing a gap in the market for shirting-first brands that were both classically cool and accessible, the pair were keen on carving out their own viewpoint.
“There are always interesting things happening in the retail industry. From more of a global perspective, there are a lot of great new brands coming into the market, “ said Bissett in an interview.
“I think generally a lot of these brands are doing a great job being fantastic direct-to-consumer businesses, similar to us, where we’re really focused on what we’re doing from a direct-to-consumer business perspective, and then also being super selective and strategic about who they’re partnering with from a retail perspective.
“I mean, obviously, particularly in the U.S., we’re seeing some sad stories in a way, with Saks filing for bankruptcy . . . It’s a tough time for a lot of wholesale accounts, and that business is changing. But I think what’s really cool is we’re seeing so many new brands still launching in spite of that and just shifting models. I think the reliance on wholesale is maybe not as deep as it was at one time, at least for those big retailers.
“I think what’s also really cool is that boutiques have really risen. There are so many— even in Toronto—so many wonderful boutiques with amazing buyers who know their customers intimately. I think that is where brands are partnering now. It’s really cool how a lot of brands are now really owning their story, owning the relationships with their customers, and then being super strategic about where they’re locating and who they’re partnering with, and continuing to grow. So I think everyone’s being smart. I think everyone’s doing the best they can in the environment, and obviously there’s still a ton of opportunity given the number of entrants coming into the market. I think it’s still a really inspiring place to be.”
“With the volatility that we see in the market and in the economy in general, that’s something we’ve definitely focused on—what can we actually control in our business? I think placing emphasis on our direct-to-consumer business, where we really own that customer relationship—we can control our margins. We just have more control over our business. I think that’s somewhere we are definitely placing more emphasis,” added Barkwell.
Barkwell said the brand has shifted its model from being primarily focused on huge seasonal collections to more of a drop model, where it focuses on tightly edited assortments.
Bissett said the brand had a few insights.
“Because we have so much great information from our direct-to-consumer business, we’re really able to adjust and pivot our business based on what our customers are telling us, both through the data and through anecdotal feedback we get from the women,” she said.
“We’re really finding that, for us, it’s best to be nimble and able to give these women what they need when they need it, which has directed us into more of a monthly drop cadence, as opposed to dropping a big collection and then waiting and dropping another big collection.
“Our customers are very much “buy now, want to wear immediately.” Because we’re able to produce in Canada—we’re producing in the GTA—it’s nice that we can be nimble. We can design, produce, and get stuff out relatively quickly.
“So we thought, why not take advantage of that opportunity, as opposed to planning at least a year out for the next collection? It’s fun for us, and it’s more newness. People see things online and want them immediately.
“For us, it’s an opportunity to have more newness more often. Whereas if we were dropping a single collection that had to live throughout the whole season, people tend to get a bit bored, and it’s not as exciting.”
Barkwell said the brand still has its store in Rosedale, Toronto which is doing really well and it’s looking at strategic partnerships with various retailers in the U.S.
“It’s really about looking at who those strategic partners are that we can work with. It’s more of a branding exercise, because they share the same customer and are in markets we’re interested in. It’s about being more strategic about the wholesale accounts we’re pursuing,” she explained.
Barkwell said the two have thought about another physical location for the brand.
“That’s something we’re always looking at—spaces and opportunities. Eventually, that’s something we absolutely would like to do,” she said.
“Having our own store and space is something we can really control, and it’s a real reflection of our brand. It’s been such an incredible way to connect with our customers, get feedback, and evolve the space on our own terms.
“We originally launched something called T. CLUB which is an editorial series where we feature women wearing our shirts—women we admire who are doing interesting things in their careers and elsewhere. We’re evolving that into an in-store series called T. CLUB in Conversation. That will be a nice extension where we can bring women into the store.”
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