Bustle Clothing is a Canadian fashion label founded in 2002 by husband and wife team Shawn Hewson and Ruth Promislow. Their clothing represents a good mix of fun and funky, casual and sporty, a little bit preppy, and, for the women, a hint of sexy. They outfit men, women and, in recent years, children, and their collections have appeared on many a runway. Off the runway, Shawn and Ruth operate a custom uniform business working directly with brands to create collections for clients across several industries such as automotive, hotel, retail and more. I recently had the opportunity to chat with one half of this creative couple to learn more about Bustle, and it’s a pleasure to introduce you to Shawn and to take you behind the scenes of his and Ruth’s clothing brand.
Looks from Bustle's SS18 collection shown during TFW (Toronto Fashion Week) in Sept '17
If you ever get the chance to have a conversation with Shawn, guaranteed you are in for a good time. He’s witty and engaging, with a lively personality and a hearty laugh. Inject that spirit into a clothing line and there you have Bustle. The clothing reflects the key message that Shawn and Ruth want to convey — just like them, their collections are whimsical, not to be taken too seriously, and fit their belief that dressing is supposed to be fun. As Shawn says, clothing should reflect your mood, and if it doesn’t, it should be used to change your mood and make you feel better about yourself. With such a fresh and fun attitude towards fashion design and a long-established presence in the industry, it’s hard to imagine Shawn in any other career, but prior to co-founding Bustle, Shawn was a lawyer on Bay Street — it was his need to revive his creative side that turned him in a new career direction. And so, armed with good taste and a healthy dose of naiveté, he and Ruth, also a lawyer (and still practicing today) set out to launch their brand.
Doorman/doorwoman uniforms for Saks Fifth Avenue's flagship Canadian store in Toronto
As much fun as he has creating collections under the Bustle label, Shawn prefers working the other side of his business creating custom collections for other brands. Over the last 10 years, he’s created custom collections for automotive companies, alcohol brands, boutique hotels, theatre companies and countless more. (Next time you check in at Hotel Le Germain, walk into an Audi dealership, grab a coffee at Dineen, or catch a show at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts — take note of the staff uniforms…they were designed with Bustle!) Shawn enjoys the creative process of getting inside the head of another brand and helping them turn their vision into reality, and aid them in manifesting their brand’s identity through their uniforms. Shawn pays attention to detail and is devoted to ensuring the clothing he’s designing is true to the brands he’s working with.
Go Transit uniforms
Visit Bustle Clothing online to see more of their past collections and to learn more about their custom uniform projects.
Want more? Here’s what #WeWantToKnow about Shawn:
I can't start my morning without...Barking at my kids to hurry and eat their breakfast and et their a**es out the door... and a visit to Jet Fuel.
I have a weakness for...Bad television. Super rich, super fabulous, super good-lookin' and super naughty characters are winning elements of good bad TV.
Most people don't know that I...Used to be a lawyer. I guess, technically, I still am one.
Currently reading...Wonder (R. J. Palacio). My 9 year old daughter is like I was at that age; she'd rather run around than read a book. So my wife and I are taking turns reading chapters with her... it's kind of fun having a 'family book' to discuss.
I want... A Maserati Quattroporte GTS. But I'll take an Audi RS7...sometimes you need to get the kids to school in a hurry!
Thanks Shawn, for participating in #WeWantToKnow! Always a pleasure catching up with you, looking forward to seeing you again soon!