An All-Female Leadership Team Sets the Stage for the Canadian Brand's Next Era of Growth, including a new Toronto location in 2027

TORONTO, Oct. 14, 2026 /CNW/ -- SMYTHE, the Canadian womenswear fashion brand recognized for its tailoring, today announced the appointment of Ana Mihaljevic as Chief Executive Officer to help design the most ambitious chapter in SMYTHE's history.

The appointment marks a defining milestone and next phase of growth for the Toronto-founded brand, whose distinctive approach to tailoring and confident, enduring design has earned a loyal following across North America. Mihaljevic will partner with co-founders and designers Andrea Lenczner and Christie Smythe to form an all-female leadership team that brings together creative vision and experienced executive leadership to build on SMYTHE's foundation and shape what comes next.

"As SMYTHE has grown, so has our ambition for what the brand can become," said Lenczner and Smythe. "Ana brings exceptional experience and a genuine understanding of what makes SMYTHE distinct. Her leadership enables us to deepen our focus on creative vision and product, while the three of us work together to build operational excellence and infrastructure for growth."

Founded in 2004 with a singular focus on blazers, SMYTHE helped redefine tailoring for a generation of women seeking clothing that felt polished and individual. The brand has since evolved into a broader wardrobe, building a loyal following through precise tailoring, considered design and a confident approach to personal style. That evolution has been matched by steady, organic growth, with annual new-customer acquisition through SMYTHE's online channel growing more than fivefold between 2021 and 2025. Established on a strong wholesale foundation, the brand launched e-commerce in 2017, followed by its first standalone store in Toronto in 2022 and its second in Calgary in 2024.

As SMYTHE looks ahead, the company is investing in the people, infrastructure and experiences that will support the company's evolution. That includes an expanding retail presence, with a new store at Toronto's Yorkdale Shopping Centre set to open in early 2027, alongside a refreshed digital experience for its online customers.

Every investment is intended to support the brand's ability to reach more customers while preserving the design integrity that has defined SMYTHE since its earliest collections. As the brand reaches a growing audience, the SMYTHE point of view remains clear: relevant, enduring and distinct collections designed for women who dress with intention and personality.

"I chose to wear SMYTHE long before I joined the company because it has such a clear and instinctive understanding of how women want to dress and feel in their clothes," said Mihaljevic. "Working alongside Christie and Andrea, we will build on that foundation, grow SMYTHE with purpose, reach more women and realize the full potential of a brand that has always understood how the right clothes can change the way a woman shows up, in her style, her confidence and entirely on her own terms."

Mihaljevic brings extensive experience leading and scaling premium consumer brands, with a focus on building the teams, capabilities and discipline required for sustainable growth. Throughout her career, she has paired commercial rigour with a strong respect for brand, an approach that aligns closely with SMYTHE's ambitions. A longtime customer of SMYTHE, Mihaljevic brings an established connection to the brand and a unique understanding of the qualities that have earned it a loyal and growing following.

In her new role, Mihaljevic will lead SMYTHE's operations and growth strategy, while Lenczner and Smythe continue to lead creative direction and product vision. Together, the three bring complementary strengths to the brand's next phase, combining more than two decades of creative vision with the commercial experience and capabilities to take SMYTHE even further. As the company expands its retail presence and reaches new customers, the partnership reflects both the opportunity ahead and a shared commitment to preserving the qualities that have made SMYTHE distinctive from the beginning.

About SMYTHE

Founded in 2004 by Andrea Lenczner and Christie Smythe, SMYTHE is an independent ready-to-wear brand anchored in impeccable tailoring and modern design. What began with an ambition to perfect the woman's blazer has evolved into a global 360-degree lifestyle brand celebrated for architectural silhouettes and empowering aesthetic. For more information, please visit https://shopsmythe.com/

SOURCE SMYTHE