Two Local Women Launch Their Own Clothing Line in the Midst of a Pandemic

Offering size small to 3X and proudly made in Canada

Black LABB, is an acronym for the founders' names; Linda Audette and Becky Boileau. Linda, a professional business woman who was having a hard time finding plus size clothing, decided to open The Plus Factor in November, 2010. Becky joined the team as Marketing Manager and Linda’s right hand lady in 2015.  Originally the store carried size XL to 3X but due to demand and uniqueness the women started carrying regular and plus size clothing from size medium to 3X. About 80% of the clothing lines are made in Canada, hence why it was a must that their line be manufactured in Canada (Toronto to be exact) as well as start at size small and go up to 3X. Over the years they have seen a need for some more versatile pieces to add to women’s wardrobes. After attending a bi-annual buying show and feeling a little disappointed with the lack of versatility the women started brainstorming and decided to take the bull by the horns and start designing their own line. “Black LABB may or may not have started as a concept over a bottle of wine or two” says Becky. They make it a point to encourage body positivity and know all too well how hard women are on themselves. “We all have something we don’t like about our bodies and are our own worst critics'' says Linda. The reason behind Black LABB was to create a clothing line that would allow women to add their own style, and uniqueness to their wardrobe as well as provide pieces that could be customized based on their body type. Their tag line is so fitting...Simply Styled by You. 

Celebrating their 10th year in business is a feat in itself but launching a new line of clothing during a pandemic calls for celebration. In January of 2020 the women were ready to start production and were aiming for a Spring launch. Unfortunately COVID-19 hit and slowed down production by a couple months. “We stayed positive and never lost focus.” says Linda. During this time Linda and Claude (Linda’s husband) were ready to add to their family again after losing their two beloved dogs 4 years ago back to back. Coincidentally their puppy would be ready three weeks before the launch. They welcomed Cash, a nine week old black labradoodle. His role in the business is to give the final approval to each piece in the way of a paw print stamp which can be found in their logo. They are ecstatic with their new line and have had amazing feedback from some of their regular customers who have had a sneak peak. Their launch party has been booked for this Thursday, September 24th at the Northbury Hotel. The women scheduled two shows and had to add a third one due to the overwhelming response. 

To check out this new line you can visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BLACKLABB or by visiting their website at www.blacklabb.ca. Products will be available for purchase on the website only after the launch party. You can always stop by The Plus Factor at 774 Lasalle Blvd to view the products in person and give them a try. Their team looks forward to serving you.