Ahead by a century

On the agenda: The day started with a meeting with life coach Eva Redpath to reflect on their professional trajectories and redefine their idea of leadership. The day continued with some light pampering and a styling session with Julianne Costigan and team featuring Reitmans’ spring collection items, including plenty of denim and striped Marinière tops showcased in its Paris-shot campaign.

While the tangible takeaway for the women is a beautiful headshot ready to post on LinkedIn and beyond, they will leave with much more than that.

“It’s a transformative experience,” said Toronto-based executive stylist Julianne Costigan. “Often women haven’t given dedicated time for themselves, and when they return to their workplace, they feel like they’ve grown personally and feel truly empowered.”

Costigan started Portraits with Impact in 2021 after realizing that many of her clients didn’t have a headshot they liked. Often, they’d resort to rushed selfies, or images taken in poorly lit boardrooms.

“Many women walk in and say they’ve never had a professional photo of themselves that they love” said Costigan. Portraits with Impact aims to change that, offering women an experience that helps them capture how they see themselves — now and in the future.

“Imagery is a powerful tool for your mindset and your confidence,” said Costigan. “Even if your mind isn’t quite there yet, you believe you can get there — the image can help you visualize the person you’re becoming.”

Working with this group of women — who hold various titles and positions within Reitmans — is a full-circle moment for Costigan. Early in her styling career, one of her first big jobs was assisting fashion director and stylist Zeina Esmail during which she had the chance to work with the company.

It’s also a special day for Jackie Tardif, one of the women being photographed, who was recently promoted from President of the Reitmans’ banner to Chief Operating Officer of Reitmans (Canada) Limited.

“We have women at many different stages of their careers in different roles here, today,” said Tardif. “It’s so nice to see it through their eyes and see what they are feeling.” Tardif has been with the company for almost 30 years.

The excitement on set is amplified thanks to her new role. It’s clear her inspiring leadership style has touched many in the group.

“I once wrote in a birthday card to Jackie, ‘Thank you for making us all feel like we can be the one with the big corner office,” said Senior Director, Planning and Allocation, Nadia Lavalle, who started at Reitmans 23 years ago in an entry-level role. “She’s that type of a leader, and it can be felt everywhere in the company.”

Lavalle and Tardif aren’t alone in their tenure with the brand. Several women in the group, and many within the company, have been with Reitmans for more than 20 years, which speaks to its culture of support and empowerment.

“I’m here today, because the company believed in me and because of the support I received when my son was diagnosed with autism,” said Lavalle.

Nearly a century old, the company has a rich history of inclusivity and supporting women, said Tardif, who sits on the board of directors for Équilibre, a Quebec-based not-for-profit that promotes body positivity among youth, and mentors up-and-coming leaders with Women in Governance.

Women comprise nearly 98 per cent of Reitmans brand workforce and 89 per cent of its executive roles. Reitmans (Canada) Limited can now count new C-suite member Jackie Tardif as COO, as well as the current President and Chief Executive Officer Andrea Limbardi.

Reitmans’ inclusive culture and creative, passionate and powerful female-led workforce matter greatly to Vice President of Marketing, E-Commerce and Visual Presentation, Elara Verret. “Early on in my career, I underestimated the importance of workplace culture and how it interacts with my personal values,” said Verret. “Because there’s female leadership across the organization, there’s a very collaborative energy.”

Inclusivity and diversity touch everything the brand does, from sizing and pricing to campaign casting and its body silhouette retouch-free ad visuals. Even the styling is approached through an accessible lens, considering that its customer base is geographically diverse with more than 200 stores in small towns and large cities across Canada.

“I love building a connection with customers,” said Toronto-based Store Manager and Training Manager Steacie Brown, who has been with the company for 25 years and counts her mother and many of her managers as mentors who have helped shape her career.

Brown shared a story about one experience that was particularly meaningful to her. A customer was preparing for a business trip where she would be the only female and needed help finding something to wear. The outfit, the customer reported afterwards, made her feel confident and powerful, as did Brown’s words. “I reminded her that she’s there for a reason, and she belongs there.”

Making space for women and allowing them to express their authentic selves through clothing is part of the Portraits With Impact experience.

It’s also a way to silence negative thoughts for those battling imposter syndrome, something Senior Business Analyst Ada Cheng has experienced because of her unconventional career path.

“Initially, I was intimidated by the whole thing,” said Cheng about being on set with her colleagues. “I’m surrounded by these amazing women in leadership roles.” The group’s response was powerful: You don’t need to be in a leadership role to be a leader.

“We support each other, we help each other, we empower each other,” said Cheng. A session with life coach Redpath also helped her shift her mindset. “I feel like a changed person. I’m here today and do what I do because I earned it. I made it happen.”

With so many successful women in one place, the shoot wrapped with no shortage of wisdom and career advice to go around, capped off with a celebratory champagne toast.

“Focus on your network,” said Verret. “It can be hard to take time out of your schedule when you’re in back-to-back meetings, but that’s what will help with the natural ups and downs that everyone goes through in their career.”

For Lavalle, it’s about believing in yourself. “I caution anyone who thinks they don’t belong to give themselves grace — if you believe in yourself, you’ll get there.” 

Tardif said that having the courage to speak up is essential, too. “If you are in a meeting, don’t be afraid to express your ideas and make an impact. Your place at the table counts and benefits the group.” It’s advice that echoes a sentiment from Michelle Obama’s memoir “Becoming” that Tardif read when she was promoted earlier in her career: If you have a voice, it’s a shame not to use it.