Addition Elle

The name of the store (not affiliated with Elle magazine) is a pun on the French word additionelle, which translates to additional in English. The company was established in Montreal in 1980, and sold to Reitmans in 2001.[2] Addition Elle has 139 locations across Canada.[3] All clothing comes in at least a ladies' size 14 (equivalent to a men's size 34) and goes up to size 26 (equivalent to a men's size 46).[3] The target demographic of the store is full figured women between 18 and 49 years of age. Some stores also sell bras and other lingerie items.[4] Addition Elle stores are usually located in shopping malls, but a few are standalone big box stores.

Sportswear, career apparel, and casual designs are the basic staples of all Addition Elle franchises.[5]

Jessica Biffi, who was a former contestant on the reality show Project Runway Canada, designed a collection of clothing for Addition Elle for the spring 2010 fashion season.[6][7]

On June 1, 2020, Reitmans announced it was closing all its women’s Thyme Maternity and Addition Elle stores in the country over the summer as well as chopping its workforce by about 1,100 employees in its retail stores and about 300 employees at its head office in Montreal as part of its restructuring plan under the protection of the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act. The stores scheduled for closure include 77 Addition Elle and 54 Thyme Maternity locations. The company said it is optimizing its retail footprint as it is building its future on its legacy in retail fashion with three premium brands: Reitmans, Penningtons, and RW & CO.[8]

• Official website