Over the Rainbow is a family-owned, independent retail and online boutique specializing in premium denim. For 40+ years, our store has transformed how loyal customers shop for denim by offering the most honest, knowledgeable and attentive service in the country. Our secret sauce for fitting shoppers in denim begins for the four F's:

FIT
The best for your body type
FABRIC
The most comfortable sustainably sourced
FINISH
The finest looking colour, wash & detail
FUNCTION
The style to wear for any occasion

Our retail store, located in the Bloor-Yorkville shopping district of Toronto, is a welcoming place where consumers can get one-on-one personal service. On-site tailoring services are offered to complete any denim shopping experience with easy, efficient turnaround times. And of course, we make it easy to shop online with convenient delivery or pickup services.

OUR HISTORY

1975

Opens its first store location, a 450-square foot space on the second floor of the Lothian Mews retail complex. Store staples include the denim wall, jujube jar and custom alterations area.

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1976

Joel & Jinni Carman assume sole ownership of Over the Rainbow.

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1977

Moves its store location into a new 1,450 square foot space at 120 Cumberland Street. Additional change rooms and 7 employees boost customer service.

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1982

Moves to a new 2,800 square foot space at 101 Yorkville Avenue with an even bigger denim wall & expansion into sportswear & accessories.

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1982

Wayne Gretzky becomes the brand`s first ever celebrity endorsement, wearing an Over the Rainbow branded t-shirt in a Toronto Sun newspaper story.

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1984

Starts importing Japanese denim, which introduces Edwin Jeans and Big John to Canada for the first time. 

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1985

Expands Yorkville space to 3,700 square feet, adding a women’s contemporary section.

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1985

Launches the first Tommy Hilfiger collection in Canada as an alternative to existing namesake contemporaries like Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein. 

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1994

Launches Chip & Pepper, one of the first Canadian owned denim brands, with an ode to vintage styling & trends. 

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1995

Launches the “Frisco Flare” by Silver Jeans, the first of many flared jeans as a resurgence of wide bottom denim.

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1997

Organizes the Harley Davidson Motorcycle Charity Poker Run providing toys, photos & fundraising to the patients at Hugh MacMillan Rehabilitation Centre

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1998

Becomes the biggest stockist of Juicy Couture; birth of the velour (fall) and terry cloth (spring) tracksuit craze. 

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1999

First big success in footwear with the introduction of UGG; customer request & waiting list goes through the roof.

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2000

Expands Yorkville space one final time to 4,500 square feet, adding a new womenswear section and larger cash checkout counter.

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2001

pantshoppes.com is launched as a catalogue-based website with store information & hours

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2003

Becomes the first Canadian retailer, and the 6th international stockist, to launch Citizens of Humanity, founded by a Montrealer.

Becomes the first Toronto retailer to stock launch Dom Rebel, a Montreal based designer t-shirt brand with a huge international profile.

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2004

Introduces J Brand to the Canadian market, including the 811 stretch denim model; starts a new wave of clean pocket, skinny jeans for women.

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2005

A young Dani Reiss fulfills his quest to sell his family`s parkas outside of Arctic climates; selects Over the Rainbow in a group of retailers to launch Canada Goose`s first city collection.

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2009

Becomes the first international retailer to launch Naked & Famous Denim, a Japanese fabric made in Canada brand; the raw denim trend emerges.

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2010

Celebrates 35 years in business with an outdoor barbeque and shopping event in support of Autism Speaks Canada

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2011

NOW Magazine readers vote Over the Rainbow as the “Best Jeans Store” in Toronto.

Joel Carman raises $41,000 for Movember & Prostate Cancer Canada by shaving off his signature mustache. His son & Team RainBROws raise $34,000 the following year.

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2013

Launches first ever collaboration with Naked & Famous; the ``5&5 Capsule Series`` included five short sleeve shirts with five denim shorts, two items never before produced by the brand

 Becomes the largest stockist of Zanerobe’s popular “Sureshot” pant, selling over 1,000 pairs in 1 store in 1 year; the birth of the men`s jogger trend.

Launches a denim drive encouraging customer to trade-in their old jeans in support of local homeless shelters & organizations.

Introduces the first ever Todd Snyder x Champion collaboration as the exclusive retailer for the collection in Canada

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2014

High Snobiety lists Over the Rainbow in their “Top 15 of the Best Denim Stores on Earth”

Produces “The PrideCode” exclusive capsule collection for World Pride Toronto; all proceeds donated to Fife House.

 Paige introduces their new Transcend fabric; starts new wave of supreme comfort denim to combat the athleisure pant trend.

Becomes the first retailer to re-launch AGOLDE jeans in Canada

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2015

Celebrates 40 years in business with a series of in-store events, collaborations and charity initiatives throughout the year.

pantshoppes.com re-launches as a full online store for consumers across Canada to shop all our best brands & products.

Launches first ever "Kimono Pocket Tee" collaboration with Naked & Famous; sells out quickly and spawns a capsule collection sold every Spring Summer season featuring new pocket prints exclusive to Over the Rainbow.

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2016

Becomes one of the first stores in Canada to carry Frame Denim; men`s denim collection is launched one year later.

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2017

Secures a lease for a new 6,500 square foot retail location at the Manulife Centre, where the current location will move to in 2018.

The “Nice Guy” jean is created, representing the first-ever custom denim fit designed by Over the Rainbow in collaboration with Naked & Famous

Expands accessory department to include apothecary, tech and lifestyle products

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2018

Hires award-winning architects Giannone Petricone to design its soon-to-be Manulife Centre retail store

Becomes the first retailer to launch Retro Brand Black Label in Canada

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2019

Moves from Yorkville Avenue to a state-of-the-art retail store in Manulife Centre

Hires JULIET Creative to update the company logo, packaging and visual identity

Creates the Yorkville Collectors Series with proceeds donated to Special Olympics Toronto

Opens the Rainbow Tailor Shop with expanded alteration, repair and customization services

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2020

Introduces a "Denim" section to the online store highlighting key fits & rises

Becomes the exclusive retailer of Hiro Clark in Canada

Expands selection of our exclusive "Nice Guy" collaboration with Naked & Famous Denim

2021

Launches the first ever Aviator Nation shop-in-shop experience in Canada

Becomes race kit sponsor for Constantine Yorkville Run raising over $7K for Sistema Toronto

Becomes the first retailer to launch CADDIS eyewear in Canada

 

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