In 1975, designer denim wasn’t a thing. Up until then, wearing jeans was for rugged activity, or a symbol of a counterculture. Joel Carman wore denim–hanging with the artists and hippies in Yorkville–and when he opened his store, Over the Rainbow, in 1975 he must have had a premonition that the pair of jeans was about to become the most important and timeless fashion item of the next fifty years. Brands like Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger started to put out designer jeans with new cuts and washes, boosting the style and sophistication. The humble blue jean was quickly elevated to high fashion. Over the Rainbow was the first to carry these brands and was at the foundation of denim’s rise.
It was good timing, and you could chalk it up to luck. But looking at how Over the Rainbow has grown and evolved over the past fifty years you see that they have constantly been ahead of the trends. Denim has always been at the core of their business, but many fun fashion brands that we love and have loved showed up on OTR’s shelves first. Citizens of Humanity, AG, Canada Goose, Juicy Couture, Ugg, Frame, Mother, are a small sampling of the brands that were pioneered in the market by the Carman family.
Family has been another key component of Over the Rainbow’s success. Joel and Jinni, along with their children Daniel and Amy, have maintained the discerning taste, forward thinking, and good vibes that have driven the store through the last five decades. It’s shocking to think about how many clothing stores and brands have risen and fallen over the past half century, and wildly impressive that OTR has remained an important and relevant fashion hub throughout. And while they have experienced the highs and lows that come with entrepreneurship, the store is a testament to how strong a family business can be when done right.
Family was also the inspiration for the limited-edition capsule collection Over the Rainbow has launched to celebrate their 50th anniversary.
Since the advent of social media, there have been a few images of Daniel and Amy as kids, wearing sweatshirts emblazoned with the original Over the Rainbow logo. Whenever these pictures would be posted they would be flooded with comments and DMs asking if they were going to make those sweatshirts again. It was a fun idea but not taken too seriously. But as the 50th anniversary of their family business approached, it provided the perfect opportunity revisit these vintage designs with updated looks that that are very much current zeitgeist.
The line of casual wear goes from rainbow socks to embroidered caps. The logo on some of the tops has a wonderfully puffy dimension, reminiscent of your favourite sweatshirts from the eighties. OTR made the effort to produce almost all pieces in the collection within Canada. It’s a fun and cozy with oodles of personality. This is a one-time, limited production run, so don’t hesitate.
Go down to Yorkville to wish Over the Rainbow a happy 50th anniversary and check out the collection for yourself. Or everything can be found on the OTR website.
