Introducing Rholend: A Fresh Canadian Fashion Label With Timeless Appeal
Toronto power couple Laurence Fortin-Côté and Dylan Wu create a fashion brand.
In an age of rapid news cycles and even faster trend turnover, Laurence Fortin-Côté and Dylan Wu are focused on fashion that’s built to last. With their new label, Rholend—whose name is a phonetic play on Fortin-Côté’s grandmother’s name, Rolande—the husband-and-wife team is creating devilishly detailed wardrobe essentials for men and women.
“We wanted to make pieces that people will want to wear over and over again,” Fortin-Côté says. “I wanted something that felt like a uniform of classic, timeless pieces. That’s always been my approach to personal style as well.”
That refined sense of style has endeared her to more than 120,000 followers on Instagram, who appreciate her elegant outfits and insider access to events like Paris Fashion Week. When she isn’t creating content, Rholend’s creative director loves vintage shopping alongside her husband. Wu notes that from the early days of their relationship, they bonded over finding quality vintage pieces, first at home in Toronto, and later abroad in Paris and Amsterdam. Those trips inspired the couple to start compiling sartorial references and thinking about what their eventual collaboration would look like. “It’s really a blend of things that inspire us both,” Fortin-Côté says. “The brand is rooted in our French and Chinese heritage. It informs everything in terms of the aesthetic, design, and storytelling.”
The first chapter in the Rholend story began at the end of 2024, when they launched their debut collection. As the label expands, their monogrammed sweatshirt, T-shirt, and Breton-striped top will remain permanent offerings. “We really wanted to create a new heritage concept,” Wu says. That intention took the couple to Portugal, where their clothing is made from custom-woven and -dyed fabrics (that are also GOTS-certified). From the weight of the organic cotton to the shape of the neckline and precise width of the stripes, no detail was overlooked.
This year, the pair is working on cashmere and wool knitwear, as well as tailored pieces. In the coming months, Rholend will unveil trousers, skirts, and dress shirts. For now, Fortin-Côté and Wu are thrilled to welcome people into the world of their label at their online shop.
“I think it’s all about starting,” Fortin-Côté says. “It can be daunting. We knew the sooner we started, the sooner we’d have something tangible. We’re happy we finally did it, and know we can grow from here.” While their clothing nods to a life well lived, these co-founders are excited about what’s to come.
