Photo: www.newbury-st.com — *Photo: www.newbury-st.com*

Particularly known for its trench coats and trademark club check, premium British fashion brand Aquascutum has partnered with a Canadian company to expand its brand to North America, including free-standing Canadian stores.

Toronto-based Jaytex Group, through a licensing agreement, will distribute the Aquascutum 1851 brand through both wholesale and retail channels and according to Women's Wear Daily, will open standalone stores in Canada in the next two to three years. Jaytex also works with brands including Ben Sherman, Original Penguin and Kenneth Cole.

Photo: www.british-emporium.co.uk — *Photo: www.british-emporium.co.uk*

Aquascutum's men's collections are carried at Harry Rosen stores in Canada, as well as Barney's New York in the United States.

In March 2013, Aquascutum launched a three-year strategy to build its presence in the UK and international markets. Last year Aquascutum opened two new London stores and it is seeking other store locations in 2015.

Founded in London in 1851, Aquascutum (Latin for 'watershield') manufactures and retails men's and women's clothing and accessories. The brand was family owned until 1990, when it was purchased by a Japanese conglomerate. British fashion brand Jaeger bought it in 2009 and after financial difficulties, Aquascutum became property of Chinese fashion retailer YGM Trading Ltd. in April of 2012.

For those old enough to remember, Aquascutum once had multiple Canadian store locations. In the 1980's the brand operated free-standing stores as well as shops-in-stores in retailers such as Eaton's, Hudson's Bay, Simpson's and Woodward's, among others.