Wings + Horns is a Canadian contemporary menswear brand founded in 2004 by Craig Atkinson in Vancouver, British Columbia — under his parent company CYC Design Corporation, founded in 1996. The brand’s name was chosen in 2004 after Atkinson’s earlier name choice (“Spruce”) was found to be already registered. Wings + Horns marries the Japanese aesthetic sensibility Atkinson developed during seven years spent living and working in Japan — importing vintage Americana and producing North American-style garments for Japanese labels — with the material rigour and manufacturing precision of CYC’s Vancouver production facility. The result is a distinctly East-meets-West menswear label: minimal, technical, and built from exceptional fabrics with meticulous construction.
Key Facts
- Founded: 2004
- Founder: Craig Atkinson (also founder of Reigning Champ and CYC Design Corporation)
- CYC founded: 1996; CYC Vancouver factory opened 2005
- Headquarters: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Production: ~90% in CYC’s Vancouver factory; remainder at select external factories
- Industry: Canadian Contemporary Menswear, Technical Apparel
History
Atkinson spent seven years in Japan in the 1990s sourcing North American vintage clothing and acting as a distributor for North American brands. This gave him an exceptional understanding of what Japanese consumers valued in American clothing — and why — before a financial crisis in Japan prompted his return to Canada. In 1996 he founded CYC Design Corporation as a production management company, making modern replicas of vintage garments for Japanese brands and stores at North American factories. By 2004, his experience had led him to launch his own consumer brand: first called Spruce, then Wings + Horns. In 2005 CYC opened its own factory in Vancouver to consolidate production. Wings + Horns became immediately successful in Japan before gradually building international and North American distribution.
Aesthetic and Products
Wings + Horns produces structured basics — crewneck T-shirts, quilted vests, chino pants, blazers, and outerwear — in a palette of black, grey, green, and tan. “Premium, but not precious” is the brand’s stated design principle. Every piece emphasises fabric, fit, and finish: flatlock seams, articulated patterns, technical fabrications including GORE-TEX, and fine Japanese textiles. Collaborations have included Nanamica, Arc’teryx, Canada Goose, New Balance, Danner, Viberg, and Ace Hotel. Available internationally at specialist menswear retailers.
Sources: