A Traveler’s Tale: Fashion designer Haider Ackermann on Churchill, Manitoba—
“I went to November 2023” Churchill, ManitobaThe. northern reaches of Canada. Canada Goose wanted me to be their creative director. So I did some research on the company, their partners and how they work. Polar Bears InternationalChurchill-based nonprofit conservation organization. I was immediately seduced. silence The vast landscape is also a beautiful thing. It is beautiful. You feel small and vulnerable. The temperature was below zero and it was winter, but I didn’t feel the cold. I was too excited to be a part of the journey. PBI scientists took my on multiple drives to see polar bears. The polar bears are cute, but they can be dangerous. So we took a truck-like vehicle called a tundra buggies to see them. I felt like a child and was filled with joy, but also heartbreak. The triplets were with their mother, which was a wonderful sight. Scientists told me that triplets are rare these days because of the melting ice and many babies die. We watched the polar-bears for hours and talked about the impact on the environment. climate change—the disaster we as humans are provoking. We are both part of the cause and part of the cure. The education was really inspiring. I was literally in tears. In the past, I wouldn’t have done this because I was so busy with my life. When I get out into nature, the calmness and peace it brings me is amazing. You’re alone when you ask yourself this question. This year, I’m looking forward to returning. The air in that vast white expanse is so clean that nothing smells. It’s silent. It’s absolutely mind blowing.” —Haider Ackermann, as told to Matt Ortile
Haider Ackermann is the Creative Director of Canada Goose, Tom Ford and Tom Ford. His newest collection is for Snow Goose by Canada Goose, the brand’s newly introduced heritage label, is available now.
This article was published in the September/October issue of 2025. Condé Nast Traveler. Subscribe to our magazine here.
