Self-Isolation Diary: A Day in the Life Of HBC’s Tyler Franch

May 14, 2020 at 10:18PM

We’re officially in Month 3 of self-isolation with an uncertain road ahead but for some much-needed inspiration, FASHION is reaching out to some of our favourite Canadians to get a peek into how they’re living their lives in lockdown (remember: #StayHomeSaveLives). Each week, keep an eye out for new self-isolation diaries from actors, designers, influencers and artists who are riding this uncertain time out with us.

Tyler Franch, Fashion Director, Hudson’s Bay

I live with my partner, Elie, who has been integral in helping maintain my sanity! I’m a fairly social person so not being able to be with friends and family has been difficult. The occasional happy hour Zoom call is nice, though.

I make sure to organize my day the same way I would have pre-COVID. I need time in the morning for a coffee and smoothie while I catch up on the news and emails. In between Zoom meetings and strategizing for the Fall season, I make sure to take a proper lunch break outside of my workspace. It’s essential to not be online 24/7 so I also try to mark the end of a workday by going for a walk or getting down to the water for a cycle.

Being in the business of fashion, so much of what we do relies on using our senses. From touching and feeling fabrics to a specific scent and the feeling you get in a showroom—removing that tactile experience has proven challenging (but not impossible!). As the Fashion Director at Hudson’s Bay, this time has given me the chance to focus on the future. Connecting with our brands and designers at this time has allowed me to have some of the most productive conversations around planning for an optimistic Fall season.

In terms of physical exercise, doing yoga 3-4 times a week has been helpful. And I’m lucky to live close to a park so I make sure to leave the house once a day for a walk and some fresh air. I downloaded the Picture This app to help identify trees and that’s been oddly fun.

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This has been a great opportunity for me to slow down and dedicate time to the little projects I’ve always wanted to do around the house, like giving my patio a facelift and organizing my closet. The extra time in the morning and evening has allowed me to add some more steps to my skincare routine and spend time exploring new beauty brands and tools that have given me some amazing results.

I finished Ozark in about five days and it was a delicious binge. I haven’t seen some classic 2000s shows like Six Feet Under and Breaking Bad so I’m working my way through those now. Thankfully, we also have new episodes of Drag Race every Friday (which I watch on Zoom with all my friends) that give us the much-needed dose of eleganza we’re missing right now. In terms of books, I’m reading Sleeveless, a book of essays by Natasha Stagg and just started a book club with friends. Our first book is History of Violence by Edouard Louis.

I think humans are incredibly resilient. Creating new habits and routines and making sure to maintain a running list of things that I’m grateful for has been essential in ensuring I maintain a positive mindset that allows me to see the silver lining in our new reality.

Change isn’t coming, change is already here; from changes that pave the way for us to be more conscious consumers to having intentional and thought-provoking conversations at work about ways to continually innovate our business. It’s uplifting and incredibly optimistic to hear all the hope and conversation around change. I’m confident no matter who you are or what you do that we will come out of this better, whatever that means to you.

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