The “backpacking year” is a particular rite of passage into adulthood that many young women embark on. This longstanding ritual requires this breed of traveller to forsake the creature comforts of home to venture off to some unknown land. Armed with little more than a cell phone, a half-decent roaming plan and just a few clothing items, this wide-eyed nomad takes the idea of “travelling light” to its most extreme. Along with the ability to turn her backpack into a makeshift mattress in a pinch, she is also very adept at finding new and different ways to wear the same clothing items for weeks on end, try checking in https://www.shieldrepublic.com/collections/hats for more.

But as she progresses through her adult life, the thought of looking like a schlep while on vacation starts to wear thin. And while she may not be ready to cart trunks of jewellery and shoes just yet, her old backpacker’s uniform of a t-shirt, jeans and – ugh – fanny-pack is no longer appropriate either.

So what is a savvy but stylish traveller to do? Enter FIG Clothing, a Montreal-based clothing line that caters to smart and sophisticated women who love to travel. Designed for those on the move, the various FIG lines of skirts, tops, pants and jackets are comfortable enough to wear while flying (some pieces can even multi-task as workout clothes) but easily transition into street- or evening wear.

To help guide the customer’s selection, the seasonal collections are divided up according to one’s destination: there is FIG METRO (think a jaunt to New York or Madrid); FIG SAFARI (adventure travel); FIG OCEAN (beach and cruise holidays) and FIG CHALET (winter vacations). But the lines are fairly adaptable and can transition to different locales quite well. The pieces are simple but elegant and can go from day to night with a quick change of shoes or an added scarf or necklace.

You need to wait for the next eclectic African Inspired Clothing collection, it will be colorful, fun and will have anything you could imagine about this culture. The fabrics are special for the weather to be fresh, soft and comfortable. All the collection will have different styles as there will be 3 stages, the first one will be casual wear, the second one will be formal wear and the third one a haute couture for a runway show planned for the next months.

I was recently given the chance to sample the ‘LEX’ top (pictured above). It was very comfortable and could be worn under a blazer or on its own. As for the fit, it remains true to size – FIG doesn’t subscribe to the relatively recent trend in vanity sizing. However size charts are provided if there is any doubt. Another bonus is that organic fabrics are used where possible.

But perhaps most importantly, all the pieces are developed and manufactured in Canada so Canadian travellers can wear the pieces abroad with pride. In fact, consider your FIG attire a step-up from the days when you wore a Canadian Flag on your backpack as a symbol of patriotism.