What do you do if you’re a woman working in agriculture and you can’t find comfortable work clothes?
How about starting your own clothing line? That’s what independent agronomist Michelle Durnin did in 2021 when she launched Durnin Farm & Ranch Wear to design and sell women’s workwear.
At the Canadian Dairy XPO in Stratford, Ont., Durnin’s location at the industry showcase was buzzing as women (and some disappointed men) checked out the fashions, trying on uniquely designed coveralls and overalls in a wide range of colours.
There’s much more than those standard black and brown coveralls made for men. “They’re tailored to a women’s form…and we’ve got room for the hips,” says Durnin. They also slide easily on and off the shoulders and are made of unique fabrics. “I would say that we really elevated the work wear game to step it up to other industries, like health care.”
Working with a pattern maker, Durnin has designed quick dry overalls and coveralls. “They’ve been very popular, especially amongst the dairy farmers. very stretchy, very movable — just a lot more comfort,” she says. Story continues after the video.
Durnin says the idea of women’s farm and ranch wear is really the product of a personal need. She grew up working on a farm and riding horses, before entering the agronomy field. “I started out just to design something that I thought I would like to wear. And I figured I’ll see if anybody else wants to wear these as well. And it turns out that other women loved them. So it’s been really exciting.”
The business is primarily based online with the website serving as a sales hub with a strong social media presence helping to build a growing online community. Durnin says she plans to unveil a line of shorts for her agronomy friends this summer and followers can expect more new launches this fall.
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