Not every company can be easily defined. Some straddle multiple lines and blur the edges with everything they do.
SSense, at its core, serves as an online fashion retailer. That's only part of its mission, however, as its website also serves as sort of provocative art and fashion magazine.
A recent article, for example, offers suggestive pictures and an equally edgy headline.
“Fashion’s Love Affair with the Bush: What grooming standards over the decades reveal about our culture,” set the tone for a website selling fashion that's also looking to be a trendsetter.
The fashion itself ranges from sweatshirts with the words “Fear of God State,” part of the Fear of God Essentials to a matching line for women which offers a pair of nondescript brown drawstring shorts for $96.
SSense has filed for the Canadian version of Chapter 11 bankruptcy as it battles its lender who would prefer to sell the company.
Ssene is fighting to not be sold
SSense has essentially entered into a war with its chief lender.
Business of Fashion explained the situation.
Chief executive Rami Atallah on Thursday (August 29) said Ssense’s creditors want to put it up for sale under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act, a process similar to bankruptcy protection that allows corporations to restructure their finances.
Atallah went on to say that Ssense will fight a sale by filing its own CCAA application within 24 hours “to protect the company, keep control of our assets and operations, and fight for the future of the company,” according to the memo.
A CCAA, or Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act. It is the Canadian equivalent of a Chapter 11 reorganization in the United States
A CCAA application allows financially troubled firms to restructure in order to safeguard the company, according to an SSense spokesperson.
SSense filed for bankruptcy protection under Canada’s CCAA; reports and CEO statements are available via Bloomberg, and Business of Fashion.
The court documents are not available yet.
“Recently, we have worked closely with financial and legal advisors to develop our own restructuring plan to stabilize the business and rebuild it for the future,” Atallah said in a memo to employees. “The court will decide which path we follow, likely within the next week. Until then, our focus remains clear: protect value, stabilize the business, and set up a restructuring plan to secure our future.”
SSense blames Trump and tariffs
The tariffs on good imported from Canada to the United States enacted by President Donald's Trump's administration are the source of the company's woes, according to Atallah.
SSense's U.S. website is topped with the following note/warning:
“Starting August 28, all US duties and tariffs will be included at checkout. No additional charges on delivery.”
The company's recent struggles are “not surprising”, Charles de Brabant, the executive director of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management at McGill University in Montreal told the BBC, as luxury sales have trended downwards due to inflation squeezing peoples' wallets.
Added to that is the “double whammy” of US tariffs, he said.
The U.S. is charging a 25% import tariff on goods from Canada.
It has also eliminated the “de minimis” exemption, which allowed packages worth less than $800 to enter the US duty free, another blow to SSense.
What does SSense actually sell?
SSense describes itself in language that does not help much.
SSENSE (pronounced [es-uhns]) is a global technology platform operating at the intersection of culture, community, and commerce. Headquartered in Montreal, it features a mix of established and emerging luxury brands across womenswear, menswear, kidswear, and Everything Else.
SSENSE has garnered critical acclaim as both an e-commerce engine and a producer of cultural content, generating an average of 100 million monthly page views. Approximately 80% of its audience is between the ages of 18 to 40.
(All spelling and capitalization was unchanged).
Essentially, the company serves as an online marketplace for edgy and pseudo-edgy designers.
The company, which has over 1,200 employees has fans and detractors.
“The platform became a punchline,” Steve Salter, former editor-at-large at the London high-end concept store LN-CC told Glossy. “At one point, it stood for something culturally exciting. But eventually, the sale overwhelmed everything.”
Vizologi actually did a good job of explaining what the retailer actually does.
“SsSense is a leading international online retailer known for its curated selection of over 500 fashion and luxury brands for men and women. Founded in 2003, the Montreal-based company has carved a niche in the e-commerce industry by offering an exclusive mix of on-trend, high-end designers, streetwear, and avant-garde labels,” it shared.
SSense bankruptcy overview:
- Founded 2003 in Montreal, luxury e-commerce platform for designer fashion & streetwear.
- Ships to 100+ countries, runs a flagship store.
- Filed for bankruptcy protection Aug 28, 2025 under Canada’s CCAA.
- Cited U.S. tariffs (25–35%) and loss of duty-free $800 exemption as key pressures.
- Laid off 7–8% of staff (100+) in May 2025.
- Still operating normally while restructuring.
The company has not laid off any workers and is still attempting to operate without any interruptions.
