Birds of North America X Neil MacCormick 'Ming's Grocery' Tee

The cutest cropped tees have come in from Birds of North America in collaboration with artist Neil MacCormick. Neil has painted full time since 1984 and co-owns Birds of North America with his partner, designer Hayley Gibson. The two have shared a studio since meeting in 2006.

Notes from Hayley Gibson:

Ming's Grocery was located across from one of my childhood haunts in Victoria, BC, the Crystal Pool, My mum used to drop my brother and I off at the pool on summer afternoons for the 2-5pm 'free swim', where we would spend the entire afternoon cannon-balling, going down those terrifyingly short and steep poolside slides and jumping off the various heights of diving boards.

We we were satisfied that we had seen and done everything possible at the pool several times over, we would rinse off, get changed, and then call my mum to come pick us up. We would wait either in the lobby of the pool, or just outside, across from Ming's Grocery. I remember being absolutely ravenous after these afternoon swimming sessions - I don't know if I've ever felt as hungry as I did on those days! We would gaze longingly at Ming's, as we waited for my mum, knowing it was full of fudgsicles, chips and candy, as our stomachs growling from the hours of exertion. 

For Neil, not being a patron of the Crystal Pool, Ming's was a total unknown before stumbled upon it on this day, walking up a sunbaked street he didn't know very well. 'It used to happen a lot in Victoria, where in the middle of nowhere there would be a convenience store. It made you wonder how it could be a viable business". Of the walks he used to take to look for inspiration for paintings, he said "I used to be in such a weird mental state - very outsider, feeling like an alien. Things like this convenience store spoke to me like they were also alien - it connected with that lost feeling I had. I used to feel so lost when I was walking around on my own. Still do. It was like the store was saying 'yeah, I'm lost too. I'm in the middle of nowhere. We're both in the middle of nowhere'.

This image captures all the complexity of summer for me, not just because of my Crystal Pool memories, but because of the timeless familiarity of the convenience store - I hope you feel it too. 

Sizing Notes: These tees fit slightly on the larger size. About a size larger than the Bird's classic size chart suggests. If you like traditional Birds sizing, we recommend ordering 1 size down or stick to your usual size for a more relaxed fit. 

Extra fit tip:  if you have a favourite classic tee at home, and you'd like the same fit, just lay it flat and measure across the chest to find the closest equivalent in the chart at the end of the photos!

Hayley is 5'7" and wears size L Cropped White tee, and Neil is 6'1" and wears size XL Classic Black tee.

100% Organic Cotton Jersey Milled in Toronto (Medium Weight)

Machine Wash & Tumble Dry

The classic tees will shrink 1" total in length with a wash and dry, and the cropped tees will shrink just 1/2" total. We haven't found there to be any width shrinkage with washing and drying.

Made in Toronto, ON

When you shop at Victoire, you're supporting independent designers and Canada's garment industry. This garment is designed by Hayley Gibson and proudly manufactured in Canada. Hayley has been making and designing clothes since 2007 and it's because of customers like you that her label can thrive!