brand collection
MOTUS x U of T
MOTUS is a Canadian fashion startup founded by a sibling team of two U of T students and their younger sister. Startup co-founders and siblings Sydnie and Malik Pottinger made history by becoming the first students to partner with the University of Toronto to create a branded merchandise partnership.
The brand name MOTUS is derived from the Latin word for motion. Founder Malik Pottinger said they chose the name as they were always pushing themselves to have one foot forward, signifying progressing and elevating.
MOTUS launched in January 2023, taking on everything from designing various pieces of clothing through to arranging manufacturing and shipping items themselves. The three even created their own logo. After their launch, business soon began to grow for the e-commerce-based brand, with Malik and Sydnie began making regular trips from their small warehouse to the post office to mail out orders.
Wanting to take their business to the next level, they began to explore the idea of creating a brick-and-mortar presence considered selling their items in the U of T Bookstore, which they thought of as a logical spot for two U of T students.
U of T’s Trademark Licensing Office took the initial lead in exploring how the University’s branding and logos could be integrated into a MOTUS x U of T collection.
In addition to the bookstore stocking their items, MOTUS also received support from Spaces & Experiences, which invested in procuring the initial inventory and connected the siblings with resources such as the Black Founders Network. U of T Bookstore royalties are directed back into initiatives that support the student experience.
MOTUS went from a brand created by siblings in their family living room to being the first student brand to collaborate with the University’s Trademark Licensing Program. Their products are merchandized alongside iconic Canadian brands likes Roots and OVO.
Trademark Licencing at the University of Toronto is a pioneer of this kind of innovative brand merchandising for higher education and has even developed a business model that other institutions can replicate.
The incorporation of the student-founded MOTUS x U of T collection into the merchandising program at the U of T Bookstore has been a very positive step in the evolution and promotion of U of T co-branded apparel.
Visit the Bookstore for this exclusive collection.
