Jennifer Kalman and Emily Wilson both studied Architecture at Dalhousie University, and began their careers working in architectural firms in Calgary and Victoria. They founded their multi-disciplinary design practice in 2020, bringing together their combined experience to craft beautiful products and small spaces that uncover the joy in the everyday. Their aim is to work with materials in a way that brings forth their innate qualities, creating tactile experiences that connect people to the places they inhabit.

The name Man & Son is a combination of their last names (Kalman & Wilson) and a nod to their gender in a traditionally male-dominated industry. The success of their partnership lies in their complementary skillsets: Jennifer excels at networking, producing pristine drawing sets, and keeping project folders extremely organized, while Emily's strengths are in the early design stages, prototyping new product ideas, and entering long periods of trance-like focus.