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In 1987, U2's The Joshua Tree won a Grammy for best album, the movie Fatal Attraction came out, and radio stations were playing Madonna's Open Your Heart. It was also the year that Vancouver native Jennifer Wong started working at clothing retailer Aritzia.

Ms. Wong was 18 years old at the time and studying commerce at the University of British Columbia. She worked at the Robson Street location part-time, earning cash to buy clothes from the same store she adored for its hip designs. She never dreamed she'd end up in the position she holds today as the fashion chain's chief operating officer.

"I was working evenings and weekends to make some pocket change, and I always thought I'd go on to get a real job," Ms. Wong says with a laugh. However, upon graduating in 1991, Aritzia's president and CEO, Brian Hill, gave her an offer she couldn't refuse, and she became a buyer. She became COO in 2007.

"The funny thing is, being at Aritzia has far exceeded any career aspirations I could have imagined," says Ms. Wong, noting she was inspired to study finances by her father, a banker and her mentor. "My job is broader than banking and finances. I oversee the finance department, so I'm exposed to all that, but I'm also exposed to the breadth of the business: there's HR, IT, logistics. … And it's exciting to be in the business of fashion. It's a hip, sexy industry."

Founded in 1984, Aritzia has locations across Canada and has recently expanded to the United States, with two new venues in Santa Clara, Calif., and Seattle. The chain oozes cool: it often hires DJs to play in its stores.

"It's really nice working with a well-received brand," she adds. "Aritzia has a lot of great brand equity. … Plus, the people I work with are like family. I've made lots of friendships through my work."

There's no denying the job is demanding. "Retail is seven days a week; we're only closed one day a year," says Ms. Wong, who is married. "I'm always on. There's always something going on, and I'm always on my BlackBerry. … I have never made it on time to a Christmas Eve function with my family, once."

During what little free time she has, Ms. Wong loves to hit the gym. "Exercise is a big relief," she says. "I feel my best after a really good cardio workout. But even though I'm always available for work, my career is very important to me. I have a love for my job."