fashion news

The latest fashion news from here and elsewhere

Olivia Levy
The Press

Valerie Simard
The Press

Eve Dumas
The Press

Quartz Co. launches a collection signed Marie-Ève ​​Lecavalier

High-end winter coat brand Quartz Co. is teaming up with Marie-Ève ​​Lecavalier, who just won Designer of the Year, Women’s Fashion at the Canadian Art & Fashion Awards (CAFA). Accustomed to honors abroad, Marie-Ève ​​Lecavalier had won the prestigious Chloé prize at the Hyères festival in 2018 and she was a finalist for the LVMH prize in 2019.

The après-ski collection is made up of seven pieces that are offered in royal blue, black and oatmeal. We immediately notice the voluminous down coat with belt, which is impressive. “I played with the shape, the volume, the cuts, some oversized, but I stayed in the spirit of Quartz Co., which is a brand with an elegant, refined and practical style, explains Marie-Ève ​​Lecavalier. I wondered what I could bring that was different, because the winter coat industry is very competitive. There are a lot of very strong brands and you have to stand out. The collection also includes a long quilted coat as well as a lighter jacket, a shirt coat with lapels, a military-inspired vest, a sleeveless jacket and zipped snow pants.

To create this collection, Marie-Ève ​​Lecavalier was inspired by the great European couturiers and the luxurious origins of après-ski. “I was inspired by the Balenciaga couture coats of the 1960s. The style is very enveloping, the coats have technical properties to resist the cold. They are light and very warm, pleasant to wear, which is important when buying a winter coat,” says the designer.

“I created cuts and silhouettes that we couldn’t find on the market today. So as a woman, I designed winter coats that I would like to wear. The visual campaign is also very European, and refers to the history of beautiful luxury ski resorts like Saint-Moritz and Verbier.

This collection for Quartz Co. is also a way to celebrate the brand’s 25th anniversary. “Quartz Co. was founded in 1997. We bought the brand in 2015, there was already know-how on the materials and for seven years, we have made aesthetic changes. We mark the occasion with this collaboration which takes us out of our habits by creating new silhouettes”, explains Jean-Philippe Robert, president of Quartz Co. Will it be renewed in the following years? “We want to see the reaction of the public, we think it will be very positive, because we feel that there is already a craze,” he said.

The entire collection is available from 1^er November online then in Quartz Co. stores as well as at Maison Simons and Altitude Sports.

Olivia Levy, The Press

Opening: BEDI settles in the Mile End

BEDI, formerly 457 Anew, is now well established in Montreal. The brand of coats, clothing and accessories focused on the reuse of materials and their sustainability is the project in which the entrepreneur Inder Bedi invested himself after his departure from Matt & Natt, which he had founded.

After three years of selling almost exclusively online, BEDI has moved into premises on Saint-Laurent Boulevard, in Mile End, a neighborhood that Inder Bedi loves. In the center of the space, designed by the firm Rainville Sangaré, hang suspended coats which are, along with the bags, the brand’s flagship products. The one that changed its name last summer to gain simplicity now offers three models of coats for men and three for women. All are made in Quebec, from ECONYL, a nylon obtained by recycling fishing nets, and ISOSOFT insulation that can withstand cold temperatures down to -30°C.

Hanging on the walls is the large selection of bags (tote, backpack, travel, messenger and satchel) made of ECONYL or cactus leather as well as recycled polyester and belts from the automotive industry and aviation. Some are made from the ends of rolls of fabric intended for making coats. USA cotton T-shirts, pants and sweatshirts round out the offering. “One day, what was, will be again”, here is the pretty mantra of this brand against the current.

5432, boul. Saint Laurent

Valerie Simard, The Press

A new collection of Woven tights from the Dufour-Lapointe sisters

Freestyle skiers Justine, Chloé and Maxime Dufour-Lapointe are launching a new collection of their Tissées Tightes brand and adding a range for young girls. The new collection is made up of base layers in merino wool and fleece, pretty sherpa jackets, retro-style knits and accessories such as beanies, neck warmers, hats and socks. The Tissées Tightes brand is now also aimed at girls aged 3 to 14 who love the outdoors and being warm! It is offered in the main sports shops, such as Sports Experts and La Cordée, as well as at Womance and Altitude Sports.

Olivia Levy, The Press

cactus leather

Ecofino, a brand developed by Portofino Shoes in Quebec, is the first local company to launch a collection of cactus leather shoes. The plants used to produce this type of leather are grown in Mexico. Only mature leaves are used, which would cause no damage to the cactus. The designs are conceptualized in Quebec and the shoes are made by a family business in Spain. Along with the lace-up bootie which comes in four colors (white, black, green and red), there is a tennis-style shoe and three sandal designs.

Eve Dumas, The Press