Fashion news from here and elsewhere

Milo & Dexter: ambassador of Canadian wool

Although Canada has many sheep, their fleece is rarely used to keep us warm. After embarking on a complex quest for Canadian wool, Milo & Dexter launched a first range of clothing entirely made in Canada.

Last fall, the Montreal company unveiled three seemingly simple pieces, but which had not been seen in Canada for a long time: a toque, a sweater and a jacket made exclusively from Canadian wool. Although this fiber is offered to those who knit by hand, it has disappeared from the manufacturing industry for years, with the latter preferring acrylic, a more economical petroleum derivative, or merino wool, renowned for its softness. .

So when Milo & Dexter founder and CEO Jobair Jaber asked a supplier if he could sell him Canadian wool yarn, the supplier started laughing. It had been three decades since he had seen one.

“There are a lot of sheep farms, but currently, most do it for meat,” says Jobair Jaber, who turned to entrepreneurship after studying industrial psychology. They don’t really care about wool, because they don’t make much money from it. » Thus, wool often ends up exported or landfilled.

By multiplying calls, Jobair Jaber managed to establish links with Quebec farms, open to reviewing their breeding practices to be able to provide quality wool, then with a manufacturer capable of putting the yarn on a cone that can be used by an industrial machine. The wool is knitted into panels which are then cut and assembled in Milo & Dexter’s workshop, in the Chabanel district of Montreal. After a year and a half of research, the company was able to unveil its first pieces made from Canadian wool, undyed to highlight the true color of the local sheep. Next fall, she plans to launch a larger collection.

Product design is done in-house. The idea is not to reinvent the wheel, but to present timeless clothing that can be worn today as well as it could have been 100 years ago.

Now, he adds, it remains to convince consumers of the benefits of natural materials, particularly wool, which is still often considered spicy. For people sensitive to this aspect, he is also considering creating a wool blend that would make the fiber softer.

Thus, from a company specializing in making workwear from synthetic materials, Milo & Dexter has evolved into a conscious fashion brand focused on local manufacturing and natural materials. In addition to the “Wool Project”, it offers a selection of minimalist and timeless clothing and accessories in organic cotton, bamboo or leather.

“It’s the story that matters. When you buy a garment like this, you are buying an idea as much as a beautiful product. This is what modern consumers need to do: be conscious when they buy things. There is a reason why prices are high. We are very transparent about this. We always tell people to come to the workshop if they want to see it. Yes, I think this is the way of the future. »

Valérie Simard, The Press

Visit the Milo & Dexter website

Opening

Everything to enjoy the ocean

At the origin of Ocean Bou, there is a meeting and great affinities. On vacation in Cyprus with her husband, Bouchra Kamil entered a boutique called Ocean Blue. There she fell under the spell of the creations of local designer Marcia Thrasyvoulou. She creates collections of swimsuits and beachwear that make you dream of the Mediterranean. M^me Kamil found that this elegant style was missing in Montreal. The former flight attendant therefore settled down for good on rue Sherbrooke, to open her own boutique. At Ocean Bou (Bou for Bouchra and for boutique) she first sold her new friend’s designs, to which she gradually added her Moroccan touch. There is a wide range of swimsuits for all bodies, including a “Love your curves” collection. The clothes are made either of cotton or linen. Many of them go very easily from the beach to the evening restaurant. The new retailer plans to expand the range of products offered during the year to include jewelry, accessories, a mother/child collection and, ultimately, a men’s collection.

Eve Dumas, The Press

1444 Sherbrooke Street West

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The mafioso wife trend

After discreet luxury (quiet luxury), it’s the trend mob wife, mafioso’s wife, who freaks out social networks, with her fur coats, leopard dresses, gold jewelry, heavy makeup and voluminous hair. A look inspired by the characters of mafioso wives like Carmela Soprano (Edie Falco) and Adriana La Cerva (Drea de Matteo) in the series The Sopranoswho is celebrating her 25th birthday, or even Ginger McKenna (Sharon Stone) in the film Casino. Even director Francis Ford Coppola commented on the trend on his Instagram page, writing that the style of his sister, actress Talia Shire, who plays Connie Corleone in The Godfather, was that of “a sultry and charming Italian princess,” he wrote. Beyond aesthetics, these are women who take charge and who proudly display their nouveau riche side. A trend that stars like Jennifer Lopez, Kendall Jenner and Dua Lipa are inspired by.

Olivia Lévy, The Press