“Juleï is part of the top comfort trend, not fantasy,” says designer Julie Magnan, who launched the brand in 2022, alongside her friend Leila Ligougne, based in New York. It is a neat, simple, durable garment. We are calling for more responsible consumption because the styles are timeless. We try to keep a range of colors that will ensure that the woman can incorporate it into her wardrobe. »
She herself only wears around ten pieces per season, which she enjoys combining. “We make small collections, 20, 25 models which are all interchangeable and which are designed so that, the following season, they can be reused and combined with others. »
After working for several brands and owning her own – Touch of Me, distributed internationally –, the one who was used to doing business with Asian manufacturing workshops wanted to put local production at the heart of her approach, not without major challenges linked to labor shortages, rising production costs and the different stages of manufacturing which are now split into various workshops.
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY JULEÏ
Reversible Isabelle jacket in recycled cotton and polyester, $325
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY JULEÏ
Lucille tank top and Alice pants, 70% viscose/Lyocell and 30% linen, $128 and $198
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY JULEÏ
Lucille tank top and Isadora pants, 70% viscose/Lyocell and 30% linen, $140 and $198
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The use of natural materials is the other pillar of the brand. Rarely, synthetic fibers are used in the composition of its clothing. Instead, we find organic cotton, modal and viscose, as well as linen and hemp, on which Julie Magnan wishes to focus. “Hemp is, in my opinion, a material that will be more and more present in the industry. Now, textile manufacturers have found a way to transform it so that it is less rough, and therefore much more pleasant to wear. » When she opts for a blend of fibers, it is for the sake of comfort or durability. It focuses on dense materials that last and are easy to maintain.
“Producing in Quebec costs two and a half or three times the price of any external manufacturing,” says the designer, based in Saint-Jérôme. Where there is justification [pour la clientèle], is that if the piece lasts in the wardrobe, it is an investment. »
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Julie Magnan
“I don’t want to take away the pleasure of shopping from women, but I want to bring a little more thought into the choices they make,” she continues.
Juleï’s products are present in around twenty independent stores in the province. The spring-summer 2024 collection has just been launched.
Visit Juleï’s website