BKIND moves to Mile End
It will be 10 years next year. Ten years that BKIND, a brand of natural, vegan, eco-friendly and made here body products, has been gravitating in the Montreal landscape. Sign of its effervescence, the brand will move in the summer, in the heart of one of the most dynamic neighborhoods in town: the Mile End.
The founder, who is due to announce the news on her social networks on Sunday, gave us the scoop earlier this week, in a nice interview, at her (future ex-) premises in the pretty pastel boutique on boulevard Saint-Laurent.
Let’s settle this existential question right away: yes, the future premises will keep their favorite peach color, of course. Moreover, BKIND will also remain on the Hand, in a nice space that we must keep secret for the moment. Note that the design was entrusted to Stéphane Godin (to whom we already owe that of the current store), and that we are notably promised a “bulk bar” (for creams, shampoo bars and other soaps , it goes without saying).
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
Marilyne Bouchard, founder of BKIND, didn’t want to go into business “at all” when she started.
” Ten years ? It’s crazy ! “, reacted Marilyne Bouchard, who had not exactly realized all the years past. And yet, it is far, the time when the graduate of biology (she has a bachelor’s degree in microbiology and a master’s degree in bacteriology) was her little pots in her kitchen!
Born from a very simple need (“I have very, very sensitive skin! It’s my life”) at a time when the DIY was taking off, before organic and local were fashionable in this market, BKIND products now number in the dozens. “My very first product was a hand balm, in a small metal jar, with a handwritten label! »
You should know that initially, Marilyne Bouchard did not want “at all” to go into business. “I didn’t want to do that at all, she laughs, it’s a universe, and there are big players! But one thing leading to another, she let herself be persuaded by a friend from HEC, to the point of launching her own website. “I didn’t take it seriously,” she says. It was for fun! »
Marilyne Bouchard first makes her products in the evenings and weekends, after work. Very quickly, his recipes for body scrubs and lip balms, based on shea butter, coconut oil or apricot, as “basic” as they are, are all the rage. And from 2016, the project monopolizes him full time.
Then, everything tumbles: she opens a first workshop-boutique on McGill (2017), joins forces with a laboratory and a chemist (2018), and finally opens a first boutique (2019), then a warehouse (2020), for lack of space for its stock, which is now quite voluminous. She now has 17 employees, and does not know exactly how many products she sells (probably close to 80, if we include all the colors of her varnishes)! And do you know what? It’s far from over! To be continued…
3455 Saint-Laurent Blvd. New address coming soon.
Beautiful practical bags
-
PHOTO FROM LULULEMON WEBSITE
This 23 liter Everyday 2.0 backpack is perfect for everyday use. It can hold a laptop measuring 16 inches. $98
-
PHOTO FROM RAINS WEBSITE
Available in several colors, this backpack from Rains is water resistant. It has an inside pocket designed to accommodate a computer. Rains is a contemporary Danish brand that appeals to consumers with its sleek and very practical design. $140
-
PHOTO FROM M0851 WEBSITE
This flat m0851 leather computer bag is very elegant. It is carried over the shoulder. Inside, the pocket is lined with cotton and can hold a laptop up to 15 inches. $295
-
PHOTO FROM SIMONS WEBSITE
Heritage recycled backpack in a minimalist design from Herschel with a large laptop sleeve. $85
-
PHOTO FROM LAMBERT’S WEBSITE
Charlotte is the name of this vegan leather backpack from the Lambert brand, made up of different inside and outside pockets. There is a placeholder for a laptop and the pocket is lined. $149.99
-
PHOTO FROM SSENCE WEBSITE
This Coach bag offers a bit of luxury to carry all your gear. More chic, in leather and suede, at SSense. $770
1/6
Since we adopted the hybrid work mode, we transport our laptop between the office and the house two, three, even four times a week. But we don’t always have the right bag. Here are some models that can help you travel better on a daily basis.
It’s fashion show season!
PHOTO ANDRE PICHETTE, THE PRESS
Fashion show of the creations of the graduates of the bachelor’s degree in fashion design from the École supérieure de mode de l’UQAM, in 2017
Fashion graduates from Cégep Marie-Victorin and the École supérieure de mode from ESG UQAM will present their creations in the coming days.
On May 15, the ESM 2023 Fashion Show Event of the ESG UQAM School of Fashion is presented in the multipurpose room of the Sherbrooke pavilion at UQAM. This evening celebrates the talent and work of the graduates of the 2023 cohort of the four bachelor’s concentrations in fashion management and design. In addition to the fashion show, there will also be the presentation of end-of-studies projects that address the various social issues related to fashion. It is mandatory to reserve your place before May 14.
Two evenings are organized at Cégep Marie-Victorin on May 16 and 17. First, on May 16, the fashion show for graduates will be presented, but without the great staging and entertainment the next day. The following day, the Fondation Cégep Marie-Victorin’s Fashion Gala presents Collection 23. This is a fundraising campaign “for the survival of this fashion gala”, underlines Martin Deslauriers, director of institutional development for the Cégep and the Foundation. . The evening is hosted by Lolitta Dandoy, former student and CEGEP graduate, and DJ Frigid provides musical entertainment. As this is a fundraising campaign for the Foundation, ticket prices for May 17 start at $150.
Tested and approved: face balm
IMAGE PROVIDED BY AVEENO
Aveeno skin balm, $26.24, in pharmacies
The dry skin types among us know that we are rarely disappointed with Aveeno products. The products are reliable, the formulas rigorous, the results convincing. All without fuss. And without ruining ourselves along the way. No, we will not come to the end of an eczema attack here, but we will certainly soothe several red patches. This new face balm, from the Calm+Restore collection, does honor to the reputation of the brand. Offering all the benefits of oats (oat extract, colloidal oatmeal and oat oil combined), the balm tackles dry skin in depth. We particularly like its light texture, which does not clog pores and leaves the skin well nourished and above all soothed. A small amount is enough, on the affected area.
$26.24, in pharmacies