Montreal brand Annie 50 bows out

After 18 years of dressing and “bringing” the Quebec woman, the Montreal fashion brand Annie 50 bows out. A decision announced by its founders, Amélie Gingras-Rioux and Annie Chagnon, on Wednesday, and which is explained by the combined repercussions of the pandemic and inflation.

Created in 2005, before fast fashion extended its hegemony, Annie 50 participated in the birth of a movement marked by the emergence of several Quebec designers offering ready-to-wear. First inspired by the 1950s – hence the name of the brand – the designers then explored other eras, offering colorful, often classic clothes, with a touch of originality and a lot of femininity.

But now the effects of the pandemic and inflation are getting the better of their passion. The company, which had five employees until last December, is closing its doors. “We are fighting against fast fashion, laments Amélie Gingras-Rioux, general manager of Annie 50. At first, it was easier in a way. The early years were smoother in terms of profits. In recent years, there has been the pandemic. We got into debt with government loans. »

If the company did well in 2020 by turning to the manufacture of fabric masks, 2021 was a year of “great darkness”. “We make festive dresses, dresses for the office, and no one was going anywhere,” she explains in an interview. Sales picked up in the spring of 2022, only to fall again in the summer. A situation that the Director General explains by the rise in inflation and the key rate.

“I no longer wanted to live in this continual stress of not knowing if I will be able to pay my employees, to finance the next collection, to pay the rent on time. I was anxious. After she told him of her decision to leave the company, her partner also chose not to pursue it. “He’s my 18-year-old baby and I’m letting him go. It’s a decision that is extremely difficult and hurts,” says Annie Chagnon. “To work in the fashion industry in Quebec, you have to be passionate, because it doesn’t pay off,” she adds.

The two designers say they have always refused to skimp on the quality of the confection. The lifespan of their clothes was at the heart of their concerns. However, production costs are rising, both textiles and local labour. “We had to increase the price of our products, but people don’t have more money,” notes Amélie Gingras-Rioux.

Entrepreneurs deplore the lack of support given to Quebec fashion designers. “Quebec products are cheese, maple syrup. It just happens in the grocery store, ”notes Amélie Gingras-Rioux. She would like to see the creation of a logo to more clearly identify the clothes made here, as well as government-funded promotion and awareness campaigns. Because, according to her, there is still a lot of education to be done on the real value of a garment.

It is precisely towards education that Annie Chagnon wishes to turn. She has undertaken a bachelor’s degree in vocational and technical training, at the end of which she wishes to teach fashion design. As for her colleague, she is thinking about the possibility of starting a consulting service business for SMEs.

This closing is also the end of a solid relationship between the designers and their customers. “We receive a wave of love on social networks, by email, rejoices Amélie Gingras-Rioux. We’ve been overwhelmed with orders since Wednesday morning. People send us notes and say, “I still have plenty of Annie 50s dresses in my closet and I’m going to wear them for a long time to come.” “The end of Annie 50? Perhaps not for immediately in the hearts of the faithful.

The present spring-summer collection is still available at points of sale. The company sells its stock, at a discount, in its online store. She will take part in the sale on avenue du Mont-Royal (May 25 to 28) and the Virée des ateliers (June 2 to 4).