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  • kucejoe
    Senior Member
    • Sep 2006
    • 348

    Denis Gagnon: Designer Calls it Quits



    I don't know if this will interest anyone, but this is an article about a Quebec designer, Denis Gagnon, who is closing up shop. His stuff was actually pretty nice. Anyways...

    In fashion, but out of business


    Acclaimed designer to quit. Denis Gagnon made magazine covers, but can't pay the bills




    EVA FRIEDE, The Gazette


    Published: Thursday, January 25, 2007





    Critical acclaim, glossy editorial coverage and hanging at Holt
    Renfrew were not enough to keep fashion designer Denis Gagnon in
    business.



    Yesterday, Gagnon announced he was closing his boutique
    on St. Laurent Blvd. in the creatively burgeoning Mile End district. He
    could not stay in business without public or private financial support,
    he said.



    "Mile End is getting there, but the product was perhaps too expensive for the area,'' Gagnon said.



    Gagnon,
    45, is known for his avant-garde creations, often in leather, with
    intricate hand-sewn details like pleats and puckers. A T-shirt might
    cost $100; a leather coat perhaps $1,000 to $1,500.



    Fellow
    designers, editors and stylists were dismayed by the news of Gagnon's
    closing. They pointed to the difficulty of staying in business without
    financial backing and to Canadians' lack of support for homegrown
    designers.



    Gagnon is certainly not the first talented designer to
    go out of business, here or abroad. Last year, Quebecer Philippe Dubuc
    declared bankruptcy before restarting his business on a smaller scale.
    Years earlier, Siphay Southidara, now working for Parasuco, abandoned
    his acclaimed Yso label.



    "What a loss,'' Dubuc said.



    "We struggle, we struggle, we struggle. We hang in, we get a lot of attention, we get press and positive reviews."



    Constant
    coverage in the pages of magazines like Elle and Flare - most recently
    with a cover shot in Flare featuring five red dresses from five
    Canadian designers - did nothing to boost sales, Gagnon said.



    Designers need to market themselves more effectively, said Lisa Tant, editor in chief of Flare.



    "Know
    your business side of the fashion industry, as well,'' Tant said.
    Market yourself, make sure your fit is right and price appropriate, she
    advised.



    She acknowledged, however, that many Canadians don't shop Canadian.



    "We have to support our own artists,'' she said.



    Gagnon,
    one of our biggest talents, reminded her of Rick Owens, an American
    designer in Paris "who is willing to put himself out on a limb and make
    fashion artistic,'' she said.



    "It's hard in this country to build a business on that."



    There
    aren't enough stores carrying Canadian product, she said. And shoppers
    prefer to go to the mall to buy from cheaper multinational retailers or
    from luxe international brands, she observed.



    Designers Mike
    Mitto and Payam Tavan are neighbours of Gagnon on the same strip of St.
    Laurent Blvd. The pair are among a handful of designers who opened
    there in the summer of 2005.



    Business is picking up, they said. "We diversify a lot,'' said Tavan.



    The pair do private label for manufacturers, custom design and sell their Tavan & Mitto line to Simons and The Bay.



    Tavan
    said the block is lined with luxurious home decor shops, so price is
    not the problem. "We do have the Westmount lady, believe it or not,''
    Mitto added.



    "We're going to be losing one of our biggest talents,'' Tavan said.



    Added Mitto: "Remember, fashion is a business and not an art. It's an applied art."



    Azamit,
    a stylist, model and muse to many designers in Montreal, agrees that
    local shoppers do not support homegrown talent. She herself has closets
    full of local fashion, and can be counted on to make an entrance at
    fashion shows and parties in original Canadian styles.



    "They go
    for the big brands,'' said Azamit, who does not use her last name
    professionally. "The money is here, but nobody seems to be investing in
    the right places.''



    For his part, Dubuc said consumers have always supported him. "That's why I'm still here.''



    But where is the industry in terms of supporting creative talent, Dubuc asked.



    "Copying,''
    he answered, suggesting that the major players in the apparel industry
    prefer making knockoffs to creating new fashion.



    "Why doesn't the
    fashion industry turn around, look at the designers and say: 'Let's
    blend commercial products and creativity and make something of it?' ''



    In
    fact, Simons, the Quebec department store, came to Dubuc's aid after
    his bankruptcy, commissioning a mid-price collection for men that will
    be available in July. "That's an example of good support,'' Dubuc said.



    Meanwhile,
    Gagnon plans to reflect on how to "restructure his career,'' perhaps
    take private commissions or contracts or work in theatre design, which
    he did before moving into fashion in 2001.



    He decided to close
    down to avoid having to declare bankruptcy, he said. He also lost his
    business partner, Anne Van den Bossche, who is working in Paris with
    designer Rick Owens.



    "It is a dream of mine to reopen downtown, but for now, I have to pay down my debt,'' Gagnon said.



    Whatever happens, Gagnon vows he will continue to work creatively. "My name is out there."



    The Denis Gagnon boutique, at 5392A St. Laurent Blvd., will close Feb. 17. The designer is liquidating all stock until then.





    Suspension Point Store (Online + Montreal, QC) / Tumblr / Instagram
    ...
  • Fuuma
    Senior Member
    • Sep 2006
    • 4050

    #2
    Re: Denis Gagnon: Designer Calls it Quits

    [quote user="kucejoe"]


    I don't know if this will interest anyone, but this is an article about a Quebec designer, Denis Gagnon, who is closing up shop. His stuff was actually pretty nice. Anyways...


    In fashion, but out of business


    Acclaimed designer to quit. Denis Gagnon made magazine covers, but can't pay the bills






    EVA FRIEDE, The Gazette

    Published: Thursday, January 25, 2007



    Critical acclaim, glossy editorial coverage and hanging at Holt Renfrew were not enough to keep fashion designer Denis Gagnon in business.




    Yesterday, Gagnon announced he was closing his boutique on St. Laurent Blvd. in the creatively burgeoning Mile End district. He could not stay in business without public or private financial support, he said.




    "Mile End is getting there, but the product was perhaps too expensive for the area,'' Gagnon said.




    Gagnon, 45, is known for his avant-garde creations, often in leather, with intricate hand-sewn details like pleats and puckers. A T-shirt might cost $100; a leather coat perhaps $1,000 to $1,500.




    Fellow designers, editors and stylists were dismayed by the news of Gagnon's closing. They pointed to the difficulty of staying in business without financial backing and to Canadians' lack of support for homegrown designers.




    Gagnon is certainly not the first talented designer to go out of business, here or abroad. Last year, Quebecer Philippe Dubuc declared bankruptcy before restarting his business on a smaller scale. Years earlier, Siphay Southidara, now working for Parasuco, abandoned his acclaimed Yso label.




    "What a loss,'' Dubuc said.




    "We struggle, we struggle, we struggle. We hang in, we get a lot of attention, we get press and positive reviews."




    Constant coverage in the pages of magazines like Elle and Flare - most recently with a cover shot in Flare featuring five red dresses from five Canadian designers - did nothing to boost sales, Gagnon said.




    Designers need to market themselves more effectively, said Lisa Tant, editor in chief of Flare.




    "Know your business side of the fashion industry, as well,'' Tant said. Market yourself, make sure your fit is right and price appropriate, she advised.




    She acknowledged, however, that many Canadians don't shop Canadian.




    "We have to support our own artists,'' she said.




    Gagnon, one of our biggest talents, reminded her of Rick Owens, an American designer in Paris "who is willing to put himself out on a limb and make fashion artistic,'' she said.




    "It's hard in this country to build a business on that."




    There aren't enough stores carrying Canadian product, she said. And shoppers prefer to go to the mall to buy from cheaper multinational retailers or from luxe international brands, she observed.




    Designers Mike Mitto and Payam Tavan are neighbours of Gagnon on the same strip of St. Laurent Blvd. The pair are among a handful of designers who opened there in the summer of 2005.




    Business is picking up, they said. "We diversify a lot,'' said Tavan.




    The pair do private label for manufacturers, custom design and sell their Tavan & Mitto line to Simons and The Bay.




    Tavan said the block is lined with luxurious home decor shops, so price is not the problem. "We do have the Westmount lady, believe it or not,'' Mitto added.




    "We're going to be losing one of our biggest talents,'' Tavan said.




    Added Mitto: "Remember, fashion is a business and not an art. It's an applied art."




    Azamit, a stylist, model and muse to many designers in Montreal, agrees that local shoppers do not support homegrown talent. She herself has closets full of local fashion, and can be counted on to make an entrance at fashion shows and parties in original Canadian styles.




    "They go for the big brands,'' said Azamit, who does not use her last name professionally. "The money is here, but nobody seems to be investing in the right places.''




    For his part, Dubuc said consumers have always supported him. "That's why I'm still here.''




    But where is the industry in terms of supporting creative talent, Dubuc asked.




    "Copying,'' he answered, suggesting that the major players in the apparel industry prefer making knockoffs to creating new fashion.




    "Why doesn't the fashion industry turn around, look at the designers and say: 'Let's blend commercial products and creativity and make something of it?' ''




    In fact, Simons, the Quebec department store, came to Dubuc's aid after his bankruptcy, commissioning a mid-price collection for men that will be available in July. "That's an example of good support,'' Dubuc said.




    Meanwhile, Gagnon plans to reflect on how to "restructure his career,'' perhaps take private commissions or contracts or work in theatre design, which he did before moving into fashion in 2001.




    He decided to close down to avoid having to declare bankruptcy, he said. He also lost his business partner, Anne Van den Bossche, who is working in Paris with designer Rick Owens.




    "It is a dream of mine to reopen downtown, but for now, I have to pay down my debt,'' Gagnon said.




    Whatever happens, Gagnon vows he will continue to work creatively. "My name is out there."




    The Denis Gagnon boutique, at 5392A St. Laurent Blvd., will close Feb. 17. The designer is liquidating all stock until then.






    [/quote]




    Damn, he made some interesting leather jackets at some point. The sad reality is thatthe market in Quebec istoo smallto support a luxury label for any significant amount of time, especially considering the total disregard for design culture we face every day. We do relatively wellsupporting high culture but everything else is left to rot in the curb, with international success the only alternative to complete disappearance.

    Selling CCP, Harnden, Raf, Rick etc.
    http://www.stylezeitgeist.com/forums...me-other-stuff

    Comment

    • kucejoe
      Senior Member
      • Sep 2006
      • 348

      #3
      Re: Denis Gagnon: Designer Calls it Quits



      I visited his boutique only twice and the one thing that I remember is a leather jacket (the comparison to Rick Owens is apt in quite a few ways in my opinion). However, on the mens side, I remember the fit on most things seemed a little off and his prices in general were maybe too high.



      On the cultural front, I agree with you. Just look at the recent flurry of closings of some of the more innovative high end restaurants like Les Chevres and now, sadly, Anise (One of my personal favorites). However, there does seem to be at least some interest in events such as the Montreal Highlights Festival.

      Suspension Point Store (Online + Montreal, QC) / Tumblr / Instagram
      ...

      Comment

      • deuxmille
        Senior Member
        • Nov 2006
        • 688

        #4
        Re: Denis Gagnon: Designer Calls it Quits

        That's sad! I'm not a huge fan of his stuff, but he was the best designer in Québec in my opinion. Having met the guy a few times, I have to admit that he was really really broke haha. His prices were very reasonable for the work he did and I hope he keeps doing his stuff, canadian need to open their eyes and stop dressing so badly!

        Comment

        • nairb49
          Senior Member
          • Dec 2006
          • 410

          #5
          Re: Denis Gagnon: Designer Calls it Quits



          Its true. I also love how all us montrealers are posting in this thread ;)




          I`ve always struggled to make sense of the Montreal market. Its sad that Gagnon is out, he had some nice pieces. None of it fit me, but still. I suppose the market here just isnt big enough to support a "niche" designer like Gagnon.

          Comment

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