A studio basked in sunlight, the soft purr of the sewing machine in the background, and a tranquil worker, lovingly dedicated to the achievement of a passion : a garment is born.
If all the clothes in the world were made like that, we think everything would be a lot cooler.
As we know, it isn’t. We could talk about how we have enough (cheap, synthetic) garments for the next 6 generations of humans, and how the fast-fashion moguls keep producing, without a care in the world.
But we are not going to do that. Instead, we’ll tell you how the in-between happens. From ideation to creation, the process of designing, and making clothing is not as easy, nor as glamorous as people often think it to be. It comes with a responsibility; to the people, the environment, oneself.
Toeing the line between creative impulse and consumer good is not a simple task! So what are the actual steps for a garment to become one? Here is the Veri step-by-step process to make clothing you’ll want to wear.
Research & Inspiration
I always start with what’s readily available : art, nature, the latest expos I have seen, my readings, social media, a piece of paper seen on the sidewalk. Anything can give me a hint towards the direction I need to take. I prefer to go walk around town, and observe people, rather than do trend researching. I take note of colors, shapes or motifs that move me.
Whether the capsule is a fully-fledged concept, or an addition of different moods, I always think of a drop as something that will be cohesive for anybody. The ultimate goal is to create a garment that will be comfortable, and durable, yes, but also enjoyable to wear for everybody.
Bonus! Ask your friends what they’ve been yearning to wear, take a looong métro ride to look at everybody, and maybe spend a little too much time wondering what is *the* piece you’ve been dying to see make a comeback.
Conception & Textile Hunting
Most of the time, I will sketch up a bunch of ideas. Styles that I would like to wear, shapes I feel are missing in my wardrobe, certain sensations I have been wanting to experiment (layering, movement, cinching, etc.). I’ll look up similar styles or dig up old images for finishing details on Pinterest or Arena. All the while looking up samples from my different textile and trimmings suppliers, in order to find the perfect fabric in the color I want.
Sometimes, a piece of fabric will be my source of inspiration, and I will build a capsule around it. That is often the case for deadstock fabrics, that happen to become capsule highlights due to the limited quantities available. That is also something that I must always keep in mind while researching: the stocks can be scarce, and I need to keep an open mind to adapting my designs should I need to do so.
Field trip! Go deep in the concrete jungle of Chabanel, and get lost in the rows of deadstock fabrics. Cut at least 15 samples, fall in love with some fabrics way out of your budget, and decide to create a new item just because that juicy gingham NEEDS to become a bag…
Prototyping & Sampling
I trace all of the patterns for Veri items. I do not like to give this task to someone else as it is one of my strength — and greatest pleasure in the production process! I find it to be crucial to the essence of the line that I be the one to literally flesh out the garments. Yes, I follow my initial drawings, but anything can change!
Because I make genderless clothing, I always need to think about every body, an adapt the pattern consequently. That is one of the reasons I love to create adjustable pieces, that are flattering on multiple silhouettes. Each garment will then be sampled at least once, or until the results prove to satisfy our standards. Developing new styles takes time, and it is partly why we feel less is more. We prefer to launch less items, but to know they have been developed perfectly.
Pro tip! It is usually at this point in the process that you look for models. We like to work with Details for the models, because their goal is to emphasize beauty in all its multitudes. Regarding the rest of the team, I prefer to work with the same people, over new people… The bond and the chemistry are unmatched, and we ask our usual photographer Vincent Castonguay, and makeup artist Claudine Jourdain, to work with us on our editorial and e-commerce shoot. We grow with each other every passing season, and I enjoy knowing that they are part of the Veri family.
Production & Shipping
After approving all of the samples for production, I make a detailed budget and calendar, and confirm everything with my suppliers. It is usually at this steps that some items are dropped; if they are out of stock, the delays are too long, or the prices end up being over budget… Once everything is settled, the rolls of fabrics are ordered, the patterns are graded, and placed to be printed on what is called a marker. Our bigger lots are cut by our lovely subcontractor Giovanni, and the sewing will either be done at our studio or with some other trusted local team of seamstresses.
Once all the garments are assembled, we execute our routine quality-check (yes, even for the pieces made in our Montréal studio!). Each piece is then meticulously inspected, before it is prepped for shipping.
Side quest! For people to wear the garments, they need to know they exist! Some time before receiving the production is the perfect moment to inform our community that a new capsule is coming. We like to organize a little event to meet the people for whom we make clothes. It is always a sweet moment, as we are able to see in real-time how people feel about the pieces… until the next drop!
