Since 1975, Garneau has been a believer in beautiful locally-made design that aims to bring joy, tradition and comfort to people's everyday lives. Collaboration with friends at Noujica, the Montreal-based artists and design duo, resulted in a three-piece stylish and ecoresponsible loungewear collection that features comfortable and ecoresponsible materials, plus flattering cuts, in two sizes, depending if you prefer a snug fit or a more relaxed one. Here's the full story of how this loungewear came to be.
"I've been wanting to create pajamas and loungewear for years, and the pandemic gave me the creative push I needed to start up this collaborative project," says Noémi Garneau, head of Garneau slippers. "Working from home every day suddenly made me realize I craved a relaxed, comfortable, but stylish outfit to both sleep in, and wear all day long, whenever I wanted to. I called up Jinny from Noujica, and we both agreed it would great to start making that right away, right here in Quebec."
Jinny from Noujica explains why she didn't hesitate to work with Garneau: "We've been bumping into each other at craft fairs for years, and we really get along. Also, I like that Garneau is a family affair. The longevity of their business.. it's rare! They've never been scattered, they have their classics, fun, beautiful and that just works. They've remained authentic. It's a durable product, and there's something for all ages."
When Noémi got in touch with Jinny, the COVID-19 pandemic had just started, and both entrepreneurs were at home with the kids. Noujica had been keen on doing design collaborations for a while. "I really like teamwork, explains Jinny, and I want everyone to discover what craftsmen and designers can do when they share knowledge, and help each other."
When Noémi got in touch with Jinny, the COVID-19 pandemic had just started, and both entrepreneurs were at home with the kids. Noujica had been keen on doing design collaborations for a while. "I really like teamwork, explains Jinny, and I want everyone to discover what craftsmen and designers can do when they share knowledge, and help each other."
"When I design clothes, what is most important to me is the comfort and the materials. It's about respect, about choosing the most eco-responsible solutions. For this loungewear collection, Noémi chose comfortable and breathable fabric that was also ecological (bamboo), and when we had to decide on sizing, I'm proud to say we opted for two universal sizes, because that reduces waste (of fabric), and that's really important to me," confides Jinny.