‍

Helping people make the transition to a responsible wardrobe is the mission Geneviève Chloé Delage set herself when she launched her eponymous company in 2018. How? By repairing or repurposing the clothes her customers already own, or by designing pieces from scratch from her bank of recycled fabrics (deadstock). 

With studies in human sciences, fashion design and environmental education, it's fair to say that her business is the ultimate meeting of her great passions: people, creation and sustainability. And her commitment to making these passions a reality is nothing new. Back in 2005, she launched her first company, Ploukk Créations, dedicated to overcycling, long before "upcycling" became the buzzword of the day. 

‍

‍

Today, the service she offers, rare in the industry, is particularly interesting in an era when consumers want to make more conscientious clothing choices while cultivating a style all their own.

To achieve this, the designer first organizes a free 15-minute consultation with all new customers. They are then invited to come to her studio with the garments they wish to alter. A fitting, discussion and design session follow. "Most of my customers are already well educated about the environment. For them, it's more an opportunity to participate in design while respecting their values," explains Geneviève Chloé.

‍

Whether it's an overcycled outfit or a made-to-measure piece, the creation must be based on the materials available, i.e. those of the existing garment or those from the designer's personal deadstock library. "Sometimes you want green, but there isn't any, so you have to adjust," she shares.

New on the program: Geneviève Chloé is currently developing an exclusive collection of garments and accessories based on models tested and approved by her loyal clientele, which will be available soon.

‍

At the heart of her vision, community and knowledge transfer are also very important. In addition to having completed Vestechpro's "Create differently, develop eco-responsible clothing" course, the entrepreneur is part of Concertation Montréal's community of practice - a group that looks at various sustainability issues in the clothing industry - through which she also gives sewing workshops open to the public.

"My values drive me on. I want to build something tangible, something bigger than myself," confides Geneviève Chloé. And it's off to a good start.

The distribution of this article is made possible by the contribution of Détail Québec, comité sectoriel de main-d'œuvre du commerce de détail.

‍