École de Pensée Puts Montréal Menswear In A Different Class
Paris, Milan, Florence … Montreal? Although Canada’s reputation for outerwear, workwear, and streetwear has grown mightily in recent years, ours is not the first country that springs to mind when it comes to tailoring. But Montreal’s École de Pensée is poised to change that. With its comprehensive ready-to-wear collections, custom suiting, and an inviting shop on a picturesque Mile End street, the brand is pioneering what it calls “new wave tailoring.” And, as the brand celebrates its 10th anniversary, things are looking more promising than ever — with the label being awarded menswear designer of the year at the Canadian Arts & Fashion Awards last October.
“We try to approach tailoring in a more informal way,” says Marc Garand, the brand’s co-founder. “If you feel good in your clothes, you’re going to be more confident and more relaxed.” It’s a philosophy reflected both in the brand’s commitment to detail and its subversion of the classics: eye-catching sport coats cut from fine European fabrics, overshirts with asymmetric detailing, extra wide-wale corduroys. “With our tailoring,” explains Garand from the brand’s Montreal office, “I think there’s a more fun way to wear a suit for work, but even to run errands or go to the bar. It’s always nice to wear good quality garments.”
The origins of École de Pensée can be traced back to Garand’s childhood friendship with co-founder William Lessard. After bonding over their shared interests in art, photography, and even skateboarding, the duo began scoping out the world of fashion. Their common interests inspired both the brand’s name (which translates to ‘school of thought’) and its design philosophy, which has attracted a diverse clientele including musicians, artists, and working professionals.
Garand and Lessard first crossed paths with the brand’s final co-founder, Julien Gauthier, while working at another high-end men’s store in Montreal. Recognizing a kindred creative, they welcomed him into the fold to lead their fledgling brand’s design and, after diligently saving funds, the trio crafted their initial samples and showcased an inaugural collection at industry trade shows in 2015. This generated interest from Simon’s and other retailers and, eventually, École de Pensée opened its flagship Mile End store in 2018. This deliberate but steady progress, Garand says, has allowed the brand to maintain its independence. “We still oversee everything as a collective, and we have the same vision and drive as we did in the beginning. With the three of us, we have 100 per cent alignment and trust each other.”
“A lot of people try to find inspiration in another country, but we have always been inspired by our home. We appreciate the ways these guys created different movements. People in Quebec or Canada say it’s impossible to launch a fashion project or be in music or the arts, but these guys did it. They created a revolution.”
Marc Garand on the Les Automatistes art movement.
Part of that vision is ensuring quality — a tenet clear in the brand’s canvas suit construction and choice of fabrics. Knitwear is meticulously sourced from heritage British manufacturers, and innovative textiles including this season’s shea butter-washed cotton gauze underscore the brand’s ongoing commitment to research and development. The team also maintains close relationships with its factories, fostering long-term partnerships built on mutual respect. “Our shirt factory is focused only on shirts,” explains Garand. “They work with only 17 brands. We’re a smaller client, but they love us and we love them.”
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This focus on combining elegance with integrity is also evident on the brand’s Instagram feed, which showcases influences as wide-ranging as the Les Automatistes art movement, the works of painter Léon Bellefleur, and the vibrant atmosphere of artist hangout Le Café l’Échouerie. “They were really tailored and nonchalant,” says Garand of mid-century Canadian creatives, “but not afraid to wear a nice jacket while they worked, or be free-thinking in how they dressed. A lot of people try to find inspiration in another country, but we have always been inspired by our home. We appreciate the ways these guys created different movements. People in Quebec or Canada say it’s impossible to launch a fashion project or be in music or the arts, but these guys did it. They created a revolution.”
For many Canadians, Garand says, the true mark of success is finding opportunities or gaining recognition abroad. But École de Pensée is not interested in such matters. Instead, they consider being based in Montreal — not a city known as an international fashion capital — as an advantage, allowing them to remain focused, and to not waste time worrying about potential competitor brands. With the accolades and admiration the brand has attracted, not to mention rumours of a second store opening, it’s an approach that appears to be working.
