Chic and Ethique Boutique
by Bonnie Alter, London on 01.31.07
Rien à Cacher (nothing to hide) is a Montréal boutique that calls itself “chic & éthique”. It is the first ethical clothing boutique in town, located on the hip and upmarket Rue St. Denis. Recently opened, it was started by a Quebecker who was inspired by Naomi Klein, 10,000 villages and reading Treehugger. He wanted to sell clothing that looks good and makes you feel good about what you are buying. His goal was to be more socially responsible in a difficult industry. And many of the labels are from Quebec, so they are created locally and have that special French sense of style about them. Oom Ethikwear, founded by two young Quebec designers, gives buyers “the possibility to dress with a conscience and express their social values through a unique style of clothing.” Two percent of profits is donated to social causes. The organic cotton tee-shirts mix fashion and the politics of social justice with flair. One white tee shirt has a map of the world on it, and comes with a white flag that can be pinned on to any country where you want peace. Another has a red cross over a map of the world, with the message “Love Me”. Another says “Kyoto United”, and another “Mére Nature”.
Grace& Cello, are two Montrealers who make their clothes in Montréal “because it helps us ensure that kids are not being used to make our clothes, and because we live in Montréal, and we like supporting our town, and our community.” Their clothing and tee-shirts are casual and well-styled for work and weekends. The fabrics that they use are a dream come true: hemp trousers, bamboo tee-shirts, recycled wool jackets, bamboo and cotton jeans and organic wool and cotton sweaters. With shops like this, saving the world becomes a whole lot sexier. :: Rien à Cacher
