From Arts to Fashion: an Inspired, Eco-Responsible and Inspired Collaboration Between Sonya and Pascale

A Shared Vision : The Creative Spark of Collaboration

The meeting between felt-maker Sonya St-Gelais and eco-responsible designer Pascale Viau sparked an exceptional creative collaboration. Sonya, known for her meticulous work with felt, approached Pascale with the idea of creating a unique collection to celebrate l'Empreinte's 50th anniversary. Her goal was clear: to benefit from Pascale's impeccable craftsmanship in clothing production.

For Sonya, this collaboration represents an opportunity to continue creating without the constraints of mass production.

"I've sewn a lot in the past, but I've lost the desire to do so again. Whereas Pascale is really into production. I wouldn't have approached Pascale if I didn't like what she did. If I hadn't felt I could fit into her way of working.

Pascale was intrigued by the possibility of incorporating artistic elements into her creations.

"I find that Sonya pulls me a little more into the crafts side... I love that. When I saw what Sonya had done with the jacket pieces, I said WOW!"

For their first collaboration, the two designers decided to make a cardigan, a boxy-cut jacket and a headband, all adorned with applied felt pieces.

The Magic of Materials, a Source of Inspiration

The project was born of the desire to merge two distinct creative universes to create something new and surprising. The use of denim - a familiar fabric for Pascale - among other materials, proved to be the perfect complement to support Sonya's felt. Together, they were able to play with textures and shapes to create pieces that highlighted each of their artistic visions.

This combination of denim, wadded cotton and felt was a first for Sonya and resulted in unique and original pieces.

"I never thought of mixing denim with my felt because I don't have access to reclaimed denim. Pascale brings denim into our collaboration and it's perfect!".

Creating with Two Sets of Hands: Harmony and Contrast

The creation of this collection was a natural and collaborative process.

"I had asked Pascale to cut the pieces of the cardigan pattern for me. Then I took her pieces and sewed felt appliqués on them".

This teamwork allowed each piece to reflect both Pascale's structured style and Sonya's artistic approach.

Pascale also had to adapt her cutting techniques to integrate Sonya's asymmetrical pieces.

"With this project, I'm going to have fun with the cut of the garment to incorporate Sonya's asymmetrical pieces into the original pattern".

This flexible and experimental approach resulted in unique creations, where each garment reflects a story of collaboration and creativity.

The importance of upcycling and optimizing raw materials was also been at the heart of their approach. Sonya recycled rejected felt and silk pieces that were too felted her scarves, transforming them into decorative elements for their creations.

"I reuse beautifully. It makes me happy!" (Sonya).

Merging Creativity and Technical Challenges

Collaborating on a creative project is not always simple.

"Teamwork isn't always easy. And managing to get a result that both people agree on... that a challenge" (Sonya). For Pascale, it was about understanding and integrating Sonya's techniques. "You have to understand the other person's work... But it's fun! It's a great opportunity.

From a technical standpoint, the main challenge was to sew the felt pieces in an aesthetically and functionally pleasing way.

"The challenge was also to use the felt and fabric so that they for well together. Finding the two pieces of material that match well together... But there's no end to what we could decide to do!" (Sonya).

A Creative Adventure that Reinforces a Commitment to Sustainable Practices and Local Production.

Sonya and Pascale have successfully created a capsule collection that not only celebrates the 50th anniversary of l'Empreinte, but also highlights the importance of reclaiming and optimizing materials.

This initiative also demonstrates the added value of collaborations in the field of fine crafts. By combining Pascale's structured techniques with Sonya's artistic approach, they have proved that the union of different creative processes can lead to unexpected and exceptional results. Their collection embodies a celebration of creativity, innovation and respect for materials. It serves as a reminder that behind each handmade creation, there is a story, a collaboration, and a shared passion.

Discover all the collaborative projects in the special 50th anniversary collection