École de Pensée puts Montreal menswear in a different league

Paris, Milan, Florence… Montreal? While Canada’s reputation for outerwear, workwear and streetwear has grown tremendously in recent years, our country isn’t the first country you think of when it comes to tailoring. But Montreal’s École de Pensée is ready to change that. With its extensive ready-to-wear collections, bespoke suits and an inviting store on a picturesque street in Mile End, the brand is pioneering what it calls ‘new wave tailoring’. And now that the brand is celebrating its tenth anniversary, things are looking more promising than ever: the label was named menswear designer of the year at the Canadian Arts & Fashion Awards last October.

“We try to approach customization in a more informal way,” says Marc Garand, co-founder of the brand. “If you feel good in your clothes, you will be more confident and relaxed.” It’s a philosophy reflected both in the brand’s dedication to detail and in its subversion of the classics: striking sport coats cut from fine European fabrics, overshirts with asymmetrical details, extra-wide corduroy. “With our tailoring,” explains Garand from the brand’s Montreal office, “I think there is a nicer way to wear a suit to work, but even to run errands or go to the bar . It is always nice to wear good quality clothing.”

The origins of École de Pensée can be traced back to Garand’s childhood friendship with co-founder William Lessard. After uniting their shared interests in art, photography and even skateboarding, the duo began exploring 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 met the brand’s last co-founder, Julien Gauthier, while working at another luxury men’s store in Montreal. They recognized a related creative and welcomed him to the group to lead the design of their young brand. After diligently saving money, the trio created their first samples and presented an initial collection at trade shows in 2015. This sparked interest from Simon’s and other retailers. and finally, 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 have the same vision and drive as in the beginning. The three of us are 100 percent on the same page and we trust each other.”

Part of that vision is guaranteeing quality; a principle that is clearly reflected in the construction of the canvas suit and the brand’s choice of fabrics. Knitwear is carefully sourced from British heritage manufacturers, and innovative textiles, including this season’s shea butter-washed cotton mesh, underline the brand’s ongoing commitment to research and development. The team also maintains close relationships with its factories and promotes long-term partnerships based on mutual respect. “Our shirt factory focuses exclusively on shirts,” Garand explains. “They only work with 17 brands. We are a smaller customer, 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, showcasing influences as broad 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 casual,” says Garand of mid-century Canadian creatives, “but they weren’t afraid to wear a nice jacket while they worked, or be free in the way they got dressed. Many 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 moves. People in Quebec or Canada say it’s impossible to launch a fashion project or get involved in music or art, but these guys made it happen. They created a revolution.”

For many Canadians, Garand says, the true mark of success is finding opportunity or gaining recognition abroad. But École de Pensée is not interested in such matters. Instead, they see the fact that they are based in Montreal – not a city known as an international fashion capital – as an advantage, allowing them to stay focused and not waste time worrying about potential competing brands. With the accolades and admiration the brand has received, not to mention rumors of a second store opening, it’s an approach that seems to be working.

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