Montréal: A fashion mecca

Montréal's fashion industry is known the world over for its innovation, design and marketing.

Profile¹

• Nearly 1,000 clothing manufacturers.
• Almost 15,000 employees.²
• Québec is at the vanguard of the Canadian clothing industry, home to 60% of the country's production operations and 55% of its jobs.
• Québec deliveries of $1.2 billion, 37% of which ($0.5 billion) were earmarked for export.
• Industry characterized by a high proportion of small and medium-sized businesses, although big companies are responsible for a significant share of the jobs.

1. 2009 figures.
2. These statistics do not include several thousand jobs at companies that operate in the apparel industry but whose main focus is not manufacturing (e.g., vertically integrated companies with their own retail network).

• A manufacturing base capable of producing a wide variety of limited-series products with quick turnaround.
• Innovative businesses backed by remarkable creative talent and the ability to effectively integrate design into the product development process.
• Numerous specialty goods and services suppliers.
• Expertise in cold-weather garments (furs, winter coats, etc.).
• Qualified labour pool, thanks to a network of vocational, college and university institutions.
• International reputation: Montréal was named a UNESCO City of Design in 2006.

• Marie Saint Pierre
• Harricana
• Soïa & Kyo
• A number of retail fashion chains, including Tristan, Femme de Carrière, Rudsak, Buffalo Jeans, Dynamite and Souris Mini

Québec's fashion and clothing industry strategy

The Québec government supports the fashion industry by fostering conditions for creative and business success, specifically through the province's fashion and clothing industry strategy.

Implemented in 2007, this strategy aims to enhance the strategic positioning of Québec businesses and strengthen the visibility of Québec-made creations locally, nationally and internationally.

Fashion tax design credit

The goal of this tax credit is to promote the use of fashion design as an impetus for research and innovation in order to stimulate the development of globally competitive businesses and maximize economic benefits for Québec.

To this end, the Québec government offers a tax credit for payroll expenses incurred for an in-house fashion designer (or patternmaker or graphic designer) or the fees of a consulting fashion designer.

Groups

There are several organizations in Québec that support this industry, including:

• the Fur Council of Canada, which represents Canada's various fur industry associations;
• the Conseil des créateurs de mode du Québec, which represents a number of Québec fashion designers;
• the Apparel Manufacturers Institute of Quebec, which brings together clothing industry executives and businesses that provide goods and services vital to the sector;
• LABcréatif, which fosters the growth of young Québec companies in the apparel industry;
• Montréal Couture, which supports the development of decisive projects that put forth innovative solutions to further broaden the selection of mid-level to high-end clothing manufactured in the Montréal area.

Key events

Québec plays host to a number of fashion industry events, among them:

• Montréal Fashion Week (MFW), a semi-annual event that gives buyers and national and international media an opportunity to discover the next season's hottest trends through runway shows and a showroom featuring designers' latest creations;
• Festival Mode & Design Montréal (FMDM), an annual festival started in 2001 which has helped strengthen Montréal's identity as a design-centric city by showcasing the creativity of its designers and its diverse lineup of unique products;
• North American Fur & Fashion Exposition – Montréal (NAFFEM) is the continent's premier trade show for fur and luxury outerwear. About a hundred exhibitors come to the event to present their collections to buyers from across Canada, the United States, Russia and other luxury good consumer markets.

MontreaL CollectionS

Under the name MontréaL CollectionS, Québec's offices in Canada and the United States promote Montréal fashion and business creativity throughout North America.