CHLOE MAGAZINE
Since as long as designer
Mylene B
can remember, she has always
BEEN DRAWING CLOTHES
DESIGNING FOR THE PAST 12 YEARS, SHE IS
inspired by architecture, industrial design, movement,
AND THE FABRICS SHE IS WORKING WITH.
INTERVIEW BY EMILY FOX
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROGER PROULX
When thinking about the inspiring Canadian
designers she looks up to, she includes Jeremy Laing,
who is fairly well-known in the Toronto Fashion
scene and well as in New York City where he has
shown several times, but also designers UNTTLD,
Agathe Bodineau of LALAYEAH for her jewelry, and
Sarra Tang of HOI BO for her accessories provide
inspiration of the Montreal-based designer.
When talking about her passions, Mylène’s is a mixed
bag. “The drive to excel at something you’re passionate about and to push yourself forward is really
keeping me going,” she says. “But I also need to
spend time with my boyfriend and my 3 kids, they
keep me grounded.”
As a young designer, Mylène does not feel like she has
to prove anything to others. She determines that she
will always try her best to prove to herself that she has
pushed herself as far as she can. “I try to offer the best
quality in design, the way my clothes are finished and
in my choice of fabrics,” she states. “The only person I
have to prove anything to is myself.”
For a brand with fairly easy-to-wear clothes, Mylène
does not cater to a specific age bracket. She says it is
more a matter of style than age. If it is not the style
you are looking for, it won’t fit you no matter what
your age.
When it comes to the fabrics she selects for her
collections, Mylène prefers to work with natural
fibers such as wool, linen, cotton, and tencel. When
selecting fabrics, it is essential that she touch them
first, knowing how essential it is for the fabric to feel
pleasant on the skin. She also enjoys playing with
movement and draping, to make sure the fabrics are
malleable and adjustable if needed. Working with a
lot of neutral colours like black, grey, and white, she
also enjoys to add an accent of colour for each season.
During a day at the studio working on the
collection, it is only Mylène and one other person, so
she is present during every step of the collection-making process. When the first samples are out and she is
able to look at all the details, like look and fit, this is
when she is the most excited. “It’s when the collection
starts to exist,” she says. There is no typical day, with
some days spent working on drawings and others
doing patterns or at the sewing machine figuring out
how to finish a piece.
As for trends, Mylène tends to think of a specific
woman when she designs her collection. For example,
for Spring/Summer 2015, she tried to bring
movement and lightness to more structured pieces
like jackets by using fabrics like linen and viscose,
and by adding some openings at various places on the
garments. “I wanted to bring a relaxed fit and look to
clothes that are more urban,” says Mylène.
Although she has no current plans to show her
collection during fashion week, Mylène is not
without aspiration. “I would love to see my c
ollections in Germany or Denmark, where I think my
designs could fit,” she says. “But for now, I’m focusing
on my shop in Montreal, and the store carrying my
line in Toronto, ANNIE AIME.”
Finally, when asked about her success, Mylène
responded with the optimism and vivacity that seems
to mark the difference between those who succeed,
and those who do not. “The success to me is still
being here after 12 years,” she says. “And my goal is to
keep going for more years to come!”