MEET THE MAKERS
Shining the spotlight on Canadian design
As one of the main digital platforms that supports Canadian creators from coast-to-coast, Fabrique 1840 is more than just an online marketplace for the makers that are featured in it; it's a window to the world.
“A lot of our work goes into helping the artist shine: helping them to enhance their brand images, product pictures, identify the correct prices and tell their stories,” says Cécile Branco, the director of Fabrique 1840 by Simons.
“We are building a relationship with all of them to make sure they feel part of a community.”
Simons launched Fabrique 1840 in the fall of 2018 in response to a renewed interest from consumers in supporting local craftspeople, and the platform grew exponentially during the pandemic, helping shine a much-needed light on artists who were looking for new, virtual ways to display their wares.
FOUND
“During the pandemic, work at Allstudio, which is mostly commercial, pretty much came to a stop and we had always dreamed a doing of doing a line of residential interior furnishings,” explains Maxime Lévesque, an industrial designer and the founder of the Montreal-based Allstudio design office as well as Found, a handcrafted collection of furniture and accessories he launched in 2020 with Maude Rainville and Xavier Ouellet.
“We wanted to create a line that was simple and geometric and let their surroundings speak for themselves, rather than being statement pieces.”
Found, which is one of Fabrique's top-sellers in the home category, is a collection of coffee tables, stools, shelves, hooks and mirrors designed and made locally using wood and steel.
The collection's best-selling item, a somewhat vintage-inspired, four-piece shelf set made of powder-coated steel, is a graphic and functional arrangement of four floating shelves that can fill a large blank wall as well as provide a place to display decorative objects, which is what Lévesque believes makes it so popular.
“So far, we've really focused on floor and wall décor but we want to expand to ceilings, or lighting, and items for the kitchen and bedroom,” says Lévesque. “We're interested in niche products; really specializing in certain areas.”
GOYE
A collection of delicate ceramics infused with a modern, refined aesthetic and a touch of childhood fantasy, Goye is another Montreal brand that's a top seller on the site.
Originally founded by ceramic artist Stéphanie Goyer-morin seven years ago, Goye made its way to the platform via an entrepreneurship program for artisans called L'accélérateur des artisans du Québec. “As part of my participation in the program I received a bursary from Fabrique 1840, which helped me restructure the company in order to grow,” says Goyer-morin.
“The big life revelation for me is that it's not about working more, but working better. With Fabrique 1840, I do less expos and more online selling, so I can really work at my own rhythm.”
Goye's most popular piece on the site is a feminine silhouette mini bud vase that's made of porcelain and accented with hand-painted, 14 carat gold detailing. The other items that make up the collection, including a variety of bowls, planters and a trio of bottle stoppers, feature the same colours, like pink, beige and tangerine, which give the collection its unique look.
“The clay I use is broken white, which is a tone I really like as well,” Goyer-morin says. “It has a Marie-antoinette meets the seventies vibe.”
RAPHAËL ZWEIDLER
Working out of the Eastern Townships, this self-taught, multidisciplinary artist with a background in architecture, building and design transforms concrete, wood and metal into original furniture and accessories that range from single candle holders and bath trays to benches, console tables and lamps.
Infused with the brand's signature style, a combination of raw, urban concrete and warm, natural wood, the Fabrique 1840 collection features one-of-a-kind, often asymmetrical pieces made of cherry wood, mahogany, cedar and American walnut, among other essences, with the most popular item being the single candle holder.
“It's a good way to showcase concrete — which, at this point, is very well received by people who view it as decorative instead of just structural — on a small scale,” says Zweidler about the bestseller. “It's a simple object that you can place anywhere according to mood and context.”
According to Zweidler, who likens the platform to a type of social economy, Fabrique 1840 helps artisans from different regions grow and have more visibility. “It's about stimulating the economy in regions where there aren't other opportunities, or less of them,” he says.
“There's a good intention behind the site and the credibility of the company is such that all of the creators on it become endorsed as quality brands.”