One Magazine Article
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Hair & Make Up: Mariana Canadas (Rituals- Winnipeg)
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Footwear: The Shoe Doctor (Wpg)
Voilà par/by Andréanne
FALL FASHIONS
LOVE OF MOVEMENT AND COMFORT KEY
TO LOCAL DESIGNER'S CREATIONS
By Sophia Sweatman
«Local designer, Andréanne Dandeneau, has never left her roots behind. She finds inspiration for her eco-friendly and fair trade clothing label, Voila par/by Andréanne, from her Métis heritage and her dance background. She effortlessly blends aspects of the two along with an influence from nature to create her comfortable, fluid designs. Dandeneau, who began designing her own dance costumes as a contemporary dancer with Winnipeg's Prairie Dance Troupe, acknowledges her passion for her "love of movement and comfort," which she incorporates into each of her designs.
"If you can't dance in it, move freely in it, or wear it for a full day, I will not produce it," pledges Dandeneau. The designer's first line, Hug Me, was a comfortable yoga-inspired collection, produced under her label MJAnne Couture. She has since developed the label, Voila, motivated by her desire to better reflect her French heritage and new direction towards a more sophisticated style. She says of the name: "The new label seemed to simply present itself."
This sophomore label introduces more luxurious fabrics, however Dandeneau remains faithful to her ethical production principle. She is among the pioneering contemporary fashion designers who use viscose of bamboo and organic cotton for fabric. Both products have low environmental impact as they require little to no use of chemicals for growth. The bamboo fabric even has natural water wicking and UV protection properties. Although these materials are more expensive than traditional fabrics, Dandeneau recognizes that Canadian customers appreciate quality. The designer predicts that as more consumers learn about this type of production, "the demand for eco-friendly fabrics [will grow and) we will soon start seeing more clothing lines go the eco route."
Dandeneau was motivated in part by her Métis heritage to prioritize providing ethical clothing. The designer explains: "traditionally, the Métis live a lifestyle that is in harmony with nature." Her clothing fuses European influences and Aboriginal art, with pieces available that display paintings done by local Aboriginal artist David Albert. These wearable art items sport Aboriginal and nature-inspired designs. The two have also collaborated on Dandeneau's continued work in costume design.
She has lent her skills to local dance companies such as Nafro Dance and Winnipeg Contemporary Dancers. The designer's clothing, which includes dresses, tops, pants, yoga attire and scarves, is available online at etsy.com and ethicalocean.com along with various boutiques across the country, which can be found on her website voilaandreanne.com. Dandeneau has no plans to expand to larger outlets, as she likes "the exclusivity and intimacy of small boutiques." Although it is her dream to one day open her own store, for now she displays her work at festivals and eco fairs and holds open houses twice a year, where clients are offered free alterations to create the perfect dress. Dandeneau finds these types of intimate settings important as they allow her to interact with her clientele (typically aged 30 to 55) and gives them the opportunity to understand from where their clothing originates.
So to what does the designer attribute her success? Dandeneau credits "consistently producing quality clothing and fashionable designs that people want to talk about, hard work, and a bit of luck."
