Marie Saint Pierre

Semaine Mode De Montréal Fall/Winter 2024

Danica Samuel | September 20, 2024

Photography by Rory Creelman

Marie Saint Pierre’s Winter 2024 collection at Semaine Mode de Montréal debuted at the Four Seasons—a fittingly luxurious setting for the award-winning designer, heralded as Canadian fashion royalty. Known for her timeless blend of sophistication and avant-garde aesthetics, Saint Pierre continues to craft collections that challenge traditional concepts of femininity while maintaining her commitment to sustainability and local production. Her latest collection is a testament to her ever-evolving artistic vision fusing elegance, empowerment, and environmental consciousness.

The collection is a masterpiece in prognostication, both in design and concept. “I always look to the future,” she explains. “I’m a beauty maker, and I think that’s a key responsibility—to create pieces that last, that mean something beyond trends.”

A minimalist colour palette and innovative use of fabric alteration define the symphony of textures and tones. The palette draws heavily from nature, with soft hues of icy white, pewter, and a delicate light blue. “It’s like an ice desert,” she describes, inspired by Arctic landscapes where snow and ice create their own natural artistry. The idea of blending into nature, of becoming one with the environment, is central to her vision for this collection. “When you look at icebergs or snow, they’re sculptures in their own right. I wanted to reflect that in my garments.”

This connection to nature extends beyond mere inspiration; it is embedded in the pieces itself. Saint Pierre has long been at the forefront of fabric innovation, and this season is no exception. Her use of spacer fabrics, which are ultra-light and tech-advanced, brings a sense of weightlessness to the garments. “They’re lighter than feathers,” she enthuses, noting that these materials mimic the patterns of ice on a window, offering a unique aesthetic while also being incredibly functional. The spacer fabrics require minimal sewing, reducing energy consumption and production time and ensuring a long lifespan—an essential aspect of Saint Pierre’s commitment to sustainability.

Another standout innovation in this collection is her use of velvet integrated with spacer technology, which provides both form and lightness. “I’ve added a protective foam that makes it ultra-light but also gives it shape,” she explains. This results in garments that appear structured but require minimal support, allowing the fabrics to “hold themselves” without excessive stitching or heavy construction. By focusing on raw edges and reducing the need for linings—often the weakest part of a garment—Saint Pierre pushes the boundaries of minimalist design while maintaining durability and longevity and creates a “no hiding place,” feel—attributing to her desire to create pieces that are beautiful both inside and out.

The collection displayed a masterful balance of opposites. A crisply structured white bodice dress (Look 4) featured voluminous sleeves adorned with cascading ruffles, evoking a bold yet serene femininity. The contrast in fabric—a matte body juxtaposed with a silky gloss on the ruffles—adds a tactile dimension that is both visually arresting and subtly luxurious. In more uses of the snow-white hue, Saint Pierre layered translucent fabrics to create a flowing, almost liquid-like movement (Looks 15, 17, 19). The strategic draping and asymmetrical lines are sharply tailored, with a sense of lightweight armour.

Darker tones stood out in modernized tailored capote pieces, utilizing a sharp, sculptural collar that cut a striking silhouette. Saint Pierre’s velvet textures played with light and shadow, enveloping an ensemble of contemporary nobility and sensuous minimalism. But it was the hues of blue, complemented in oversized rosettes (Look 14) and bow (Look 13) appliques, that offered a nod to traditional femininity reimagined through a modern lens.

The award-winning designer’s timeless elegance remains a beacon of forward-thinking, local production, and ethical craftsmanship. As a vanguard of the nation’s fashion industry, we’ve once again experienced another design tour of her mastery. Saint Pierre’s exploration of femininity, space, and nature continues to push us into fashion’s future—a future that, under her visionary guidance, looks brighter than ever.

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