Lounge Wear

When the Fairmont Pacific Rim opted to re-envision its Lobby Lounge staff uniforms, it turned to Montreal-based designers José Manuel St-Jacques and Simon Bélanger of UNTTLD. We sat down with the dashing duo to get the scoop on their design inspiration, philosophy and predic-tions for the industry in years to come. —Rachel Johnston

How did you first become interested in fashion?

José: I knew when I was five it was what I wanted to do. My mom had fabrics hanging up—a chest full of fabrics. And I’d wrap myself in them and look into the mirror. It wasn’t about act-ing—it was about the fabrics, the draping and looking like a sculpture.

Simon: I was 11 or 12 when I saw a Fashion Television Versace runway show. And it looked so foreign, so exotic to me. And in the suburbs everything was grey and boring—I just figured, that’s the world I want to be part of.

How would you describe your design philosophy?

Simon: We have a very romantic approach to life and design. And we’re very much interested in history and human life. We do watch documentaries about kings and queens of France and Europe. But also animals and birds. So we’re kind of nerdy in that way. We get inspired by a lot of documentaries so it’s like storytelling for us.

José: At the same time, clothes are best friends that follow you through the day. And we all have in our wardrobe one pair of something that, if you’re having a bad day, you put on and you feel better. That’s what UNTTLD tries to be for women—to be those go-to pieces that are like good friends.

Can you tell us a little about the new Fairmont Pacific Rim Lobby Lounge dress/uniform?

José: It was really a collaboration with the hotel. They liked a couple of styles we created for the collection. And then we customized it for the needs of the hotel. It’s pretty simple, com-fortable. Everything we try to do is very stylish and elegant but always very comfortable.

Who is your style icon?

Simon: We love every woman. If you want to dress up like a Barbie and you’re owning it, do that. If want to dress up like a secretary and be super severe, do that. But be you and don’t be ashamed of that. That’s what we really appreciate.

How do you see fashion changing over the next few years?

José: I think no one has time and everyone is saturated with images and things to do so I think fashion is going to go more and more person-to-person. I think that’s really where the future is.

Simon: The all omnipotent retailer that dictates what you’ll be wearing is going away. We have kind of an old-school approach to fashion. We like the idea of a fashion house. We like the idea of taking care of women and dressing them. We like the idea of having a history that you build throughout your career. So I think all of these things will be coming back because nobody needs more stuff—we’re surrounded by stuff. And it’s part of our philosophy also to, when you buy the piece that, as José said, is like a friend, you go back to it again and again. So we tend to avoid all trends. I think we are “of our time” but we try and make things timeless so you can keep going back to them.