What do many Canadian female fashion and beauty entrepreneurs have in common? The fact that they graduated from programs at Blanche Macdonald school in Vancouver! We chatted with four alum, including clothing designer Hilary MacMillan, about their businesses, and what it takes to be an awesome, trailblazing boss! —Vita Daily
Hi Hilary! Please tell us a bit about yourself to start.
My name is Hilary MacMillan. I am a Toronto-based fashion designer. I run my company alongside five other talented women in our studio offices. I have loved fashion and design from a young age. I mix high and low, fast and artisanal pieces. The mix-and-match is part of what makes fashion fun. I love anything high-waisted and shoes are a real collector item of mine. I am big nerd for skin care, and shopping vegan Sephora products online is always a guilty pleasure. I have a dog named Maisey who is a big cuddler. I am very passionate about travel and it has always been and continues to be a big source of inspiration in my work.
What’s your namesake label all about?
Hilary MacMillan is a contemporary, cruelty-free, size-inclusive womenswear brand. We are known for offering versatile pieces in timeless silhouettes, not to mention our focus on using high-quality, cruelty-free fabrics to design ready-to-wear pieces in bold colours and textures with the modern-day consumer in mind.
What makes your mandate/perspective, as a female designer/entrepreneur, unique?
I think women have been a guided a certain way for many years and we are so lucky to live in a time where having an opinion, choice and a voice is valued. My mandate is that women should be paid fairly and treated equally.
How do you/does your business empower other women?
We sell our capsule of varsity jackets, which speak to everything from body positivity, equal pay, objectification, societal patriarchy and so on. These products start the conversation around empowerment and make women feel seen and heard. My contemporary collection empowers women to feel good in their clothes and maybe even take risks. Fashion for many is an outward expression of self, and I love providing women with options to do so.
The relationship between feminism and fashion can be, well, complicated; how do you reconcile the two, personally?
I think listening generously and with compassion is really important. I know that a lot of women want to be heard they are feeling that this is times to express themselves. We are living in a safer climate for women’s expression particularly in Western culture, and for this I am so happy. Fashion historically been seen as oppressive to women, and at others an expression of liberation. I think we as society are always using what we wear to say something, whether subtly or not. This is because it is on the outside. It is an exterior expression. I bring the two together with my work in bold way with our varsity jackets and in a more subtle way with my contemporary collection. Personally, I use my politics and my platform to do what I can to make a difference, in my own way.
How did Blanche Macdonald figure in your education/career?
It was a great place to learn technical skills. I saw my ideas and my talents bloom there. I stepped into a new version of myself there.
Final, personal question: what’s your fave fashion trend going into spring/summer?
Oversized blazers with wide belts!
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