MONTREAL.- The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is showcasing Quebec fashion with Montreal Couture. Presented in conjunction with the retrospective Thierry Mugler: Couturissime, the exhibition features the creations of a selection of established and emerging designers whose distinctive styles define current Quebec fashion: Philippe Dubuc, Denis Gagnon, Ying Gao, Helmer Joseph, Nathon Kong, Marie-Ève Lecavalier, MARKANTOINE, Fecal Matter, Atelier New Regime and Marie Saint Pierre.

MMFA Director General and Chief Curator, Nathalie Bondil explains, "This exhibition is a tip of the hat to Quebec fashion. It was born at last fall’s Museum Ball, NUIT COUTURE where dramatic installations paid tribute to Quebec fashion designers. Some were known to me, others were a revelation, but all amazed me with their talent ... these designers, established or emerging, experimental or international, were all notable for the quality of their output and the audacity of their inspiration. How could I ignore this opportunity to show off the couture created in our local ateliers? I have tremendous respect for these demanding métiers and the people who excel at them ... right in our own back yard."

"The ten fashion designers showcased in this exhibition, whether they are established or part of a new generation, offer a representative sample of the remarkable fashion and design talent currently thriving in Quebec. With their daring originality, these designers, most of whom have been trained here, clearly demonstrate that there is room for innovation, experimentation and craftsmanship, and that it is possible to have global resonance and outreach," said exhibition curator Thierry-Maxime Loriot.

A selection of Quebec fashion icons are brought together here for the first time in a museum. For more than thirty years, Marie Saint Pierre, the first fashion designer admitted to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, has created clothing with precise and timeless cuts, marrying form and function. Since 1994, Philippe Dubuc has reinvented the men's wardrobe with minimalist, modern lines, meticulous finishing and embossed materials. Denis Gagnon blew like a tornado through the Quebec scene at the dawn of the 2000s with his irreverent style and spectacular pieces characterized by a sophisticated use of volumes, pleats, leather and zippers. In 2010, the MMFA dedicated an exhibition to him, following the 2008 Yves Saint Laurent exhibition and preceding The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier in 2011. The current exhibition also highlights the work of Helmer Joseph, whose elegant designs draw on his Haitian origins and the expertise he acquired in Parisian fashion houses. Finally, Ying Gao, whose work encompasses fashion, industrial design and robotics, has seen her creations exhibited in the world’s major museums. She explores the use of new materials, such as medical latex, and interactive sensory technology that makes a garment both poetic and participative.

Finally, Montreal Couture shines a spotlight on up-and-coming designers: Overlooking conventions, the duo Fecal Matter, comprising Hannah Rose Dalton and Steven Raj Bhaskaran, sparked a worldwide craze when their transhumanist-inspired Spring/Summer 2018 collection was presented in London. Marie‑Eve Lecavalier was the first Canadian to win the prestigious Chloé Prize, at last year’s Hyères International Fashion and Photography Festival, a noteworthy entrance into the international world of high-end fashion and luxury. Koku Awuye and Gildas Awuye, the duo behind the Atelier New Regime label, named Men’s Fashion Designer of the Year at the 2018 Canadian Arts & Fashion Awards, with their modern, technical streetwear; Nathon Kong who creates custom clothing with the help of 3D scanning, in collaboration with artists and community organizations; and the "young" MARKANTOINE, who offers ready-to-wear in a style that he calls "gothic/exotic".

Montreal photographer Max Abadian – who has photographed numerous fashion shows and big names in Hollywood including Lady Gaga and Julianne Moore, as well as worked closely with international magazines like Vogue, Elle and Vanity Fair, to name but a few – was commissioned to create the portraits of the 10 designers and collectives featured in Montreal Couture. Also, accompanying the thirty or so outfits on display are videos of the outfits – created especially for this exhibition – by Martin Laporte.

Several of these designers, namely Markantoine, Fecal Matter, Helmer Joseph, Denis Gagnon, Marie Saint Pierre and Ying Gao, are graduates of Montreal's LaSalle College.