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Janet Chan took the following quote to heart: “When I beg, sometimes there is a dog tied up near the door; people come out of the pharmacy, ignore the beggar, the human being that I am, and pat the dog. Do you believe that? It seems hardly possible.”

This quotation, from the book “Les quêteux … portrait d’un monde” (“Beggars … Portrait of a World”) by A. S. Fortin, inspired her final degree project in school.

The 2011 graduate from Montreal fashion school, the École supérieure de mode de Montréal (ESMM), devised and created the ABRIS collection, a range of clothing and accessories to protect homeless people from the elements while providing them with a certain level of comfort. Beyond helping her get her degree, Chan saw her project as a way to help others.

Inspired in the field

Sitting in the Café L’Itinéraire, a center in Montreal, Canada, for people under 30 who are experiencing social exclusion and homelessness, the recent graduate proudly shows off her sketches: a sleeping bag-cum-coat; a coat-cum-poncho; a coat with an inbuilt visor; a coat-cum-rucksack; easy-to-put-on dungarees; a practical bag; a printed cushion. She tells of having initially been inspired by fashion designer, Lida Baday, and her 15Ü coat. In 2008, as part of the 15 Below initiative, the Montreal agency Taxi donated 700 of such coats to the Salvation Army. Each coat had many pockets, which could be stuffed with newspaper to increase insulation against the cold.

Throughout her own project, Chan has gone far beyond carrying out research on the Internet. The last thing she wants to do is to rely on and accentuate existing stereotypes surrounding homelessness. Nor was it enough for Chan simply to imagine what homeless people experience from day to day. She opted instead for a direct approach; moving among them to evaluate, understand and adapt her clothing to their needs. Both directly in the street and in homeless centers, she observed them, talked to them and organized fittings to gather their views and draw on their insight. She even left the clothing in the centers for a number of days to put it to the test over a longer period of time.

“I have done a lot of volunteering with local charities: L’Itinéraire, la Maison Benoît Labre and the Old Brewery Mission. Meeting the homeless people and volunteers has made me more aware of the real needs of my target users and the way they live,” Chan said.

She modifies her designs based on their comments. “Throughout my research in the field, the feedback I received from the homeless people has been very positive. I viewed their comments as constructive and these help me to improve the clothing and accessories which I design for them,” the designer said, her eyes bright with enthusiasm. Accompanied by a professional photographer, Chan documents her visits to ensure the project’s success.

She produces her designs based on a few vital criteria: neutral colors, durability, resistance, usability, comfort, water resistance, protection and low production costs. She draws inspiration from clothing sold in outdoor shops when adapting her designs to the varying and often harsh climate of Quebec. Her favorite materials are nylon, polyester and codelle, an insulating material. She also insists on testing her clothing out personally in different situations.

Beyond triviality

“The project has transformed me,” Chan said, the strength of her emotion clear in her voice. “Working directly with homeless people has allowed me to become much more mature and tolerant. The naïve and conformist little princess I was before has been transformed into a proactive and determined woman.”

The ABRIS project was a huge success at the ESMM graduates’ end-of-degree fashion show last spring. Janet’s fashion design teacher, Maryla Sobek, recalls how “when her concept and clothing were presented, a great silence fell over the hall. This magic, she created it.” According to Sobek, the ABRIS project was the most resounding success within Chan’s class. She hopes that other students will follow in Chan’s footsteps by going beyond triviality and choosing intelligent and worthwhile subjects for their projects.

Sobek said she was touched by the perseverance and remarkable sensitivity shown by her student: “Despite all the constraints put on her by the need to maintain consistency, not once did she give up. Janet stayed open to suggestions throughout. This allowed her to truly understand the cause.”

Looking toward the future

She may well have devised the ABRIS project herself, but Chan has remained modest and is quick to acknowledge the commitment and constant help provided by her teachers. She is looking to do more than simply achieve a good grade for her project; in fact, she has the firm intention of tweaking her prototypes further to adapt them as much as possible to the current reality of homelessness in a city environment. The designer is currently working on a request for government funding, which would allow her to produce her designs and distribute them among customers in Montreal and perhaps even in other Canadian towns.

“I have believed in this project since the very beginning, and I hope that Janet will be able to make it a reality,” says Jean-Claude La Bonté, one of Chan’s lecturers. “Janet understands the way of life of her target users, and I believe that she has responded to the specific needs of all types of homeless people.”

Chan is also seeking sponsorship to raise funds to manufacture her clothing and accessories. She feels that it is important for the manufacturing process to encourage social reintegration.

“The system of distribution is still under consideration. I would like to find a lending system which can be adapted to the way homeless centers work,” she said.

Translated from French into English by Emanuela Campbell streetnewsservice.org / L’Itinéraire — Canada