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View all: Home > advice > About the Designers > Luc Laroche | |
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About the Designers - Luc Laroche Hailed as "Canada's Calvin Klein," 33-year-old Montreal-based fashion designer Luc La Roche is a prime example of the axiom "Life is what happens when you're making other plans." Having graduated from an intensive two-year course at Ottawa's Acadamie des Coutouriers Canadiens in 1987, his heart was set on becoming a men's sportswear designer, but necessity required knuckling down to his first job as an assistant designer for a large-scale Ottawa-based Canadian uniform manufacturer. By 1990 La Roche was determined to strike out on his own. He created his own "De La Roche" sportswear collection of shirts, pants and jackets, offered it to a few Ottawa stores and succeeded in selling it to three. A year or so later, his following had increased to nine stores and included Eatons' flagship store in Montreal. A friendly buyer there suggested he design a more accessible menswear line. Thanks to her encouragement, La Roche launched his first LúK underwear collection in 1993. Much to his surprise, the LúK division quickly became the dominant factor of his business. "By 1994 I had to make a difficult decision," recalls La Roche. "I realized that image-wise, I was becoming recognized mainly as an underwear designer. My company was too small to manage both, so I chose LúK." Indications are that he made the right decision. By 1999, La Roche switched from using contractors to becoming an independent manufacturer. Two grants from the Matinée Fashion Foundation, one in 2000 and another earlier this year, have enabled him to expand his company even further. He currently employs a staff of 15, located under one roof in downtown Montreal, which serves as his atelier, factory and showroom. He makes a point of traveling regularly to Europe to keep in touch with potential new markets and the latest innovative fabrics. Today his LúK label encompasses a complete range of men's body fashions, including underwear, activewear, swimwear and sleepwear, plus a small collection of coordinating casual sportswear. "Since I started to dress myself, I've been guided by my own lifestyle," says La Roche. "This is why many of my designs are multifunctional coordinated pieces that can be worn not only as underwear, but also in the gym, at the beach and even as outerwear." The word sexy comes up a lot when buyers and fashion industry personalities talk about LúK. Caroline Brodeur, menswear buyer for the Bikini Village beachwear chain, says that LúK swimwear is carried in all of their better stores "for customers wanting a sexy look." Hans Koechling, international fashion show production coordinator and artistic director for "The Image Is," is a regular customer. "LúK has a very club look," he says. "It's designed to be sexy, and even worn as outerwear at raves. He really knows how to fit a man's body, and his stuff is very well made, which is why his boxer seams never irritate." La Roche, however, prefers not being slotted into one niche. "My cotton basics are not necessarily sexy and they're my best-sellers," he points out. Nevertheless, his packaging is decidedly sexy. So are his fashion shows, which have become a seasonal must for a growing number of customers, journalists and friends. Staged at the Aria Night Club for Montreal Fashion Week, La Roche's new spring 2002 collection was a jam-packed event. Eighteen enthusiastic male models, complete with Swarovski-bedecked torsos, presented his collection as a soul singer belted out "It's Raining Men," followed by dancing that didn't stop until midnight. Designed with comfortable fabrics, the LúK spring 2002 body fashion and swimwear collections incorporate thongs, bikinis, briefs, fitted boxers and hot pants, plus a variety of coordinating under/outerwear T-shirts. LúK's best-selling, basic 100% cotton underwear includes a popular buttoned fly-front brief in white, heather grey or navy, trimmed with white waistbands, or in black trimmed with red. A bikini and fitted boxer come in blends of white/grey with grey fly-front piping, grey/burgundy with burgundy or black/blue with blue. An extensive collection of slinky 90% microfibre/10% Lycra™ thongs, bikinis, briefs and pull-on fitted boxers are clearly intended for a sexier market-especially an eye-catching group with asymmetrical colour blocks contrasting black with ice blue, white with eggplant and eggplant with ice blue. Using nylon/spandex fabrics for his entire swimwear collection, La Roche offers an impressive selection of thongs, bikini thongs, bikinis, briefs, fitted boxers and hot pants in a variety of colours. The "Performance" group, which can be worn at the gym as well as on the beach, includes bikinis, boxers and hot pants trimmed with sky-blue piping in crimson, navy, deep purple and black. His "Fashion" group is designed to be noticed, especially his blatantly sexy thong numbers with contrasting front-to-back colours such as blue with crimson, yellow with olive, mint with crimson and crimson with yellow. There are also bikini thongs in sky blue, yellow, mint, olive and crimson; briefs with contrasting side panels; and drawstring briefs with peepholes at the navel. La Roche completes his collection with a group of multifunctional drawstring hot pants, bermudas and ankle-length pants, styled in 100% mercerized woven cotton, in beige, coral and sea green trimmed with contrasting doubleside seam piping. LúK is exported to more than 40 boutiques in the U.S., accounting for 45 percent of sales. Better boutiques and specialty stores across North America account for 75 percent of total sales, not to mention La Roche's own recently opened boutique located at Les Cours de Mont Royal in Old Montreal. Les Ailes, select locations of The Bay, Maison Simons, Wenches and Rogues, Lingerie et Compagnie and better Bikini Village stores are among his growing list of retailers throughout Canada. Having established a solid following in North America, La Roche is ready for new frontiers. His plans to launch LúK throughout Europe within the next year. |
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