Dagisco

Daniel Lussier (b. in Waterloo, Quebec, 1959) and Régis Thibeault (b. in Jonquière, Quebec, 1958) founded fashion brand Dagisco in Montreal in 1981. The duo met in their youth while studying in LaSalle College’s Fashion Design program before Thibeault left to study haute couture dressmaking at École Cotnoir-Capponi. After graduating from LaSalle College, Lussier worked as an accessories designer for a manufacturer on Montreal’s Chabanel Street for two years before reconnecting with Thibeault to form Dagisco, a composite of their first names. They ran their fashion business with a small core team of employees from an atelier in the Balfour Building at 3575 St. Lawrence Boulevard. It was a collaborative affair with Lussier designing and sketching, while Thibeault took care of the more technical aspects of patternmaking and fitting.

The duo created very fashion-forward men’s and women’s ready-to-wear lines aimed at an artistic, urban, 25- to 45-year-old demographic. Lussier and Thibeault’s apparel was stylish and dramatic, with an emphasis on strong silhouettes and a creative use of colour.

During the brand’s peak years in the 1980s, Dagisco was sold in approximately 60 specialty boutiques and high-end department stores across Canada. A trip to New York in 1984 resulted in Dagisco being bought by several boutiques in SoHo, at the time an avant-garde fashion hotspot, and the legendary uptown department store Bergdorf Goodman. The Gazette’s Iona Monahan covered Dagisco regularly, and the brand was featured in The New York Times, Québec Rock and Clin D’oeil.

Photo courtesy of Dagisco

Lussier and Thibeault worked constantly to generate publicity and support for their company. In 1984, they joined forces with 23 other designers, including Michel Desjardins, Hoa Tchung, Ariane Carle, Hélène Cohen and Maryse Roy, to form the Association des nouveaux créateurs de mode du Québec (ANCMQ). The group organized seasonal fashion shows to publicize the diverse, creative work of local designers. Dagisco was also one of eight Montreal and Quebec City menswear brands—along with Dénommé Vincent, Normand Martel and François Joncas—featured in the Couturiers Québécois boutique at The Bay on St. Catherine Street.

Photo courtesy of Dagisco

While running Dagisco, Lussier, who was always interested in interior design, opened Shed Café in 1984, a hip restaurant at 3515 St. Lawrence Boulevard. Following the café’s success and popularity, Francine Fontaine, a friend of Lussier’s, asked him to partner with her on Revenge at 3852 St. Denis Street. The high-end boutique specialized in Quebec designer fashion, selling the complete Dagisco line as well as pieces by Jean-Claude Poitras, Marie Saint Pierre and Parachute. Revenge continued to stock the brand even after Lussier eventually dissolved his partnership with Fontaine to dedicate his time and resources to growing Dagisco.

Facing international designers with brand-name recognition, the growing import market, and lack of government support, Dagisco found it difficult to compete. Lussier and Thibeault tried to launch a more affordable diffusion line, Prise 2, at the start of the 1990s, but with fierce competition from local mass-market brands like Jacob and Le Château, the duo decided to close their fashion business in 1992. Lussier continued designing restaurants, opening the Saloon Bistro Bar at 1333 St. Catherine Street East and Picolo Diavolo across the street at 1336 St. Catherine Street East. He also designed the restaurants for the Cosmos chain in Québec City. He then became a real estate agent after selling off his restaurants. When Thibeault retired from fashion, he left Montreal for Thailand.