Frëtt Design

Frëtt Design is a brand of casual ready-to-wear clothing for men and women started by designer Michelle Secours.

Based in the Chaleur Bay region of the Gaspé Peninsula, the brand uses original prints inspired by the area’s flora and fauna.

All of the clothes are produced in Quebec, largely in the Frëtt Design workshop, which employs a staff of ten or so people. They are sold in the company’s two branded stores, one in the town of Caplan, on the Gaspé Peninsula, the other on Beaubien Street in Montreal, and on its e-commerce Website.

The history of Frëtt Design began in 1997 when Michelle Secours opened a workshop on Bellechasse Street in Montreal. With a diploma in women’s fashion, specialization in fur, from Montreal’s Cégep Marie-Victorin, she started by combining fur pieces with leather and alpaca and merino wool knits. She initially limited her production to a single winter collection every year, which is why she chose the name “Frëtt,” a Quebec slang word meaning “very cold.” At the time, her high-end creations were being sold in the United States and Europe, notably at the major New York department stores Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Passionate about wide open spaces and unspoiled nature, Michelle Secours moved her business to the Gaspé Peninsula in 2006.

At the same time, she began producing a spring-summer collection using soft, comfortable fabrics.

This was soon followed by a men’s clothing line and a plus-size line. In 2013, Frëtt Design opened a second store, in Montreal. The following year, Ève Guillemette was hired to manage it. She now collaborates with Michelle Secours on design and development projects. As of 2018, Frëtt Design also manufactures promotional clothing for businesses made of organic cotton and eco-responsible materials.