m0851

Montreal-based m0851 is a company that specializes in leather bags, accessories and clothing for men and women. The brand name consists of the first letter of the last name of founder and designer, Frédéric Mamarbachi, and his birth month and year, August 1951. When the company was founded in 1987, it was called Rugby North America. It rebranded in 2003, in part to reflect the more refined, urban aesthetic of its products, and in part because the popularity of the sport of rugby made it challenging to register the trademark in many countries.

The company designs and manufactures 90% of its products in Montreal in its Mile End workshops and with the help of local subcontractors.

The brand has built a reputation for its clean, functional lines and high-quality full-grain leather.

Leather working is a family affair at m0851: the founder’s daughter, Faye Mamarbachi, now runs the Montreal business with him. As of 2018, the company employed 180 people at its headquarters and 15 stores in Canada, the United States and Japan.