One & Only: Streetwear Takes On Fast Fashion
- Gabrielle Vendette
- Nov 7, 2018
- 3 min read
In April 2018, I had the pleasure of meeting Theo Charpentier, the creator and founder of One & Only, a Montreal clothing brand, for our first interview. He was energized, a young man who was inspired by the scale and the potential of his dreams and projects. We met for two lengthy interviews where I was able to delve deeper into the workings of his artistic mind. Later that same month, I had the pleasure of attending my first event with One & Only, a conceptual fashion show, and Theo’s third event.
This past Friday, on November 2nd, I attended the latest One & Only fashion show. The experience was comparable to meeting kids you had babysat many years prior: the event was all grown up. The entire vibe of the fashion show was different, more sophisticated and intentional. It had less the impression of a cool-kids meet-up and more of a fashion event, where the focus was on the clothes and the people wearing them. Don’t get me wrong, the first event was amazing! It had a cool vibe and a different concept, but the fashion show last Friday really presented a brand that had taken the time to define itself, to identify its reason for existing. The brand grew up, and let me tell you, what a glo’ up it was.
If you’re not familiar with One & Only, this is where you’re going to want to take notes. One & Only is a brand that Theo started in 2017. To be honest, I don’t remember how I heard about him, but I remember thinking that this guy had some really cool ideas. We set up an interview for the Link newspaper. God bless his soul, but Theo was all over the place. I say this with the most admiration, because he was someone who was so fueled by passion that he couldn’t compact all of his ideas into concise sentences. Fast forward to today, and I was happily surprised to receive a business card with a sentence-long slogan on it. It read “unity and individuality through functional and sustainable design.” Last time, it took him two 35 minute interviews to get that across.
Through One & Only, Theo upcycles thrift store finds to turn them into elevated streetwear. He makes modifications on the clothes for aesthetic and functional purposes, such as to cover up rips and tears. You could stop here, and that would already be a cool concept, but Theo pushes the brand forward with intention. In his words, One & Only is a “creative solution to the problem of overconsumption” of fast-fashion.
What Theo truly sees in One & Only is the opportunity to create a community of like-minded individuals and creatives who want to collaborate on projects. Last Friday, the fashion show was accompanied by a live musical performance by Jay Scott, an artist who Theo said he would listen to while sewing the pieces for his collection. One & Only isn’t a brand, it’s not even a thing. It just is. It’s wholistic, according to Theo. His word (literally), not mine, but I will take credit for the question that prompted his response.
For his Fall/Winter season, Theo decided to focus on the reinvention of denim wear, inspired by how people individually appropriate their denim style. His collections boasts 60 hand-modified pieces, from coats and pants to cross-body bags. The overall look could be described as industrial grunge, and there is something for everyone in the collection, whether you prefer minimalistic pieces or an outlandish look.
I spoke to Theo after the show and he told me that the goal of this event was to give a more complete idea of the brand to people. “This is me piecing all the pieces of the puzzle... I could not have asked for more in terms of people walking out of here with a notion of who I am, what the brand is, and what it stands for.” It was an especially personal journey for Theo to be able to properly define his brand, and he said it took a lot of introspection. It’s with an inkling of pride that I say, you did it Theo, message received.
There will be a pop-up shop on November 11 at Espace POP from 11am to 9pm where One & Only will be selling the pieces from its Fall/Winter collection, and I thoroughly encourage you to give it a look. You can find more information here: https://www.facebook.com/events/2313399728888293/
Here are the links for the two previous interviews I did with Theo Charpentier about One & Only if you are interested:
Here is the link to Jay Scott’s Soundcloud if you want to check him out:
If you made it this far, thank you, and welcome to my blog! Here, I hope to explore more of Montreal’s art scene and the artists behind it. If you have any rad suggestions for me, don’t hesitate to send me a message!
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