Simon Chang

A Tête-à-tête with Simon Chang
by Lesley Bishin
published in Westmount Living, June 2007.

Simon Chang bounds into his Montreal studio holding a chiffon floral skirt in one hand and a tray of cookies in the other, which he proceeds to pass around with a huge grin. Wearing patched jeans and a black dress shirt, the thirty year fashion veteran conducts business with a smile, breaking frequently into uproarious laughter, but turning serious on a dime when asked a question, becoming pensive, and making direct eye contact. In an industry where people are constantly looking past each other for someone more important, Simon Chang makes it a point to be respectful. He is not only an interesting man, but he is interested in the world around him, and particularly in other human beings.

The little collection which Chang started in the seventies is now a fashion empire, with new products being added every season. Chang’s frustration over finding the perfect accessory at photo shoots led him to begin designing his own, with fantastic results. His love of art and his background in graphic design have allowed him to gracefully transition into the role of accessories designer.

Raised in Vancouver and now with a Montreal base of operations, proud Canadian Chang is the perfect blend of East and West coast sensibilities, infused with worldly artistic influences and classic elegance. Though he is of Chinese descent, Simon Chang is a Canadian boy at heart, dedicated to creating wearable, affordable clothing for Canadians. Chang has a vast fall/winter collection so that his clients can be well dressed while braving the elements. In order to help clients –and even his own staff- navigate through the immense 400 piece seasonal collection, Chang gives each clothing group a catchy easy-to-remember name, like “Dancing with Wools”, “Tweed her Nice” or “Elvis Paisley.”

Chang equates design to building a house, stressing that it’s only as good as its foundation. That foundation comes from Chang’s team of employees, some of whom- like his right-hand woman Renee- have been with him for over twenty years. Preferring to sell to small independent stores, Chang delights in meeting and knowing his representatives, and talking to his clients, even making selective store appearances. Knowing his clients has allowed Chang to grow and evolve as a designer of beautiful and wearable clothing. “Fashion is one thing, but it needs to be blended with practicality and wearablity,” he says.

Chang’s commitment to people extends far beyond his role as a fashion designer and he works extensively as a philanthropist. “Trends in Fashion come and go, but the need to give back to the community is consistent”, says Chang, who attended the Emily Carr Institute on a full scholarship from the Bay. He has never forgotten that he was helped along the way, and has continued to give back, founding the Simon Chang and Phyllis Levine Foundation in 1986. Over the past twenty years, the foundation has raised money for research in the areas of breast cancer, pediatric disorders, heart disease and Aids. They also support education and social organizations that help the less fortunate members of Canadian society – offering everything from sports programs for children to funding women’s shelters.

Proud fundraisers for the Quebec breast cancer foundation, Chang and his team designed shirts as part of a “pink” campaign that helped raise more than One million dollars across Canada. The foundation recently presented Chang a copy signed by Celine Dion, one of the many celebrities who has embraced Chang’s philanthropic design.

Chang’s dedication to helping others is apparent on a personal level as well. Listening to each woman’s fashion issues, Chang designs based on their comments. “You have to listen to the issue at hand before you can try to fix it,” says Chang, “not just when dealing with fashion – listening is the key to life.”

At a public appearance in Toronto, a woman in a wheelchair made a lasting impression on the designer. “She said no one noticed her because she was in a wheelchair,” Chang explained, shaking his head. That is, until she began wearing Chang’s fashions. With their durable construction and their emphasis on comfort and wearablility, she was able to tailor Chang’s fashions to fit her needs- and getting noticed, much to the designer’s delight. “A woman in a wheelchair, or with a walker is still a woman, and deserves to be able to dress and feel like one,” says Chang, who notes with a grin that his target market is “age 25 to death.” It was input from his clients that led Chang to develop a fitness style line – what he calls “the ultimate multi-tasking-woman’s line”- which is being launched next fall. Though the clothing line has evolved over the years, there is a consistency to Chang’s work that ensures little of it ends up in vintage stores. Instead, garments remain current, re-wearable, re-inventible and classically stylish wardrobe pieces.

Re-interpreting artistic influences- from Broadway musicals to art exhibits- through his clothing line, Chang continues to surprise and delight while being faithful to the rules of wearablility. Chang equates the layers and textures in his collection to food, each one stimulating a different sense. “But I only provide the ingredients.” He says with a smile, “Each woman builds her own menu.”