Mercerie is a brand of various accessories designed and created in Montreal by Nelson Ta and Emma Laan. The brand prides itself in being unisex, offering products in both rugged and refined materials, often mixing the two together. Among their favorite materials are denim, canvas, leather, cotton prints and brass hardware. Natural materials are very important to them, as is limiting waste, which is why they make products using all their scraps. For example, scraps of printed cotton are used to make pocket squares and scrunchies; scraps of denim are used to make pockets and pouches, and and leftover leather is used to make cord organizers, bag straps and zipper pulls. They are aware that as a small company they have a responsibility to be conscious about the environment and limit waste, which is also why they try to create durable goods that will last a lifetime.

 

Emma has always been interested in the world of handmade goods. After moving away from home to Montreal at a young age and working as a cook for a few years, she realized she wanted to keep doing manual and creative work, but didn't want to work in the restaurant industry. After getting her diploma in fashion design she was lucky enough to find work for a local brand of women’s clothing. After 4 years of work in the field for 3 different companies and learning a lot of essential tools on how to run a small business, she realized she wanted to branch out on her own. Feeling a little too immersed in the clothing world, she decided to go into accessories instead, creating new challenges and forcing herself to learn a whole new set of skills.

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Nelson has always had a flair for design.  From a young age he was interested in various forms of art, from photography to music to graphic design and fashion.  He has always had an eye for the little details that make things special.  After finishing a bachelors in microbiology he realized he wanted to take his passion for design to the next level.  He proceded to go to school for marketing, graphic design and web design, making him a well-rounded master of his craft.  After doing a few graphic design contracts he met Emma and they quickly decided to join their strengths and start a project together.

 

Mercerie is the product of the love these two share for quality, handmade goods and the good design and workmanship that goes into them.