The History of Nathon Kong: A Brand with Purpose
The journey of the Nathon Kong brand has been a long one. Some things have changed since the brand was officially launched. But other things, like our core values of caring for our customers and the community we reside in, have never changed. Who we were yesterday is an integral part of who we are today. Below is our complete journey so far.
Innovations in Bespoke Tailoring
Nathon Kong worked as a microbiologist after completing his degree at McGill University in Montreal and worked for a pharmaceutical company for some years. After a disappointing experience in purchasing a bespoke suit, Nathon found a passion for fashion design. He made the leap from scientist to designer and founded the Nathon Kong brand in 2015.
The original concept of Nathon Kong bespoke tailoring was that instead of making customers come to us, we would come to our customer's offices. Nathon Kong began as a mobile boutique that was solar powered and integrated with a full body scanner. The body scanner could take 450 measurements in under 5 to 15 seconds. Our goal at the time was to maximize the convenience of getting a custom suit for our customers.
Nathon first pitched the idea during the CBC Media Pitch competition at the International Startup festival and won the first place prize.
While running Trailor2Go, Nathon found that customers returned to Nathon Kong not because of convenience his business offered but for the personal connections he made with his clients. Nathon Kong retired Trailor2Go and built a private show room at the heart of Montreal city. Customer's receive invitations to come visit us at this show room where we strive to offer the best bespoke suit experience in Montreal.
Creating Artworks with a Purpose
Ambassadors for Nathon Kong (From Left to Right: Jacques-André Dupont, Jean R. Durpre, Michel Leblanc, Michel de la Chenelière)
From the brand's earliest conception, Nathon knew he wanted promote responsible consumerism. He wanted to create artworks that were purposeful, that tells a story, and that gave back to the community. This led to many collaborations with non-profit organisations in Montreal.
$50,000 Raised for Mental Health Awareness
Nathon Kong collaborates closest with Les Impatients, a non-profit organization that holds therapeutic art programs for people with diagnosed mental health troubles. Through these workshops, participants find a purpose beyond being a patient with a mental health difficulty and transform their experiences into something beautiful. We incorporate the artworks they create into the lining of suits and limited-edition collections of mulberry silk fashion accessories.
The artworks and clothing represent the artist's journey to mental health recovery. When you wear Nathon Kong, you carry the artist's story with you.
10% of your purchases are given back to Les Impatients so that they can continue to support local artists and raise awareness for mental health. So far, we have raised over $50,000 for the cause of mental health thanks to the support of our clients.
Click here to discover our current collection of limited edition silk fashion accessories.
Collaboration with Maison Flora Tristan
Nathon Kong has also collaborated with Maison Flora Tristan, a woman's shelter in Montreal, to raise awareness for domestic violence. Nathon Kong worked with Montreal artist MissMe to create a special limited-edition scarf.
All the profits made were donated to Maison Floral Tristan to support survivors of domestic violence.
Luxury Mulberry Silk Face Masks that Support the Community
In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Nathon Kong created silk and cotton face masks that incorporate the artworks of Les Impatients.
Nathon Kong also created the Nathon Kong Angel network, the new Uber for seamstresses. We hired local Montreal seamstresses who lost their jobs during COVID-19 to sew silk face masks for more than the usual pay rate. Those who are vulnerable to corona virus worked from the safety of their homes.
Silk and cotton are fabrics that offer the best filtration for face masks. The silk makes the mask breathable and comfortable to wear throughout the day. Like all our other silk fashion accessories, silk face masks are made in limited edition and come with a certificate of authenticity detailing the masks edition number and the story of the artist who created the mask's artwork.
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