Zympala, for the little African touch<

Zympala, c'est Mireille Mpere Tshipama, une designer congolaise ayant vécu dans une trentaine de pays avant de choisir la région de Lanaudière. Ses créations se distinguent par leur petite touche africaine, bien dosée pour éviter l'effet costume. Un style qui a notamment séduit la vice-première ministre Dominique Anglade qui a porté des robes signées Zympala lors d'événements publics ces derniers mois.

When Dominique Anglade accompanied around sixty Quebec companies in the fashion sector at the Magic Market Week trade fair in Las Vegas, at the end of February, she wore a Zympala dress sewn specially for her...In the hours preceding his departure to Nevada.

Mireille Mpere can never forget this very special week in her designer career.A week well work and emotions.

Her husband Jean-Claude Tshipama had met a few days earlier at the International Black Economic Forum in Montreal.The founder of the event, Kerlande Mibel, wore a "green, very colorful, which does not go unnoticed", reports Mireille Mpere. Coup de chance, la ministre aime la robe, le mentionne à M^me Mibel qui lui présente le mari de la designer et hop! un rendez-vous est organisé entre M^mes Anglade et Mpere pour le prochain jour ouvrable.

"It was Monday, February 5.At 9:30 am, I was in his office in downtown Montreal with my fabric samples.I moved with all my kit to show him my collection.I was very honored.I was given a very large room, ”says the designer who moved to the epiphany with her husband and three children six years ago.The workshop is very close to the assumption.

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Two games, six clothes

Étant donné que M^me Anglade partait le 11 février pour Las Vegas, il ne restait que cinq jours pour confectionner les deux robes choisies.

"The talent I have," says Mireille Mpere is drawing the tastes of the clients in my head.So, I made him six clothes, four dresses and two jackets.I knew what she wanted.I did everything alone for a week.»»»»»»»»

Friday: second meeting of the two women."Everything did her perfectly," recalls the designer.It was the first and the last fitting.I only shortened two dresses that I brought her on Saturday, and on Sunday, she was leaving. Le mardi, M^me Anglade a mis la photo de sa robe sur Twitter!»»»»»»»»

The Minister confirms having bought the six clothes made for her in full prices. Elle aime le style de Zympala parce que c'est «très coloré»»»»»»»» et, en plus, «ça fait plaisir d'encourager une designer québécoise»»»»»»»», nous a indiqué son attachée de presse.

This unexpected visibility did not cause a spectacular increase in sales overnight, says the chief creator of Zympala - fusion of the letter Z for Zoé, who means life, and the impala, a graceful animal of theAfrican savannah.But the notoriety of the brand has jumped significantly.After only a year of existence, the company had 100,000 subscribers on Facebook.

37 countries, then Lanaudière

Even if they are generally colorful, Mireille Mpere - for women and men's clothes - have a look and North American cuts."I don't want people to think we make clothes for Africans.We make clothes for everyone.»»»»»»»»

For the moment, the collection is only sold.But the designer and her husband, who is president of the company, dream of having their own network of shops in the world."We visited 37 countries and we will go back on our steps to bring Zympala.We haven't traveled as much for nothing!We are going to do the course upside down.»»»»»»»»

In addition to ready-to-wear, Zympala offers those who travel to the workshop to have their measurements adjusted adjusted..Mireille Mpere also offers a fully tailor -made service.

The journey of Mireille and her husband Jean-Claude is out of the ordinary.After having lived around the world because of it in telecommunications, they chose to land in Quebec. Et comme il est «important de s'intégrer, d'étudier»»»»»»»», le duo s'est inscrit à l'école.

While Jean-Claude did an executive MBA in HEC Montréal, she signed up in fashion management at UQAM.She is currently taking a short break from her baccalaureate...To study also in HEC Montreal, because Zympala was chosen to take part in the Entreprérém program, which helps entrepreneurs mainly from cultural communities. «Sur les 400 candidatures reçues, seulement 22 ont été choisies»»»»»»»», note la designer, visiblement fière du chemin parcouru.

> Consultez le site web de Zympala