Events that Shape Community: A Reflection on Our Holiday Market
What started as just a market has grown into something far bigger than I ever imagined: a true reflection of everything I’ve been building toward: community. This is a look behind the scenes of how it all came together, and what these moments of real-life connection continue to teach me about LOOSENDS and the power of showing up for one another.
Photo by Liam John
Photo: Liam John
I recently finished hosting my third market at Studio LOOSENDS, my studio/office space for my small business here in Montreal, Canada. However, this one was unlike anything I’ve ever done before.
2 days, 15 brands, 2 studios, and over 200 guests in attendance.
Naturally, an event of this size required lots of prep work, and you definitely can’t have a market without some great vendors.
When I host these markets, it’s important to me to create a community of like-minded business owners and artists. Honestly, inviting local brands allows me to discover more about LOOSENDS, like what I value in the brands we collaborate with, in turn highlighting why our values are important to me, and ways in which I want to continue to carry them forward in our business. Back when LOOSENDS was just starting out, I used to participate in markets as a vendor more consistently. I always felt that the curation of vendors, to create a feeling of cohesion or common theme across the market, was sort of lacking. So when I decided to start hosting my own market earlier this year, that’s something that I prioritized.
The passion behind the brands that participate in our markets is always so tangible.
From our cafe vendors like Saturday Café and Nihel’s Matcha, to clothing and jewelry designers like Studio J’ai, Dova Pryce and Maison Prefontaine, to ceramicists like Pas Mon Style and Victor Chose, it’s so exciting to continue to host brands that foster and share our same ethos, and offer this platform to share them with our communities, both in-person and online.
Photos: Liam John
Of course, events like this don’t just happen, and the reality is, it couldn’t have come at a busier time. The week leading up to our Holiday Marché, my team and I were also busy packing and shipping over 150 orders from Black Friday weekend, crocheting bags to keep up with customer and wholesale orders, and launching our new Metallic Collection & Crochet Kits for the holidays.
Does it sound overwhelming and a little hectic? Sure! But through running my business, I’ve learned that this is where I thrive.
Photos: Florine Pellachin
It’s hard to believe I used to do all of this by myself. Just a few short months ago, an event of this size wouldn’t have been possible, but thanks to my team and some extra help from some friends, we managed to pull it all together at the last minute…literally (cut to me cleaning the entire studio and labelling yarn at 1 am the night before the market).
But if this is the price to pay for fostering local community, I’m happy to do so.
You see, it’s such a gift to be able to build a successful brand online, but working alone all the time can put you in a bubble, and having a sudden influx of real-life interactions quickly pops you back into reality.
Photo: Liam John
Not like I’m living in delirium or complete isolation, but getting to hear people’s feedback live and in person is exciting for someone who's usually working alone, and when we do these community events, I really get to feel the weight of people’s words. I got to meet so many people telling me they’ve watched me grow online, and how proud they are of how far we’ve come and where the business is headed. Those interactions are unmatched. To see that even online, all this work that we’re doing here is making a difference is truly mind-blowing.
The more I host these markets, the more I see their potential and significance unfold. The same way I’ve seen people anxiously wait for a new album to drop, or a store to open on Black Friday, people are eager to show up to support local artists at events like this.
The marché is just a physical manifestation of what we’re ultimately trying to do: build a brand that goes further than the products we sell. Sure, I could come online every day, sell you my products and leave my personality out of it, but where’s the fun in that? This business is my life. Truly. My heart and soul are woven into the fibres of LOOSENDS. We put our everything into our small businesses, and that deserves to be shown. And as a consumer, that’s what I want to see, and what’s going to keep me coming back time and time again.
These days, people are craving community, and I think that’s what’s at the heart of these markets.
We're bringing people together with similar interests and values, and giving everyone a platform to connect by sharing these deep-rooted, defining characteristics that make us who we are. Sure, it sounds deep, but isn’t that the whole point? Aren’t we all trying to find the people and places that make us feel like home? When we’re being pulled in so many directions by our busy day-to-day lives, these glimpses of community feel like mini wins, connecting us to each other.
Photos: Liam John
I want to thank every vendor that participated in our Holiday Marche for inspiring me and making this event everything that it was. To our guests who showed up and chose to shop local this holiday season, know that you’re truly making a difference in your community.
If you’re reading this and craving a sense of community, just as we all are these days, I want to leave you with this excerpt from my friend Vic’s Substack at Saturday Café:
“the truth is, community can look like a neighbour showing up at your door with a handful of freshly picked herbs from their garden, but it can just as easily look like dragging yourself out of bed at 7am to help a friend shovel their car out of a snowbank in the middle of the worst storm of the year. community does come at a cost, but i can’t think of anything better worth investing in.”
Happy Holidays, from the LE team<3
