m0851 is a Montreal-based company, founded in 1987 by Frédéric Mamarbachi, which designs and manufactures leather bags and accessories, leather jackets and four-season outerwear. Since the beginning, m0851 has voluntarily chosen to produce locally.
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History
Founded in Montreal in 1987 under the name Rugby North America, the company started out manufacturing leather belts. Frédéric Mamarbachi, founder, owner and creative vision behind the brand, is closely backed by his daughter Faye Mamarbachi, VP overseeing Sales and Marketing.
In 2003, Rugby changed its name to m0851 in order to better reflect the evolution of its concept to a more refined, urban look and to enable international Trademark protection in many countries where Rugby is a popular sport. m0851 can be broken down into the first letter of the founder’s last name, Mamarbachi, and the month and year of his birth.
In 1987, the brand launches its retail operation with its first location in Montreal, on Saint-Laurent Boulevard, followed by its first U.S location in Soho, New York City, on Mercer Street. m0851 is now present in major urban hubs such as Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, Ottawa, Quebec City, New York City, Los Angeles, Boston, Beijing, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Madrid.
Head Office
Head office is located in the heart of Montreal’s Mile End district, a neighborhood with a history in the garment industry. Afterwards, this borough has increasingly been known for its artistic neighborhood and home to many artists, musicians, writers and filmmakers. Art galleries, designer’s workshops, boutiques and landmark cafés are found in this area.
m0851’s Head Office sits in a large open area loft, with the office and workshops on the same floor.
Design
m0851’s body of work includes architectural spaces, product design and furniture. In addition to the product collections, m0851 fully designs their retail stores.
Local Production
All m0851 products are designed in Montreal. A majority of these products are entirely conceived and crafted in their Montreal workshops, such as bags, accessories and clothing. The voluntary choice of local production allows for better quality control at all levels.
Distribution
m0851 caters to a diverse clientele in Europe, Asia and North America through concept boutiques and E-commerce operations, and also distributes the collections through a network of retailers in various areas of the world.