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  Karen Vaquilar - Founder

  

Established in 2016, founder Karen Vaquilar named the brand after her mother, Mercy, as it was her mother who introduced her to fashion and the realm of all of its possibilities. Before immigrating to Canada, Mercy Vaquilar was a teacher in the Philippines who also studied tailoring. As Mercy continued to sew as a hobby, she brought Karen along with her to visit her favorite fabric stores where she would select textiles.

Karen was born and raised in Edmonton, AB. and she is Filipina-Canadian. Before founding Mercy House, Karen worked in tech, land surveying, massage therapy, and was a breakdance instructor. As a former dancer, Karen always channels the impact and influence of dance through the fit and feel of her very own garments. Karen’s goal is always to promote and evoke feelings of comfort, freedom and confidence through her designs. Through her craft, another one of Karen’s main objectives is representing and honoring her roots, the Filipino community.

After completing her internship in NYC with designer Yigal Azourel, Karen moved from Edmonton to Mon- tréal where she met Amy Robinson. As a young designer working with many different brands, Amy had seen the effects of fast fashion in the industry. One company that greatly changed the way she was able to experience “Made in Canada” products was the outerwear company, Moose Knuckles. Utilizing her industry experience and educational background in Fashion Design from Lasalle college, Amy joined forces with Karen and formed a shared vision of changing the landscape of manufacturing methods in the fashion industry. Karen and Amy aim to make their mark on streetwear culture through Mercy House.

Mercy House garments are Made-to-Order and include the option for the client to select customized lengths. The vast majority of the fabrics used are made in Montréal. Mercy House is a love letter to culture, as its seasonal collections are influenced and take references from art, music, architecture and film. The “Mercy House Aesthetic” with its oversized silhouettes and futuristic ethos has been quoted as “Sci-Fi Hip Hop”. Mercy House’s goal and intention is to raise the vibration of the collective through its cultivation of uplifting messages, feelings of empowerment, connection, and love.

 

Mercy House is spearheaded by women and made for all.