Jacques & Anna, the design studio specializing in light fixtures, now has a brick-and-mortar location at 5821-A Parc Avenue in Montreal. The small shop was carefully curated by Anaïe Dufresne as a perfect place to discover the Montreal company’s creations and to meet the team. Visitors will also be able to check out the studio's new collection, find lamps from previous collections, and enlist the studio's made-to-order services on the premises. 

As with previous collections, the elemental nature of light as a beacon and haven continues to be the main theme in Jacques & Anna’s creative process. The new collection, some of which was showcased at SOUK Habitat last December, consists of four core pieces inspired by lighting devices from the nautical world: anchor lights, lighthouses, buoys, and masthead lights. These four rather sculptural light fixtures served as a starting point for developing a series of pieces that are just as unique, but more affordable. For each design, the studio created one or two versions as smaller, easy to install  models, while still retaining their beautiful and comforting characteristics. Designer Anaïe Dufresne, whose work can be observed in a variety of restaurant settings (Candide, Le Clocher Penché, Paloma, Café Chez Têta, Shay and the Trois Fois Par Jour shop), is unveiling her 2021 collection with the launch of the new space.

Wanting to push the boundaries of their latest accomplishments, the studio is revisiting its fondness for textures by highlighting its two preferred materials: ceramic and Ductal concrete. Once again, Jacques & Anna is working with ceramicist, Sarah-Jeanne Riverdy, to create these pieces that are at times soft and matte, wet and glazed, and textured and engraved. For this new series, the presence of steel is more discreet, though it remains essential in the assembly process, and a marked emphasis is placed on the chosen colours and finishes.

5831-A Parc Avenue, Montreal 
Opening hours:
Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

About Jacques & Anna

Jacques & Anna is a Montreal-based design studio specializing in light fixture creations. The fundamental role of light in our environments, on a cosmetic and textural level, as well as in practical contexts, is at the heart of the studio's interests.

Born out of a father-daughter collaboration, the business took root by bringing together their respective areas of expertise. Jacques Pharand recently retired after working as an engineer for over 35 years, and he sporadically takes part in the initiative in respect to technical drawing and manufacturing challenges. Anaïe Dufresne, at the helm of the business, learned the ropes in the theatre world as a set designer, and her fascination for lighting became an essential guide throughout her academic and professional career. Heavily influenced by architecture and sculpture, she put her know-how about materials and light to good use to create skillfully designed objects where lighting acts as both a beacon and a haven. Anaïe’s work method is first and foremost focused on customer experience. The entrepreneur fosters an approach in which listening and friendly interactions are key, where assessing needs is the guiding principle, and a collaborative spirit of made-to-order creation is favoured.

Commercial and residential contracts alike have sprung up since the business was founded in 2014, on both a large scale and with smaller, more ambitious projects. Restaurants including Candide, Le Fricot, Paloma, Café Chez Têta, Cerise wine bar, Shay, and the Trois Fois Par Jour shop and offices all display Jacques & Anna creations, just to name a few. The business has also had the pleasure of working with extremely talented architects and designers, like La Shed Architecture, CatherineCatherine, Jean de Lessard, Ivy Studio, and Appareil Architecture.