Do You Want Your Next Fashion Purchase To Mean Something?

At Marnie & Michael, we handcraft leather bags and accessories with a portion of our profits going towards our mental health initiative.

Our discerning customers want Canadian-made, slow fashion, quality-made products. From Backpacks to Tote Bags, Zipped Pouches to Sling-backs, our made-local apparel brand is for the organized professional, the on-the-go individual, and the studious crowd. Our stylish yet functional bags get noticed because we stand by our quality and we pay attention to the details.

Our Founder, Jennifer, grew up with a mentally ill parent, which provided her with a unique voice. She clawed her way from coping to surviving to healing – all while feeling very alone. No one ever talked about mental health then. We are determined to change this experience from one of shame to one of sharing.

Look good. Feel good. Do good.

Jennifer St. John, Founder

Jennifer has always been a creative type - from interior design to art departments on film sets, to co-owning a Film & Television Production Company in Toronto and publishing:

BE KIND, LOVE HARD, MAKE MEMORIES.

Her vision for this mental health social enterprise took on a new meaning after the loss of both her parents, Marnie and Michael, in under a year.

As Founder, Jennifer wears many hats as she works with her extended team both in the studio and on a consultant basis. She is passionate about her involvement in ending the stigma around mental health and fostering honest, open, and accurate conversations.

Jennifer lives in the Georgian Bay, ON area with her family, where she continues to build, grow and dream, both personally and professionally.

Rachel Nguyen, Production Manager

After completing a degree in Graphic Design and gaining more than 25 years of hands-on experience, Rachel worked with several small businesses in various capacities using her design and production background. She joined ‘Marnie & Michael’ in 2022 as Production Manager.

Rachel enjoys working with this small, dedicated and talented team where her problem-solving, sewing and creative skills can be utilized. She also loves MARNIE & MICHAEL's mission to support local businesses and Canadian companies when sourcing materials for their product lines, along with their Mental Health initiatives.

Mental Health
Initiative

Bottom line – mental illness is hard. It’s hard for those suffering the illness and for those loving the person who is suffering. Jennifer's Mom’s Bipolar Disorder was untreated and undiagnosed for her first 52 years because mental health was a taboo topic then. We aim to change the conversation.