Understanding the Cornerstone of Twenty Montreal
Before Twenty Montreal was an idea, much less a global brand, we started as a bustling 10,000-square-foot knitting factory known as Tricots Liesse situated in Montreal, Canada. Founded in 1965, Tricots Liesse was created by David Helwani’s (creator of Twenty Montreal, Twenty Tees) father, who provided materials for brands like Helmut Lang, Alice + Olivia, and Elie Tahari. From there, Tricots Liesse became known as the go-to source for premium knitters, supplying circular knits to the apparel industry.
As business thrived, we expanded to a 250,000-square-foot circular knitting facility (Tricots Liesse) and textile finishing company (Di-Tech). Our company now provides fabrics and materials around the world in the sportswear, fashion, swimwear, and protective wear segments.
The vision for Twenty Montreal began slowly but surely. As a child, David would spend his summers working with his father at the mill. After leaving Montreal to complete law school and work in the music industry, David returned with an idea to begin manufacturing clothes. The family worked and planned together, and from that was born Twenty Tees and Twenty Montreal. The Helwani family’s background in luxury knitwear and exotic fibers and fabrics had given way to create a perfect marriage of shockingly cozy yet classic knits — the best of both worlds.
Inspiration
An idea was born when David saw a gap in the clothing market for accessible luxury knitwear brands. He decided to combine his family’s decades of experience creating knits with his desire to launch a collection of premium knitwear products. The venture began with luxury basics and then expanded to sportswear, basics, and casual chic ensembles including knit sweatshirts, cropped sweatshirts, and mesh crop tops.
The TWENTY Difference: What’s in Your Knit Sweatshirt?
Because we source all of our fabrics from our own mill, we can offer a higher level of luxury. All of our clothes are made from opulent materials at a price point unheard of among other contemporary brands. In staying on-trend with the constant ebb and flow of the market, our mission is to consistently design high-end classics while pioneering the latest trends and styles. We work to interpret current fashion moods while unveiling our own take on beautifully silhouetted basics using exclusive luxury knits with insanely soft textures (lining the inside of that knit sweatshirt) and an eternal practicality. Characterized by effortless ensembles and edgy statement pieces, Twenty is a must for sophisticated garments and luxury basics.
Family Ties / Staying Grounded / Passion
In an interview with The Fashion Spot, David speaks on the best advice he’s ever received:
“Be passionate about what you do and the success will come. My parents always preached love for your career instead of monetary pursuits because they knew that if we cared enough about what we were doing the rest would fall into place accordingly. They were right.”
And there you have it: the cornerstone of Twenty Montreal is that we pride ourselves on family-owned, quality-made products. When you purchase from Twenty Montreal, you know you’re buying into more than just a clothing brand. You’re investing in a family-inspired lifestyle that’s built on passion, hard work, and providing you the highest quality knits.