Vanessa Pilon dresses her daughter Claire at Aubainerie. And there's a real reason for that. A reason that goes back more than thirty years.
A Quebec TV host and journalist, creator of the L'École de la vie podcast, Vanessa Pilon has built a community of over 240,000 people around two simple values: shopping local and keeping it real. Mom to 7-year-old Claire, she talks openly about everyday family life, no filter.
So why Aubainerie? Because as a child, her mother already took her shopping there twice a year to refresh her seasonal wardrobe. Today, she's the one walking through that same door, with her daughter Claire in tow. Three generations, one same store, and a family ritual she's making her own.
(Yes, we're a little emotional too.)
Mamie Zaza's legacy
In 1992, $100 was enough to dress a kid for a full season. It was the era when back-to-school happened at home, with the supply list stuck to the fridge and the budget tallied on a scrap of paper. For Vanessa's mother (and Claire's Mamie Zaza), it meant a complete wardrobe for a fast-growing girl. Vanessa remembers it well: every spring and every back-to-school, she'd walk into Aubainerie (which still went by Croteau at the time — if you know, you know) with her mom and $100 in her pocket. It was her store, her budget, her picks. She took her time, dug through the racks, walked back and forth between the aisles, and walked out with a full set for the new season.
"One year, I made a choice that was, let's say… questionable. I'd fallen head over heels for a rhinestone denim jacket and the matching skirt. Almost my whole budget went into it," Vanessa says.
Who are we to argue with the elegance of a little girl in full self-expression mode?
What stuck with Vanessa at age 7 wasn't the brand or the budget. It was the trust. The trust her mother gave her to make her own choices. And it's exactly what she does now with Claire. When Vanessa brings her to Aubainerie, she (almost) doesn't impose her taste. She lets Claire pick.
A small-town mom doing her own grocery run
Off-camera, Vanessa Pilon traded the buzz of city life for small-town quiet with her daughter Claire. Healthy co-parenting with her ex, her daily routine looks a lot like the lives of the moms who follow her: packing Sunday-night lunches, juggling dentist appointments, and realizing on a Tuesday morning that last year's jeans have become capris.
Her relationship to style has evolved over the years (shopping local, intentional choices). Her relationship to practicality hasn't budged. A mom is forever juggling time, budget, and kids who grow way too fast. Whether it's 1992 or 2026.
When Vanessa shops for Claire, she's looking for the same things we are: pieces that last beyond one season, that wash easily, that hold up over time, and that please a kid who already has very strong opinions about what she wants to wear (and definitely doesn't).
The Claire test
To prep this collaboration, Vanessa applied a simple rule: Claire had to approve every piece. No politeness, no compromise. If Claire said no, it stayed on the rack.
A 7-year-old is unforgiving. If it's not comfortable, it's a no. If the colour doesn't grab her, she won't wear it. And she won't say what you want to hear just to be nice. On set, Vanessa summed it up in one line we all wrote down: "Claire is the boss of her kit."
That filter is what makes the selection credible. Vanessa applied her own criteria as a mom. Claire applied hers. "To each their own style", her words, not ours. Hard to argue with that.
The trick translates at home too: pre-select the pieces yourself, then let your child pick from what you've already approved. It's the best way to keep control over quality (and price) while giving your kid veto power on style.
Everyone wins. Especially your Monday-morning sanity.
Want to see what Claire approved?
Browse the Vanessa & Claire edit →
Vanessa's 3 reflexes for shopping with a kid
- Pre-select as the parent. Sort the rack first. The pieces that make it to the cart are already approved on quality, care, and budget.
- Comfort before style. A child won't wear something uncomfortable, no matter how cute it is. Touch it, stretch it, check the seams.
- Let your child have the final word. Out of your pre-selected pieces, the kid chooses. You keep quality. She gets autonomy. Everyone gets something out of it.
A fair question
Vanessa Pilon — who advocates for shopping local — choosing Aubainerie to dress her daughter. It's not a contradiction. It just makes sense.
Aubainerie is a Quebec company that's been around since 1944. Over 50 stores across the province. Designed here, by local teams. The "Designed in Quebec" tag isn't a slogan: it's a certification.
But beyond all that, Aubainerie is built for the real life of a Quebec family. The one where you have to dress two, three, four kids growing at completely different rates. The one where the back-to-school budget also has to cover gym shoes, lunch boxes, and a raincoat because, well, weather here. The one where shopping local shouldn't be a luxury reserved for people with one kid or one pair of jeans to replace.
That's exactly the reality Vanessa speaks to in this collaboration. A mom with a budget, with constraints, with a packed schedule, and the desire to make thoughtful choices without running to fifteen different stores. Dressing Claire at Aubainerie isn't a compromise on her values. It's the natural extension of them.
Turns out shopping local and accessible is possible. All under one roof, that's the cherry on top.
Shopping local with a family: 3 practical tips- Plan your stops. One store for the whole family means time saved and consistent choices. Your Sunday-afternoon logistics will thank you.
- Bet on pieces that mix and match. Neutral colours on the bottoms, prints and pops of colour on the tops. Fewer pieces, more outfits. The wardrobe breathes.
- Look for the "Designed in Quebec" tag. It's right there on our labels and certifies local design, by teams from here. Not just a promise, proof on the tag.
See you on Instagram
If Vanessa and Claire have you curious, wait until you see them in action. Five video capsules drop on Instagram starting this week. On the menu: Claire commenting on her mom's style. Vanessa sharing her best tricks for building a summer wardrobe that doesn't sleep in the drawer. And a little nostalgia for the Aubainerie archives that bring back memories.
Follow Aubainerie on Instagram →
(We're not telling you everything. Gotta keep some suspense.)
Questions we get asked
Why did Vanessa Pilon choose Aubainerie to dress her daughter Claire?
Vanessa Pilon has been shopping at Aubainerie since childhood. Her mother took her there each spring and every back-to-school with a $100 budget to pick out her wardrobe. Today, as Claire's mom, she comes back for the same reasons: clothing designed in Quebec, accessible prices, and a selection where her daughter can make her own picks. It's a homecoming, not a brand-new partnership.
Is Aubainerie a Quebec company?
Yes. Aubainerie has been a Quebec company since 1944, with over 50 stores across the province. The clothing is designed in Quebec by local teams. The "Designed in Quebec" certification appears directly on the labels of the products that qualify.
What does the "Designed in Quebec" certification mean?
This certification confirms that the garment was designed in Quebec, by local teams. It's a marker that distinguishes pieces thought up here, by designers from here. Not a promise: proof on the tag.
How can I involve my child in choosing their clothes?
The three-step approach: pre-select pieces yourself (quality, care, budget), invite your child to pick from your approved options, then give them the final say. The kid gains autonomy, you keep control over quality, and everyone avoids Monday-morning negotiations.
How do you shop local with a family without going over budget?
Three simple reflexes: plan your stops to limit time spent in stores, bet on pieces that mix and match to multiply outfit options, and look for the "Designed in Quebec" tag on the labels to support the local economy while respecting your budget.
Until next time
The next time you walk through the door of your local Aubainerie with your kids, you'll know. You share something with Vanessa: that same urge to dress your family with intention. Without pressure. In a place designed for it since 1944. (Just sayin'.)
Discover Vanessa & Claire edit for summer">See the Vanessa & Claire edit for summer →
