Winter fashion has a colour problem, and Sasha Jardine intends to fix it. The founder of Ste. Marg. Scot. trained as a drug discovery researcher, then left the lab to wage war on the neutral winter coat, one chartreuse duffle at a time. Her weapon is Canadian wool: renewable, biodegradable, naturally water repellent, and, in her hands, electric bright.
Her brand honors Margaret of Scotland, the eleventh-century queen who urged her subjects toward brighter cloth. Jardine’s coats contain no plastic and no metal, close with maple toggles and corozo buttons, and waste nothing. She calls the practice joy-dressing. I’ve already purchased the power pink baseball hat and two floral brooches. Her wool pieces are the most vibrant I’ve ever seen!
DomaChroma Magazine: What is your favorite colour, and why?
Sasha Jardine: Chartreuse. It’s vivid and yet feels like it could be neutral. Chartreuse represents energy and reminds me of the first signs of spring.
I’ve always believed colour is a form of optimism, and chartreuse embodies that perfectly.
P.S. Orange, green, and pink are all close seconds . . . this is an impossible question Pamela!
DC: Please tell us how you’ve interpreted the legend of Ste. Margaret!
SJ: Sainte (feminine form of Saint) Margaret of Scotland is our patron and the inspiration behind the brand’s name. I like to think of her as our unofficial patron saint of fashion.
She understood that clothing could shape identity. Historical accounts describe her encouraging brighter colours and local weaving, believing her people should learn to create beautiful fabrics themselves. Her vision was to elevate her community through craftsmanship and colour while creating a textile tradition that was distinctly their own.
That story resonates deeply with me and became a foundation for SteMargScot. It inspires our commitment to Canadian wool, supporting local fibre and farms, and creating pieces that celebrate our own heritage.
I’ve interpreted Sainte Margaret’s legacy through colour, craftsmanship, and Canadian wool. I believe colour brings joy, confidence, and individuality, while locally made textiles tell the story of where we come from.
A couple of resources about Sainte Marg:
https://www.litanynyc.com/post/saints-who-cared-about-fashion
https://www.heritage-history.com/index.php?c=read&author=steedman&book=island&story=margaret
DC: What are your favorite characteristics of Canadian wool?
SJ: Canadian wool is warm, cozy, resilient, breathable, renewable, biodegradable, and naturally water-repellent. It performs beautifully without relying on chemicals or plastic.
But beyond its technical qualities, I love its story. Every fleece represents generations of farmers caring for the land. It’s a material that’s been part of human history for centuries, and yet it’s often overlooked. Giving it new life feels incredibly meaningful.
DC: Where do you find colourful design inspiration?
SJ: Everywhere. Wildflowers, art, David Hockney paintings, old wool blankets, the changing of seasons, and random joyful objects! Even vegetables at the grocery store!
Nature is surprisingly bold. We often think bright colours are unnatural, but if you look closely, nature has been doing it all along.
DC: Please walk us through how a heritage garment is created.
SJ: It always starts by looking back. I love asking, “What has already stood the test of time?” I study heritage garments, traditional tailoring, and old workwear, not because I want to recreate them exactly, but because they’ve already proven what works and I love utility.
From there, every decision is made with intention. I choose beautiful hard-working wool, refine the fit, use natural details like corozo buttons or maple toggles, and work with incredibly skilled local makers who have spent decades perfecting their craft.
My hope is that we’re not just making another coat, we’re creating something that is legendary in your closet, will be loved, repaired if needed, and eventually passed on to someone else. To me, that’s the mark of a true heritage piece.
DC: Is a colourful wool coat timeless or trendy?
SJ: Timeless. Colour isn’t a trend, it’s iconic and forever.
People have worn vibrant colours throughout history. Somewhere along the way, many of us were told that timeless meant neutral. I don’t believe that.
A beautifully made wool coat in a joyful colour becomes part of someone’s identity. Years later, people don’t remember the trend. They remember the person in the gorgeously unreal fuchsia coat.
DC: Favorite piece in your collection?
SJ: Without question, the Bowie.
It reminds me of one of the very first coats I owned after I moved to Canada. It was a hunter green duffle coat from Sears, and I can still remember how much I loved it. It made me feel warm and confident.
I’ve always thought there’s something magical about a duffle coat. It’s timeless, sporty, effortlessly chic, and just a little bit rock-and-roll. It never goes out of style.
Designing the Bowie felt like paying homage to that childhood memory while reimagining it in wild colour, beautiful wool, and made locally with thoughtful craftsmanship.
DC: How does a zero waste design philosophy work for Ste. Marg. Scot.?
SJ: I begin by treating every piece of wool as valuable. Large offcuts become bags, hats, and accessories. Smaller scraps are transformed into flowers, floral Peony and Ranunculus brooches, and ornaments. Even our tiniest fibres are collected and used for our Confetti Wool Sauna Hats and/or mechanically recycled back into new wool fibre rather than being discarded.
We also avoid unnecessary trims, plastics, and mixed materials wherever possible, making our products easier to repair and allowing the natural materials to remain part of a circular fashion system.
DC: What would you say to someone who thinks they can’t wear bright colours?
SJ: I’d say that deep down, there’s a colour that makes everyone light up, we just have to find yours.
When we’re children, we don’t question whether we’re “allowed” to wear colour. We fall in love with the yellow balloon, the turquoise bike, or the shiny red shoes simply because they make us happy.
Somewhere along the way, many of us start dressing by the rules instead of by joy.
I think it’s time to come back to joy-dressing. Let’s find the colours that energize you, make you smile, and make you excited to get outside during those long-cold-dark winters. Life is too short to wear colours that don’t make you happy. Bonus effect, you in colour makes everyone around you happier too! Yipppeeee!
