Laurie Boudreault, Founder & Creative Director (she/her)
Born and raised in Québec City, Laurie Boudreault has always found herself drawn to design, in various ways, and from a young age has always danced to her own beat. Her passion for surfing brought her to Tofino where she is able to enjoy this lifestyle while also pursuing her desire to do creative work and run a business.
Laurie has a degree in Fashion Design (2010) and a Graphic Design diploma (2016). Merge was born from her passions, her attention to detail and the desire to bring ideas to life. She hopes it keeps on inspiring and uplifting people's daily life; whether it's through designing mindful objects bringing beauty in the everyday or sharing inspiring words she keeps on noting from her surroundings and experiences.
Valérie Minville, Marketing & Wholesale Partnerships (she/her)
With a background in photography, Valerie has always felt a quiet but persistent desire for something beyond the ordinary. She seeks to challenge conventional ways of living and working, finding joy in both defining and breaking the rules. Since joining Merge in 2019, Valerie has played a key role in helping the brand grow.
She seeks out the unfamiliar, as she finds that moments of curiosity and playfulness often lead to her most inspired ideas.
Emma Duchaine Fontaine Brand Experience & Product Design (she/her)
Emma helps develop our brand: from our in-house designed products, the brand experience to the brands we curate for the store.
Emma was always interested in the relationship between people and their environment. She graduated with a Bachelor in Product Design (2019), as she loves to understand how humans express their identity through objects. She likes to look beyond the materiality of things to design meaningful, long-lasting goods. She aims to create products that will help people make sustainable choices for themselves and the environment.
Outside of work, she loves to play around with analog photography, spend lots of time outside and eat good meals with friends.
Alex Geerts, Store Manager (she/her)
Alex moved to Tofino from Vancouver in late 2021 and knew Merge would be a big part of her next chapter. As Store Manager, she brings her extensive retail leadership experience to the shop.
Alex possesses an insatiable thirst for travel, photography, and simple pleasures—beach fires and outdoor surf showers really fill her cup! Inspired by moody, misty landscapes, you can usually find her playing in the rain or behind the lens of her camera on her days off. As a highly sensitive person, she's deeply moved by music and connecting with people so she earnestly loves getting to meet you all in the shop.
Sigrid Septier, Sale associate (she/her)
Originally from France, Sigrid is the newest member of the Merge team. She fell in love with Tofino during a visit in 2015 and kept coming back until she finally moved there in 2023.
After spending more than 10 years as a teacher she decided to change life with the idea to combine work with her passion for sustainable fashion.
Outside of work, she likes to travel, dance, hunt for great vintage pieces and upcycle them