Imagine enjoying perfect serenity: No longer fretting every morning about what to wear; living in a small, cozy space with only the items you need; leading the healthy lifestyle you strive for; travelling the world; riding, running, sailing from one scenic landscape to another, when you want to and how you want to. Welcome to veteran cyclist Dominick Ménard’s dream.
Dom lives the “van life” full-time these days, criss-crossing provinces, states and countries in search of bike trails to explore. To help make his dream come true, he made the conscious choice to stick with the essentials, especially when it came to his clothing. His wardrobe consists of select items from Parmi’s collection that are part and parcel of his adventures, from Vancouver cafés to Patagonian peaks.
Here’s his inspiring story, which may bring you to question your own way of life:
“It seems like in life, the more space we have, the more we tend to accumulate. This also applies to our wardrobe: It's so easy to get bogged down by collecting various clothes for every occasion. And yet, despite all the items we own, we often end up wearing two or three go-to pants and t-shirts.
When I made the leap from condo-living to van-living, I got rid of about 80% of my belongings. I had to make smart choices – both in terms of equipment and clothing – to maximize my space and avoid feeling cramped. That way I could live the simple life I aspired to.
I quickly realized what I needed was simple, timeless and multifunctional clothing that could be worn in all scenarios. I’m very active and I bike several kilometres every day, so I also needed soft and comfortable fabrics that have anti-odour properties and dry fast, since I don’t have either a washer or a dryer.
It’s tough having to sort through stuff, to say goodbye to so many things that have been with me over the years, but it’s also oh-so-liberating. The most important part was ensuring I had items that provided the best of both worlds: Technical clothing that was suitable to wear anywhere and everywhere, and not just on the mountains or the slopes. I came to realize this type of clothing is particularly hard to come by when I was planning for my latest adventure, a cycling trip from Victoria, B.C. to Patagonia in South America.
Of the 20% of my wardrobe that I kept when I moved into my van, I could only take about 20% of it when leaving for this adventure. So, in my very modest luggage, I included: two t-shirts, one thin long-sleeved sweater, one warm long-sleeved sweater, one pair of pants, one pair of bike shorts, one bike jersey, three pairs of socks and two pairs of boxers. This is when – and how – the importance of technical properties and versatility came into full effect.
My new lifestyle has led me to appreciate quality over quantity, and decluttering to breathe easier.”
Dominick Ménard's compact wardrobe
Timeless. Versatile. Discreet. Odour-proof. Stylish. Technical.
Here are the Parmi items that accompanied Dominick on his 20,000+ kilometre cycling journey from Victoria, B.C.to Patagonia in South America.
2 Comments
J’ai beaucoup d’admiration pour ceux qui osent faire le saut vers la simplicité et le minimaliste. Tu as une vie extraordinaire. Je ne peux en faire autant pour des raisons de santé; j’ai une maladie chronique, mais je m’apprête à déménager dans quelques mois et 20% de mes vêtements, c’est ce que j’apporterai avec moi. D’ailleurs, la fin de semaine dernière, j’ai donné deux sacs poubelles remplis de choses que je n’apporte pas avec moi. Bonne route Dominick, tu es une inspiration !
Juste WoW ! Bravo 👏