Friends of Edité: Carla Poirier
Behind MAKE Matcha’s minimal aesthetic and grounded identity, is the brilliant Carla Poirier. In this conversation, we trace the seam between personal style and brand identity, the instinctual decisions that shape a business, and the daily ritual of dressing as a form of creative discipline.
Photographed by: Kayla Rocca
MAKE Matcha has such a refined, minimal aesthetic. How does your personal style influence the brand’s visual identity, and vice versa?
I think my personal style has had some influence on MAKE matcha’s identity.
My style can be all over the place, but one thing remains consistent—I love a refined high / low look to things. When something is too elegant, too feminine, too bold, or too playful it lacks balance. You need tension to make something have that effortless, refined look.
Both style and design share that same language, and when you find that right balance it can be incredibly beautiful.
MAKE’s identity was born out of just that. Balance & tension. Not too cool, not too minimal, not too perfect. Because it’s a high-end product, we wanted to make sure we kept some grit—flash photography, no retouching, showing matcha in a way that is real to how you make and prepare it. But we also flip it the other way. We glamorize the matcha in photography similar to beauty products. It’s an everyday product that lives in your kitchen, so it’s fun to elevate it as if it’s art. It’s been a fun experiment in branding.
“Both style and design share the same language, and when you find that right balance it can be incredibly beautiful.”
— Carla Poirier
Do you believe in having a personal uniform, or do you allow your style to evolve with different phases of your life and career?
Not really. I do allow my style to evolve.
We all have a yearning for change, and my wardrobe reflects that. As I’ve become more confident as an individual, I’ve also become much more adventurous with my style. I’ll mix and match outfits, pair interesting colours and textures together. It’s both an expression of myself and how I’m feeling in that moment.
Additionally, having leadership roles over the last decade has changed the way I dress. As a manager, cross-functional partner and steward of creative teams, I’ve always wanted to show up feeling “put together, but not uptight”. I would always keep myself looking professional for my teams, important meetings, and so on. It’s a nice ritual and practice, and subconsciously, it would help me show up with more confidence and prepare me for those long work days.
Every Business Owner faces tough calls—whether it’s letting go of an idea, pivoting strategy, or saying no to an opportunity. What’s been your hardest decision so far?
It can be tough. The amount of sweat, time, & resources that go into a business are endless. Often the guiding principle for me and my two business partners is “what’s most urgent.” We all work full-time, so it’s about what is needed first and the rest will follow.
Luckily, most of our decision making has been quite fluid and organic. We know the goal of the brand and we prioritize in terms of who can tackle what, when, and what’s actually feasible. We’d all like to be doing more and spending more time on MAKE, but it’s not always possible.
I wouldn’t say that we’ve had hard decisions to make, we’re just going with what feels right and are in lock step with one another. The hardest thing for me in particular as a creative is having so many ideas & concepts, but knowing there are limited resources and time. So, I back pocket them until the day they can come to fruition.
In the world of entrepreneurship, data-driven decisions are often prioritized. How do you weigh the value of instinct versus analytics?
That’s a great question. And if anyone here is reading this from a data-driven background, they may not like my answer.
In my career building and leading brands, the best projects, launches & campaign executions (that would generate revenue, hype, & press) have not come from an insight—it’s always come from instinct.
That’s what I value the most. You can sense what the market needs and wants, and oftentimes, customers don’t know what they want until they see it. To me it feels pretty instinctual to understand how to prioritize—we are a Brand lead company. We lead with feeling, emotion and connection to a very premium product.
That said, social platforms, influencer marketing and everything that needs investment to become a relevant brand is becoming more difficult everyday. Algorithms and data are controlling who sees what, when and the process is quite opaque.
MAKE matcha is really leaning into word of mouth and slow & impactful growth. Brand first. We want to engage with the OG influencers—you know—your best friend, cool business owners, the creative industry, your favorite colleagues. People you can trust and who are honest about the products they’re into.
How has being part of MAKE Matcha changed you—not just as a business owner, but as a person?
It gives me a lot of admiration for other small business owners that I know. The work never stops. I’ve always had side gigs, helping other people build & launch their own brands, but this is new to me.
It’s allowed me to create and build an incredible business relationship with two of my brilliant friends. Both founders of MAKE, Darla & Chantal, are incredible partners to me. We ideate, compromise, push one another, but most of all have fun lifting one another up. It’s one of the best work environments I’ve ever had.
“Don’t wear something unless it makes you feel amazing and like your best self.” — Carla Poirier
Has your style evolved over the years, or have you always had a consistent aesthetic?
My style has evolved. I’m more laid back in a lot of ways than I used to be. I’ve always been a tomboy at heart, and now I’ve become more feminine in ways but maintain a nonchalant-ness.
Honestly, putting together an outfit is one of my favorite things to do. The possibilities, and more importantly the way it makes me feel. I think I’ve been consistently me, but I’m constantly changing.
What are the pieces in your wardrobe that you reach for again and again?
Denim. That includes jeans and jackets. The other go-to is an interesting & refined kitten heel (weather pending!). It may seem so basic, but it makes me feel my best and is great for long distance walking & biking in any city.
Do you have any style rules you always follow—or ones you love to break?
No rules apply—with the exception of my high / low philosophy. If I’ve been asked to dress up for an event, I make sure I balance my outfit with something casual and vice versa.
Other than that, it’s really about what makes you feel like you. Don’t wear something unless it makes you feel amazing and like your best self.
Do you have a signature accessory or styling trick that makes an outfit feel like "you"?
This will sound cliche, but a pop of red lipstick is my go-to. I love wearing it especially with a very casual outfit or something that leans more masculine.
What’s the best fashion advice you’ve ever received?
If you wouldn’t buy it full price, don’t buy it on sale.
Has your relationship with fashion changed over time?
For sure. I’ve lived in a lot of different places, and have been inspired by the cities and people who live in them. I’ve been so fortunate. My love of design and fashion were propelled by this and I learned to appreciate the nuance of dressing for climate, a city’s terrain, comfort etc. To me, the most important pieces that I gravitate towards are shoes and jackets. Things that can make an outfit and can get me through the day.
I’ve also grown to appreciate the value of a garment more and more. That can mean one of two things: affordability or cost per wear.
Wear & tear and versatility are key in what I look for. I usually want something that is durable, versatile and I can easily throw in the wash.