A Glimpse of What Carolyn Bruce is Bringing to SHINE-THE ARTS, 2018

SHINE is a yearly Non-Profit fashion and entertainment event held to raise funds for mental health and addiction issues. Funds raised go to CMHA BC and to the Hope Centre at Lion's Gate Hospital. Held at the Commodore Ballroom, on September 22, this will be an extravaganza of McQueen and other designers, truly an outstanding presentation of fashion and performance. Creativity, identity, inclusion, empowerment, community and celebration, all in lights thanks to a huge team of volunteers, led by founder and producer, Dean Thullner and a crew of more than two hundred volunteers. Fabulous Hair by Myles Laphen and star Make-up by Jennifer Little. Someone whispered that Tetyana Golota will salute Freida Kahlo and Joanne Ricci will be shouting out Amy Winehouse. But wait, there's more.  Curious about how a designer puts a runway show together, I visited the studio of Steampunk Jewellery Designer, Carolyn Bruce, and managed to extract just a few images (wouldn't want to give it all away) that will give you a glimpse of what is come. I can tell you that she won't be running around slashing dresses, spray painting or putting on a startling white mask to greet her audience; she is already prepared to dazzle for the rehearsal, coming right up.

Her studio is framed by a garden of green trees that seemed to touch the windows, to reach those black necks holding silver birds, butterflies, snakes, dragons and skulls. And the mannequins, swathed as they were with white wedding gowns, and leather bustiers, and the plaids, layered and belted, those blood red and royal blues, ready to march and conquer. Savage beauty here, and all contrasts: solids and patterns, claws and wings, metal and satin, history and modernity, wearable art, lives on display. The construction, the engineering, the ingenuity, the ability to make you hear the sudden flap of wings in flight, to see the human march, to see the story. Be part of it all on Sept. 22 at SHINE. More on SHINE here.