Monday, February 18, 2019

A Visit to the House of Ivan Sayers

Photos and writing by Dianna Drahanchuk

Visitors to Ivan’s house, even if they’ve been there several times, never get bored. Ivan happily shows his guests through his house describing his 50 plus year’s worth of collections. Here, and there and there and around this corner, is his library of fashion and textile books dating back to 1798. He’s even collected obscure items like mail order catalogues, books on fashion philosophy, ethnic underwear, 30’s fashion from Brazil, etc. He has fashion magazines including most Vogue editions going back to 1915 and even the local 2010 edition of “Vancouver Fashion” magazine edited and produced by writer, Marilyn Wilson shown below. He intends to have Marilyn sign it at her book signing on February 19, at Kapade Boutique, #101-440 West Hastings, see her website. The trunk functions as his coffee table (Ivan bakes really good cookies) and contains a collection he acquired from a Japanese/Scottish donor with artifacts dating from the 1920-40’s, including dresses she wore in a concentration camp in WW2.

Upstairs, the hallway is crammed with Edwardian items dating from 1892 to 1921. One bedroom he calls the ‘modern' room is chock a block full of 20’s and 30’s pieces. The other 'modern modern’ bedroom is equally full of 40’s and 50’s articles. He’s been collecting so long that he has outlasted other collectors and has been reacquiring items he sold or traded to them years ago and is glad to have them back again. From these two rooms, he selects clothing and accessories for the various themed live model fashion shows he presents about once a month. He proudly announces that he has already been booked for a show in 2022 for the International Jane Austen Society convention to be held in Victoria. 









Downstairs again, he gives us a sneak preview of his upcoming “Wearing of the Green” show as he whips out a frilly sequinned concoction recently donated to him. Since every garment has a story, I wonder what this one will tell. The show is a fund raising event for the Marpole Community Museum on March 16, 1:30 pm at St. Augustine Parish Hall located at 8680 Hudson Street. Check Ivan’s website for this and upcoming shows.



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