Blanche Macdonald Cherry Bomb - Graduate Fashion Design Show

Written by Dianna Drahanchuk

Gender fluid fashions, both on and off the runway, were at the forefront of Blanche Macdonald’s “Cherry Bomb” November 21, 2018 graduate fashion student show. The audience never got bored or tired as the 23 designers showed the 49 outfits in this tightly run presentation, complete with a much-appreciated printed program.

Lyn Katey and I, both of us happen to be ex-Blanche students, were awed at the fun and imagination on display. I talked with Blanche Macdonald Executive Program Directors Peggy Morrison, on staff since 1972, who was truly impressed at how the students upped their creativity for this show and to Donna Baldock who was heartened to see the inclusion of style inspired by fashion history, one of her passions, as shown in Bebeth Cohen’s ultra-lacey evening dress.

Bags abounded and straps flowed throughout and there were lots of inventive texture and color combinations.  Some styles were outdoors sporty with an edge, others like the teddy bear outfits by Peter Zuk were pure fantasy. Hair clips and dark lips enhanced rather than detracted from the captivating runway. Student talents were further accentuated in their very professional looking portfolios.

As I spoke to its founder and producer of a local annual major fundraising fashion show, I wondered whose designs we might see on the catwalk of one of next year’s show because he was searching for potential participants. I’ve been to one of his shows for which it appears that he prefers “far out” fashion and it seems to me he had quite a lot to choose from at Blanche Macdonald.

From left to right: Lesley Senkow, Savana Sheardown, Peter Zuk

Photo credit: Peter Jensen

From left to right: Jerome Mendoza & Bebeth Cohen

Photo credit: Peter Jensen

From left to right: Hannah May, Alice Colojacomo, Aaron Pharness

Photo credit: Peter Jensen

Photo credit for photos to follow: Dianna Drahanchuk

Aaron Pharness (left) - Orange cotton twill jacket worn with distressed cotton twill shorts and tencel hood

Maria Digaoan (right) - Black mesh turtleneck worn with red paper bag dress and sleeping bag bustle

Vanessa Romman (left) - Linen shirt dress worn with panelled trench coat

Marco Bruni (right) - Black patent leather vest worn with waxed twill cutout trouser and patent leather backpack

Catherine He (left) - Microsuede bell bottoms worn with marabou feather tank top and oversized faux fur hooded jacket

Lesley Senkow (right) - Brocade paper bag trouser and bubble coat worn with lantern sleeve cropped satin shirt

Connor Klaassen (left) - Black cotton button front shirt worn with deconstructed gauze tee shirt, high waisted wool trouser and oversized vinyl shopper

Cheryl Hou (right) - Cropped patchwork overall with bag details worn with space cotton cropped top

Peter Zuk (left) - Heart print bodysuit worn with PVC teddy bear shirt, top and mask

Jeremy Molina (right) - Oversized denim jacket and cropped trouser with grommet and reflective rope details

Austin Playfair (left) - Snapback hand-painted trousers worn with grommet top and leather robe

Jerome Mendoza (right) - Pink herringbone jogging suit with earl tassels and bucket hat

Nicholas Lafreniere (left) - Wool Frankenstein coat worn with cropped trousers and rib knit turtleneck

Bebeth Cohen (right) - Dusty rose, lace robe with ribbon details

 Interesting shoes worn by someone in the audience

 Peggy Morrison, Executive Program Director Blanche MacDonald

Lynn and Dianna

Little Black Dress Gala 2018

Written by Dianna Drahanchuk and Colleen Tsoukalas

This year, I did a lot of behind the scenes prep for this event; I enjoyed helping many customers My Sister's Closet, choose that special little black dress, shoes and accessories, and encouraged women and men to model, especially, since the Little Black Dress Gala, has a very inclusive, supportive runway, great Designers and fantastic photographers. There is room for all who support Youth and making our city a better place. Social Media, for this event, begins early and I was able to add comments and photos, often, further supporting sold out (twice) ticket sales. And, I modelled for Yifat Jovani, thanks to friend and modelling twin, Nahla Hopfe. Dianna Drahanchuk enjoyed the Gala, from the front row, and has contributed her observations about this grand event.

The crowd gets bigger and more excited to get into each successive Little Black Dress event put on by Help Change My City (HCMC). Not only is the show something to see, but so is what the attendees wear, for instance Marika’s audacious boutique dress paired with Alexander McQueen earrings. Every show is set up in a different way, this year with a low stage, shorter runway and several screens to provide a view to all in the huge ballroom Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. a long time supporter of this black dress and black tie evening.

This November’s show entertainment included a welcoming jazz orchestra, opera songs, and belly, ballet and contemporary dance. The mandate of Help Change My City is to help underprivileged youth and three young people gave testimonials about how HCMC helped them and how happy they, and in one case their children too, were to be giving back to the community.

The fashion portion of the show began with day wear and gradually progressed to extravagantly embellished evening gowns. Twenty Designers set stunning collections to well blended fast paced musical beats. Virtually all the outfits could be worn by someone in the audience. Wearable Art for all! Showcasing so many designers allowed for a wide diversity of styles, models and variety of presentations, from classic to fanciful. The loudest cheers went to a curvy model sporting a flattering bathing suit by Bikini Empire, but more were heard for a confident little girl in princess frock and a pregnant model wearing a revealing, sequinned evening gown both by Tetyana Golota, with dazzling jewellery by Carolyn Bruce.

“BRAVO” to the designers who dared to show something different and “THANK YOU” to Help Change My City for a great evening out and a chance to wear our fancy apparel. HCMC’s cause is well worth supporting; check them out here.

Photos via Even Chen

Designers: Kim Legler, Bikini Empire, Jessica Redditt, Ghren, Shelby Wick, Pillar Heights, Yifat Jovani Designs, Couture Therapy, Tetyana Golota, Alison Kent Home/Aleen Ala Kazzam/Kaler Interiors, Shaghayesh, Susan Harley Unique Couturier, Nassren, Yuvil Alexjandra, Wendy Schindler, Carolyn Bruce

Free The Tipple. Kickass Cocktails Inspird By Iconic Women. Author: Jennifer Croll, Vancouver. Illustrator: Kelly Shami, New York

When I saw that Jennifer Croll has a new book out, I had to own it. Free The Tipple, is her salute to sixty remarkable women and her own creative and achievable cocktails celebrating a special characteristic of each icon. At the launch, held behind those magic doors of The Emerald Supper Club, I sampled the Sofia Coppola, swerved with a slice of lemon in a delicate coupe glass. "Prosecco gives a nod to her Italian Heritage, eiderflower liqueur lends a complicated sweetness, and gin, a lot of backbone."

Jennifer's research is meticulous and her summations of these women's achievements, concise. The most important at a glance. But now, in their company, a signature drink in front of each, I wondered how this party started. She begins with Basic Equipment: shakers, strainers, blenders, muddlers, shot glasses and more. Glassware includes an illustration and the corresponding drink for each. The types of alcohol she uses and the extras: simple syrup, bitters, eggs and foamers, lots of new ideas, (at least for me) here. Garnishes and rims, yes, all adding to the specialness and to the celebration. The finale to this section is a two page spread of the drinks, ready to serve.

Frida Kahlo graces the book cover and so the first drink is The Frida Kahlo, a hibiscus flowered Margarita, with a garnish of edible flowers. The sixty women chosen, are not unfamiliar, because of their fame, but there are new things to learn about them, plus we have recently seen movies about them at VIFF, (IRIS, Grace Jones, Vivienne Westwood) and some have been here lately: Jane Goodall, Nigella Lawson, Dolly Parton, and Margaret Atwood (via virtual interviews and book signings).

At The Vancouver Art Gallery, you can see Guo Pei's brilliant yellow dress that  Rihanna wore at the Met Gala. A record producer by age 17, the multi talented Rihanna has a drink that includes gold rum, pineapple and an edible orchid. Rei Kawakubo (Designer of Comme des Garcons) and Yayoi Kusama, (Artist) both had wonderful exhibits at the Seattle Art Museum, not so long ago, and Yoko Ono had an exhibit in Toronto. If you ever wanted to see one of Edith Head's costumes, you have no further to go than to SMOC, where Ivan Sayers just might be showing one of heyu dresses. The inside of the book covers are red, just like those red soles on the highest of heels. Who can resist?

This book is a gem, a hold in your hand treasure, a celebration of iconic women, and the drinks that you can make to salute them. Cheers to two more unique creatives who bring them closer: Jennifer Croll and Kelly Shami.

Two books we have enjoyed by Jennifer Croll, here:

• Fashion that Changed the World
• Bad Girls of Fashion

Source Amazon

Source Jen Croll

The doors to the Emerald Supper Club, the site of Jennifer Croll's book launch

Herstory in Focus - Fashion Fundraising For and By The Downtown Eastside Women's Centre

When Sarah Murray, Program Coordinator Fashion Arts, at VCC, sent out a call for donations for a fashion show in support of the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre (DEWC), Herstory in Focus, I and two friends, Dianna and Bobbie, also volunteers at My Sister's Closet, wanted to know more about the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre (DEWC) Another friend and jewellery designer, Carolyn Bruce, was also interested in our ongoing ideas for how to support the project and, of course, had bags to donate from her own studio.

My Sister's Closet has donated to Herstory in Focus, the fashion show, for its first two years, and so it was on our minds, throughout a very busy September and October, right up until the actual event, October 18th at the Vancouver Art Gallery. And what a night it was! Just think: $25,000, the first year, and $50,00 last year. And this year, judging from the enthusiastic bids at the live auction, that this amount would increase. Sure enough, $65,000 will go right into supporting women at DEWC. Such a whole community effort went into showcasing the creative talents, the strength, self confidence, and pride of 16 women who not only graced the runway, but also helped greatly to raise funds for the centre, a safe, nourishing, resource-filled place that serves more than 500 meals every day and gives women a platform for empowerment.

Sarah Murray, and Celine Chuang, welcomed us to visit the Centre and to sit in on a couple of fashion meetings, to give us an idea of what goes into the making of a fashion show. Bobbie and I went, in early September (but I am sure the initial steps took place long before that). The very first thing that happened, was that Mary invited us to have coffee and found us a table. Terri and others soon joined us. Such a warm welcome! We talked about our interests and why we were there and found out that Mary is a beader and Terri a weaver and thought they would have a lot to offer to the fashion world. So, we all went along to a meeting, in a small but cozy room, around a long table, with a sewing machine, behind which, sat Nico Gruzling, a recent VCC Fashion Grad, who was also volunteering. I thought Bobbie would be able to help with sewing, but many of the women already had projects in mind and were working on them. Bobbie and I listened to the women's stories as they were writing their profiles and talking about their accomplishments and inner essence, the themes of this fashion show. Sarah, wonderful organizer that she is, had clothing racks and bags of accessories ready to go and kept everyone apprised of the next steps, like photos, make-up, rehearsals and even walking practice. Dianna went with me to that session, held at VCC, Rosemary (Rosie) a professional model with MVM Agency, came to show how to command that runway. Shoes that fit, eyes to the end of the runway, head up, shoulders firm, but relaxed, back straight and purposeful mindset. We asked Pat about her outfit and she told us that the tie came from her son and the jacket from a friend's dad. Her shoes and fedora came from donations at DEWC. She owned the stage, hat down low and mic in her hand, animating her favourite singer and muse: K.D. Lang. Hallelujah was the perfect song.

Herstory is their story and in many ways, our story. There is more volunteering to do, more support needed and much more to be learned and shared. I am inviting my friends to come to the next show and, naturally, to help along the way.

Big thanks to Sarah and Celine for the opportunity to visit the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre and to watch the formation of a fabulous fashion show. Loved the Herstory in Focus Brochure, with its excellent photos and women's stories - so important! The drumming by The Wildflower Women of Turtle Island and the Territorial Welcome by Melaney Gleeson-Lyall, were so powerful. The fabulous food by Potluck Catering, a Downtown Eastside social enterprise, was delightful and delicious. Carol Martin, our Fashion Show Emcee, spoke very clearly and her friendship and admiration for the 16 designer models, shone through. And Howard Blank, multi-award winning Auctioneer, was absolutely energetic, enthusiastic and outstandingly effective in raising the bar high!

Here are photos by me and Dianna Drahanchuk. We thank BWSS_MSC for the many opportunities we get to pursue our love of fashion. There is a huge community of Businesses, Designers, and Fashion Programs who support the store. And yes, the Movie Industry donates, too. You can be part of all of this. Volunteers and Donations to DEWC are always welcome!

Melaney Gleeson-Lyall, Musqueam Nation

Auctioneer Howard Blank

Colleen, Dianna and Carolyn Bruce

Colleen and Bobbie

Donations from Carolyn Bruce Designs

Larissa, Little Dancing Bear

Terri

Joan

Stella

Stella and Kyla, Cultural Coordinator at DEWC

Tia Maria

Priscillia

Bernice

Che

Shirley

Pat

Gwen

Ava

Mary

Shara

Larissa

Jatinder

Louisa

Sarah and Colleen