A Study in Scarlett: A Vintage Fashion Show and Interview With Ivan Sayers, Vancouver Fashion Historian and Collector of Women's Fashion 1750-2000

I interviewed Ivan Sayers because I wanted to know more about his next event "A Study In Scarlett", a sold out event with Coquitlam Heritage, before I went to Place Des Arts to cover it. Why Scarlett? She plays first in the game, Clue Master Detective. She is truly a scarlett woman and is all about murder and blood. Very dramatic. Here are a few dresses from the Vintage Fashion Show, that might fit the bill. Most of the models wore red lipstick and there were touches of red in their accessories throughout the collection. I wore red Kate (not Sam) Spade shoes and jewellery by Carolyn Bruce Designs, a typewriter key necklace, spelling Librarian, with attached book charms and a special red book in the locket. Should have been a little black book, perhaps? Think: "killer Librarian" series by Mary Lou Kirwin. Reel of the show on my Instagram (look for the red shoes)

An Interview with Ivan Sayers

Q: Who is your favourite Mystery Writer/Character?

A: Agatha Christie is my favourite read, going back as far as high school. I like BBC's of Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot. The writers and the characters must be academic, clever, believable, professional but real. The satisfying thing about these mysteries is that the murderer is always discovered and justice is done.

Q: How does clothing set the scene or make the character?

A: Clothing reflects the character of the individual...so not just superficial. Clothing has to be real, not all costume. Colour is key. ( In his show, Ivan focused on black, for death/mourning, red, for blood, heart, passion, green, for the exotic, immortality, travel: King Tut's tomb and white, for purity, bridal, peace, maybe.) Colour can indicate personality: Extroverted, Introverted, Dynamic, Daring, Quiet, Reflective, but going deeper, there is choice of fabric, style (classic or trendy) and then accessories: brass or plastic, diamond or paste, designer or copy, beret or fedora, cap or cloche. There is dressing for work, for the theatre, or for travel. There is dressing to be seen or to blend in with the furniture.It depends on whether you want to be seen or watch what others might be up to. So clothing does reflect who we are, who we want to be and where we want to go.

Q: Do you have a special find specific to this collection? Is there anything you would 'kill' to addto it?

A: All dresses are equal before God! But I have the humble and the magnificent and am always on the prowl. Am looking for a 'wide-awake' hat from the 1860's ...a goal but not a deadly one.

Q: Will you be wearing anything theme related for the Scarlett Fashion Show?

A: I will wear something neutral as I am the commentator. Clothing is costume of a kind, but also something you are or want to be seen as. Clothing is character and history. A museum of costume, here in Vancouver would preserve and reflect that. The past is inspiration for both the present and the future. I have shown just a few of the outfits, completely accessorized and referencing many, many Mystery Writers, Detectives, Characters we know well, from my collection from 1750-2000. Today we went from Edwardian to Twiggy. Want more details? Visit here and here for more information. (Here he is in deepest black at a graveyard. A funeral? No, just another spectacular event.)

Many thanks to Ivan, for this interview! Thanks also to Markus Fahrner, Heritage Manager Exhibits, and Malika Arora, Communications and Community Outreach Manager @coquitlamheritage, for my Media Pass to the Scarlett Fashion Show.

Kate Spade Red Slings and a Librarian, Book Themed Necklace by @carolynbrucedesigns

Red Dress, and red gloves, white fur stole, made in Canada. One shoulder,
Neo Classical Greek, Platform Shoes, 'femme fatale'?

Red silk lined cloak with gold, wealth, royal, silk dress, neither touch the ground,
neckline but modest, travel, exotic, murder happens often to the wealthy

Nile green, "Death on the Nile", exotic, immortality, travel, Egypt

All business and what does that bag conceal. Pearls and white against deepest black

Long sleeves for a dinner and dance event. Pearls, a simple classic, form fitting but enhanced by bell sleeves and tulle. Revealing but covered. Depth and detail, just like the great mysteries.

Slightly faded movie star? Slouch hat. "Murder on the Orient Express", modest neckline but furs and white, wealth to travel and to afford furs, esp. white. A servant would carry her bags.