1. S4 | Saturday, april 4, 2015 teleGrapH-JourNal
If the sea goddess Nuliajuk lived on dry
land, what – and moreover, who – would
she wear?
“She’s very powerful,”emerging fashion
designerMelodieLavalleesaysofthedeity
that inspired her new line that’s tinted by
a palate of deep oceanic hues.“I liked the
idea of being able to dress her up and take
her out of this box of only being from an
Inuit culture or stuck in the sea.”
Lavallee is one of eight New Brunswick
College of Craft and Design (NBCCD)
grads feverishly stitching and fitting edgy
new pieces set for debut at the program’s
17th annual graduating fashion show
next week. Precious few days remain be-
fore the models hit the runway, and ten-
sions are steadily rising in the Frederic-
ton school’s bustling little studio.
Spring is traditionally abuzz with po-
tential and possibility in the region’s
modest, yet fierce, little fashion industry
as the students prepare to transition from
the classroom to the workforce. The on-
ly program of its kind in New Brunswick,
NBCCD fashion design grads make up a
large part of the local industry’s popu-
lation. And while Atlantic Canada isn’t
exactly revered at a fashion-forward hot
spot of opportunity, the ever-growing
group of young designers is proving it’s
possible to make a career close to home.
Not only are they working in the indus-
try, they’re helping create it, says co-or-
dinating instructor Joanne Venart.
“They can carve their own niche,”says
Venart.
The specialized two-year holistic pro-
gram readies the would-be designers for
the demanding and competitive world
of fashion. Classes are small and focused,
taught over a jam-packed six semesters.
It’s a lot to
learn in a short period,Venart says,so the
curriculum is intensive by design. Stu-
dents are armed with a competitive set of
skills and are ready to hit the ground run-
ning after graduation.
Key study areas include industry pre-
paredness (marketing, business manage-
ment and portfolio development),theory
(fashion history, influences and art tech-
niques) and skills (garment and pattern
design,sewing,tailoring and illustration).
No commercial fabrics are used in the
program. Students design all their own
patterns, order custom fabrics off the In-
ternet or create them in collaboration
with jewelry and textile students.They’re
taught“made to measure”over standard
sizing, with emphasis on tailored gar-
ments like the bra,bustier and jacket.Pat-
tern-making and tailoring are highly spe-
cialized, sought-after skills that give stu-
dents an edge when they hit the market,
Venart says.
“We don’t want anyone graduating
from a program never having put a fly in
a zipper, not knowing who Chanel is, or
who don’t know how to work to a dead-
line,” Venart says.“We’re always tell-
ing the students it has to be as beauti-
ful on the inside as the outside.What
you see on the rack in most stores,
that’s not their bar – it’s much high-
er than that.”
While many leave the region af-
ter graduation, an increas-
ing number are choos-
ing to stay on the East
Coast to build their
brand. Because
the local mar-
ket isn’t
over-saturated yet, a prosperous career is
both feasible and attainable,Venart says.
Fashion-focused businesses and indus-
try professionals are increasingly ap-
pearing in the province. While some are
finding great support in independent
brick-and-mortar shops like Saint John’s
Je Suis Prest and Heartbreak Boutique,
more designers are opting to specialize in
a niche market,work from home and pro-
mote their businesses online.A few nota-
ble New Brunswick-based designers sell-
ing online include Jailbird Design,Witch-
es and the Wardrobe, Chavah Designs,
and Jaclyn Wilson Couture.
Further, fashion bloggers like Frederic-
ton’s Kate McLean (O My Heart!) Kristin
MacDonald (Doll Parade),and Sarah Du-
quette (Boho and Braids) are helping put
New Brunswick fashion on the map.
The community of models and photog-
raphers is growing too, with the for-
mation of agencies such as the newly
launched Scout Development Agency
in Moncton. The fresh little agency,
launched in March by photographer
and blogger couple Denis and Sarah Du-
quette, is already drawing attention to
the largely untapped world of model de-
velopment in the region.
“The only limiting factor is drive or fear
to take those steps to call and say, ‘Hey,
this is me and this is my resumé,’” Ven-
art says.“In some ways, a student needs
to tailor-make their own (opportunity).”
Fashion students are putting in long
hours in the studio this week in final
preparation for the show. The pieces are
always extremely diverse and don’t neces-
sarily mimic current trends.
“They’re all designing for themselves.
It’s not so much about what’s out there,
but what’s in them. They’re launching
their lines,”Venart says.
This year’s fashions include synchron-
ized swimsuits, Japanese Lolita dresses,
fantasy ball gowns and historical mens-
wear.
“It’s all over the map,”Venart says.
Lavallee’s line, Nuliajuk’s Closet, is an
homage to her culture. The 31-year-old
moved from Nunavut to Fredericton to
pursue her dream of working in fashion,
and aims to launch her line and work
from home after graduation.
Inuit legends say Nuliajuk was a vain,
beautiful girl who became the moth-
er to all the sea mammals. Families de-
pend on her for survival, and sing to her
in hopes she’ll continue to provide food.
The tales are an ingrained part of Laval-
lee’s culture. As a child, she
This year’s eight New Brunswick College of Craft and Design fashion design grads are putting
touches on their garments for the upcoming fashion show in the capital city. The ever-growing
designers is proving it’s possible to make a career close to home. Not only are they working
create it. By Victoria Dekker
salon
“I liked the idea of being
able to dress her up
and take her out of this
box of only being from
an Inuit culture or
stuck in the sea.
Melodie laVallee
Fashion in
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Saturday, april 4, 2015 | S5teleGrapHJourNal.CoM
imagined what Nuliajuk would have
worn if the mythical mermaid lived
above the icy waters.
“I really liked the idea of her being able
to shapeshift or transform. I liked to im-
agine what she would have worn in the
’60s or if she’d been a teenager in the ’20s.
My line is about dressing her up in era-
style clothing,”Lavallee says.
The graduating fashion show is the cul-
mination of the students’ two years of
study. It’s a chance to show what they’ve
learned and what they can do, Venart
says.
“It’s their shining pot of gold at the end
of the rainbow.They’ve been looking for-
ward to this since first year.”
The students design every aspect of the
show themselves, including the outfits,
the hair and makeup,advertising materi-
als and stage design. Each designer cre-
ates six outfits for six models,showcasing
the best of their new lines.
First year students are offered the
opportunity to première an outfit on
the runway, and six program alumni will
show pieces from their existing lines.
The event falls a few weeks before the
première annual fashion event in the
province, The Heart Truth gala. Every
former grad is offered the opportunity to
design a dress for the spring fashion show
that’s become a massive must-see for lo-
cal fashionistas. The May 9 event at the
Moncton Casino features Jann Arden and
is already sold out.
The graduating fashion show (dubbed
“Unearthed” this year) is the perfect
warm-up event, with a consistent crowd
of more than 600 spectators at the Fred-
ericton Convention Centre. It’s the ideal
networking opportunity for grads, who
spend the hours after the show chatting
about their lines.
“It’s become, ‘What’s new at the col-
lege? What’s coming out?’ It’s different
every year,”Venart says.
While fewer than 10 graduates from the
program each year,the class is kept small
by design.In fact,there’s a waiting list.
The program’s success rates are surpris-
ingly high. Surveys suggest over half of
NBCCD grads are working in fashion and
garments full-time. Alumni are current-
ly working in a range of fields, including
costumes, medical garments, high fash-
ion,film and TV.
“If you want to be a fashion designer
in a big house, that’s going to take you a
while. But when you get out there, you
find the big world of fashion is a lot small-
er than what people actually think.”
While Laval-
lee plans to move
on from New Bruns-
wick after graduation,
classmate Christy-Lynn
Jenkins plans to stick around.
The 26-year-old Miramichi native sees
great potential here at home for her
specialized maternity line, Phoebe and
Elizabeth.
Jenkins specializes in fashionable,
screen-printed maternity wear in organ-
ic,naturally dyed fabrics.It’s a niche mar-
ket aimed at fashion-forward, independ-
ent, professional women who have a dif-
ficult time finding beautiful, tailored
pieces to wear to functions during their
pregnancy.
Rather than hide the belly,Phoebe and
Elizabeth designs celebrate it. Most gar-
ments are high-waisted, drawing the eye
to the smallest part of the body.
“There’s always that struggle of ‘I can’t
find anything to wear, nothing looks
good on me,’”she says.“It’s sad. You’re at
this point in your life where you’ve got
this beautiful thing happening and you
can’t look beautiful.”
There’s some movement in the fash-
ion industry to a return to natural fab-
rics. Maternity wear is an ideal
medium for organic cottons, silks and
dyes,because it’s a time when women are
especially health-conscious,Jenkins says.
Natural fabric maternity wear isn’t read-
ily available in the market,so she’s hope-
ful Phoebe and Elizabeth will fill the gap.
She says the Etsy community – an e-com-
merce website made up of independ-
ent creative businesses from around the
world – has expanded greatly since its
inception 10 years ago, with people al-
so finding a lot of success with their own
shops and local ventures.
“I’m going to go ahead and make my
own business out of this at the end,”Jen-
kins says.“I think it’s getting more and
more attainable in Atlantic Canada.”
The fashion program is Jenkins’second
post-secondary pursuit. She transferred
to NBCCD from UNB’s fine art program
after she realized she could be successful
pursuing her dream.
“People have the mentality that it just
doesn’t happen here. People are making
their own things, getting attention and
getting out there.”
Victoria Dekker
is a Moncton-based freelance journalist.
Reach her at victoria.e.dekker@gmail.
com.
ting the finishing
wing group of young
king in the industry, they’re helping
1. Christy-Lynn Jenkins using a sewing machine to stitch together her outfits.
Photo: JaMes West/the Daily GleaneR 2. As part of the design process, students are
responsible for creating their own patterns to cut out the fabric for their fashion
line. Photo: JaMes West/the Daily GleaneR 3. The studio workspace. Photo: Joanne
VenaRt 4. A sewing machine at work. Photo: JaMes West/the Daily GleaneR 5. The
fashion studio featuring a dress by NBCCD alumni Stephanie Tait. Photo: Photo
(506) 6. A sketch by 2014 graduate Elyse Bernais created when she was a
student last year. Photo: nBCCD 7. A sketch by 2014 graduate Kelly Hill. 8. 2014
graduate Kelly Hill models an outfit at a past fashion show. Photo: nBCCD 9-10. A
dress created by student Haana-Siksik. Photo: JaMes West/the Daily GleaneR
11-12. Students are responsible for creating mockups
of their outfits along with picking samples of the fabric.
Photo: JaMes West/the Daily GleaneR 13. A dress created
by student Samantha Brittany. Photo: JaMes West/the
Daily GleaneR 14. A row of display busts sit on a shelf.
Photo: JaMes West/the Daily GleaneR 15. A variety of
thread spools. Photo: JaMes West/the Daily GleaneR 16.
The fabric wall. Photo: Joanne VenaRt 17. Coverlock
sewing machine. Photo: nBCCD 18. The fashion
studio. Photo: Photo (506) 19. Christy-Lynn Jenkins
using a sewing machine to stitch together
her outfits. Photo: JaMes West/the Daily
GleaneR 20. Students have to create
an ‘Inspiration Wall’ as part of their
design process. Photo: JaMes
West/the Daily GleaneR
Event details
Catch the 17th annual NBCCd
fashion show, unearthed, at the
Fredericton Convention Centre
(670 Queen St.) at 7:30 p.m. on
april 11. tickets are $15, available
at read’s Newsstand and at the
door. Call 506-453-2305 for more
information.
focus
“It’s their shining pot of
gold at the end of the
rainbow. They’ve been
looking forward to this
since first year.
JoaNNe VeNart
in action
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