apy. 14 - Sunday, July 16, 1989 - North Shore News FROM HER FACTORY, MARTHA STURDY CREATES TOP-NOTCH JEWELRY At the heart of high fashion A FAT friendly black lab precedes West Vancouver jewelry designer Martha Sturdy down the stairs to the reception area of Sturdy's fashionable West 5th factory in Vancouver. By ELIZABETH COL} News Repo: The dog lumbers forward — happy to give strangers a warm welcome, hopeful for a pat. Her name is Kate, and the presence of Kate says a lot about Sturdy. Sturdy'’s jewelry has been grac- ing the covers of high fashion magazines for almost as long as she has been selling it (15 years). The staircase leading up to Sturdy’s office bears testimony to her popularity in the fashion world. Twenty-eight pictures from the covers of Vogue, Glamour and Elle are artfully hung in the stairwell. But homely Kate, who is decidedly unfashionable, is evi- dence that Sturdy, a2 woman im- nrersed in a world built on appear- ances, cares more about what lies beneath the surface. “She has a charming personali- ty,’”’ Sturdy says, ‘‘She has a sense of calmness.”’ Titis is because, she explains, the dog was brought up by two women — herself and her daughter, Jessida, who was 10 at the time. “Her programming is female,’’ Sturdy says. Another instance: Sturdy’s employees. Visitors to the factory could be forgiven for thinking the workshop looks like a sweatshop. Sturdy’s [4 staff members are primarily from Asia. But it’s not a sweatshop. Sturdy goes to great lengths to make her staff happy. fashion.” To this end, she has staff lun- ches every few Fridays in her of- fice-cum-living room. “Last Friday what I did was have each one, because f have sev- eral new employees, tell their story about where they were from, whether they were married. All the other staff laugh and joke. it’s re- aily great fun.”’ “It’s very important that the staff is happy in the work they’re involved in,*’ Sturdy says. Her employees come from communist China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Cambodia. There are also Canadian Chinese and two Caucasians. JUMP the GUN on the summer sale, Everything in the store up to Taking you anywhere in natural comfort. Lonsdale Quay Market 984-2230 “I'm a reverse racist,’’ Sturdy says, ‘I prefer Chinese.”’ She likes not only the Chinese style — her office is decorated with Chinese furniture — but their Real people need real food. That's why I went to Diet Center. Here's. why you should join: Lose fat, rot muscle. Research shows 92% of [Neck Gos was reenengzed when be lost 357s porariads in 58-days the weight lost on the Diet Center programme is excess fat, not water or fean body FREE CONSULTATION mass. " NEWS photo Mike Wekelield THE JEWELRY of West Vancouver designer Martha Sturdy is featured on the covers of magazines Sike Vogue, Flare and Mademoiselle. ‘‘All my credits say Martha Sturdy Canada because I feel very strongly that you've got to tel? everybody that we’re Canadians and we know something about culture. Her employees are honorable See Sasignor Page 15 “Real food makes | the difference at Diet Center.” Susan Saint james Fest results. Energise your body; watch pounds and inches disappear. No contracts. You stick with the programme be- cause it works, not because you have to. yell feel the differences Diet Center: The weight-loss professionals. CALL TODAY FOR Abrygty lows and spread incur watiesct indisidial © Se thet Cearet ttn CALL TODAY FOR YOUR FREE CONSULTATION Oakndge 206-0114 Richmond WVancouver 922-2021 Tsawwasser, 943-1208 Coquitlam Guilditord 270-6177 Surrey 581-0003 4361515 Langley 534.1727 931-6446 Abbotsiord 852-8799 Kootenay Loop 296-9777 Lelta Newton 590-2722 Mapie Ridge 407.0544 Kitsilano. 732 $0la White Rock * DIET CENTER INC Franchie area available | 660 1916 531-3255 PiCoguitlam 942.0522