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Matinée winners

North Shore designers share in grant awards

NORTH Shore design-
ers have again benefitted
from financial assistance
provided through the
Matinée Fashion
Foundation.

Among 32 Canadian
designers to share in $750,006
in grant money are lingerie
designers Christine Morton of
Christine Designs, Jill Davis-
Godfrey and Sylvie Vincent of Frou-Frou, and
Deborah Tissington of Neto Leathers and
French Laundry. All are former grant recipients.

Also receiving grants for the vear 200] are
eveningwear designer Catherine Regehr, lin-
gerie designer Patricia Fieldwalker, Ron Escher
and Normand Brouillette of Ron et Normand,
and Roxanne Nikki. First-time grant recipients
include Burnaby knitwear designer Cecilia
Rebagliati, a former North Van resident, and
menswear designer Rahim Panju of Calgary.

Western Canadian grant recipients were
announced Tuesday evening before a runway
presentation ar Vancouver's Hyatt Regency
Hotel. Ten Toronto and 13 Montreal design-
ers, to be announced later this month, will also
receive grants. The size of each individual grant
is not made public but is believed to be in the
$10,000 t $30,000 range.

In the eight years since the foundation was
established by tobacco giant Allan Ramsay and
Co., Matinée has awarded nearly $5.25 million

in direct assistance to Canadian
designers.

Previous awards have enabled
Morton, a four-time grant
recipient, to hire a publicist in
New York, for example, which
has helped get her silky designs
into the pages of Vaeue and
other fashion magazines a3 well
as on the backs of celebrities.
This year, Morton will use her
grant money to purchase new
production equipment. Davis-Godirey and
Vincent, three-tirne grant recipients who
moved their four-year-old lingerie company
Frou-Frou Designs from Vancouver to North
Van 18 months ago, will use their grant money
to help promote their line at trade shows in the
US.

Originally intended to assist emerging
designers, in recent years the Matinee Fashion
Foundation has favoured more established
designers, many of whom receive grants vear
after year. Of this year’s nine Western Canadian
grant recipients, only two are in business less
than three years.

Recognizing this as a concern, Matinée’s
incoming president Neal Blanche said Tuesday
that the foundation and its independent board
may take a different approach to awarding
grants in the future. Blanche also said that
despite federal restrictions on the promotion of
tobacco sponsorship, he expected the Matinée
program to continue to 2063.

NEWS photo
SYLVIE Vincent (seated) and Jill Davis-Godfrey of Frou-Frou will use their Matinée

Fashion Foundation grant to promote their line of lingerie and loungewear in the
U.S. The designers, both North Shore residents, received their award Tuesday.

Bridal Showcase

Featuring
Monday September

NEWS photo Cindy Goodman

Street style

LETICIA Mutter, who begins first-year studies in psychology and anthropology at
Capilano College this fal!, was photographed at Ambleside enjoying the last days
of summer in black pants, tank top and purse from Le Chateau. Glasses from Soho.

gown designs by Chris Faicon
25 ¢ 6:30 pm + Holiyburn Country Club

Free for brides and a guest. Come & see the latest ideas in:
* honeymoons + lingerie + decorating # apparel + giftware

SINCE 3930

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