Squamish band member creates designs that depict her

NORTH SHORE clothing
designer Pamela Baker Pack
puts a “touch of culture”
into every one-of-a-kind
garment she creates,

Name: Pamela Baker Pack

Age: 33

Born: Vancouver

Residence: North Vancouver
Occupation: clothing designer,
drug and alcohol counsellor

Hobbies: sewing, drawing, travel- By Layne Christensen

Fashion Reporter

THE HAND-WOVEN collar on Pamela Baker Pack's ‘‘Chiikat”
swing coat features traditional braiding and may have taken up to
50 hours to complete. it was modelled by Kelle Smith in ‘‘Collec-
tions Couture,” a fashion show held recently at Prospect Point
Cafe to benefit the Vancouver Meats Society.

Hop along to the
Easter M

Traditional braiding adorns the
collar of a hand-dyed coat of fine
wool, Indian nickleheads button
up 4 spring suit in nativ
upholstery fabric, and Sisiut! —~
the two-headed sea serpent — en-
circles the hem of a fingertip-
length swing coat in| aquamarine
wool,

These latest offerings from
Baker Pack's label, TOC Legends,
reflect the 33-year-old Squamish
band member's rich -cultural
heritage.

Of Coast Salish (father),
Kwakiutl, Tlingit and Haida
(mother) descent, Baker Pack
grew up on the Capilano reserve
in North Vancouver where her fa-
ther owned and operated the
Capilano RV: Park.

While life on ‘the rez,"” where
she continues to make her home,
exposed her to the traditions of
her father’s band, most of her
design inspiration derives from the
Kwakiut! legends and motifs pass-
ed down on her mother’s side.

“We've gota fot of clan
designs,’’ she explains. ‘| walked
into the Museum (of Anthropolo-
gy) one day and she (Baker Pack’s
mother) stood
‘Those used to be in our house,’ '
and they were two big bear totem '
poles — house posts.”’ '

As Baker Pack recalls, her aunt!

NEWS photo Miike Wakefiold

NORTH SHORE designer
Pamela Baker Pack founded
the Touch of Culture (TOC)
Native Self-image Agency in
1887, to premote members of
the native community who
were trying to break into the
locai fashion industry.

larket

We're open all weekend long from Yarn to 6pm, including Friday and Monday.
From the freshest produce and a wonderous array of cooking ingredients, to
hot cross buns and the beautiful springtime view, the Public Market has
egg-zacily what you're looking for this Easter.

Jump on the Bunny Trail, and we'll see you at the Market.

ea eas
oe? be)
*

there and said, : }

had sold the poles to the museum
“a long time ago and she
remembers getting a check for
about $175,""

It is the motifs like those found
on the bear poles that Baker Pack
draws on for her designs.

But the mother of two young
boys — Marcus, eight, and
Desmon, two — didn’t start out
to be a designer.

She formed her own company,
Touch of Culture Native Self-
Image Agency (TOC), in 1987, to
promote members of the native
community who were trying to
break into the local fashion in-
dustry.

She produced and coordinated
shows, with fashions by native de-
signers worn on native models.

But a shortage of native designs
prompted her to try her own hand
at design.

“f sketched some designs, a
native gentleman, who was a pat-
ternmaker, did the work, J picked
the fabric and I started from
there,’’ she explains of her im-
promptu debut.

ince 1982

cultural heritage

Today, she designs out of her
home, melding high-fashion style
lines and traditional clan motifs to
Produce eclectic yet wearable
pieces.

Baker Pack also extends a touch
of culture into her other fine of
work.

A drug and alcohol counsellor
with the Squamish band for 12
years, she works with native
youths, leading seminars on de-
veloping self-esteem and  pro-
moting native self-awareness.

And through her own company,
TOC, she runs summer programs,
at the International Plaza in
North Vancouver, for native
youths aged 13 to 25.

Calied ‘Self Esteem 1,’’ the
two-week session focuses on ‘‘ca-
reer direction and motivation ...
with emphasis on the importance
of maintaining our native
culture,’’ according to the course
outline.

Segments on personal develop-
ment — makeup, skincare,

See Mythical page 34

N* and then, we all need something to
lean on...a supporl system we can trust.

has belped Canadians to enjoy the fifesnte
and independence that quality home care
can offer. We serve the elderly. the physically
challenged, speeial needs children and
adults, young mothers and newborns.
At We Care. our complete family support
services include. ..

© Professional Nursing

© Housckecping. Cleaning

© Personal Care Services ¢ Homemaking. Meals

© Family Respite

Call today for free in-
hame needs appraisal

VANCOUVER OPERA

« Companions
We Care
HomeHewin Seraces
925.4033

300-5497 Miasine Drive
Wor Vancoweer

VANCOUVER

CODE

PRESENTS THE SPECIAL TOURING PRODUCTION OF

by Puccini

IN THE PARIS OF POETS
AND PAINTERS, THE
HIGHEST ART iS LOVE.

Centennial Theatre
2300 Lorsdate Ave

forth Vancouver, BC
Tuesday

April 693 at 8 pen

Tickets: $1B/$ 10 (Students)
Call $84. 4484

Vancouver East
Cuttural Cesstre

3895 Vensintes St
Vancouver, BC
Wednesday

Apel 1493 at 8 pm
Tkets STES1O Students}
Call 251-4363