Gown for just a Day! For a lifetime....

My mission to write about the secret and wonderful world of a Couturier, and in particular artisans living and working in Canada, has led me to couturier Tracey Ward-Kerr. As I mentioned before we are a very large country East to West and from our border with the US North to the Arctic ocean, with very few inhabitants, but surprisingly we have so many creative individuals. 

Tracey is from Canada's eastern province of New Brunswick, now living in Alberta with her family. I met Tracey through her visit to Ecole Holt Couture School of Couture Sewing and Design, in the summer of 2011. She is a lively creative individual with a bubbly personality, heavily involved in her children's lives as well as her Couture business. You can have it all...

 

"Imagine having a gown inspired by haute couture royalty: Valentino, Lacroix, Oscar de la Renta, and Dior? What about bridal designer royalty the likes of Reem Acra, Badgley Mishka or Vera Wang? Or gowns by Canadian designers, Ines De Santo, or Ramona Keveza?

Imagine you are taking the first steps of your married life in a gown that in every detail reflects who you are, and what you want to be.

Imagine having that same feeling every time you look at your wedding photos.

And … imagine telling that story of having your gown custom designed as you unpack your perfect silk gown, holding it in your hands and gazing into a mirror realising your reflection is an image from 30 years earlier!

Then, imagine handing that perfect gown over to your daughter. These images are my wish for each of my brides.

You see I have experienced each of these moments so far, but the last. I have even modeled my own wedding gown for my two wide-eyed beautiful daughters. It’s a thrill for me to share our wedding photos, letting them hold my gown and telling the story of the day our family began.

My passion for designing and creating started as a fascination with historical family homes. As a young child I would visit my family and friends in their huge Georgian and Victorian homes common to my home province of New Brunswick, Canada.

I was fascinated by all the crown mouldings, and ornate ceiling plaster work that was miles above my head. Amazing graceful curved staircases decorated with perfectly turned and detailed woodwork – the best hand rails for sliding down! Bedrooms didn’t have built-in closets, but beautiful armoires. Rooms leading into other rooms through tall heavy doors, each one adorned gleaming glass doorknobs.  This inspired my imagination about what it was like to have lived there when the house was brand new - Ladies rustling around in their long taffeta skirts, drinking afternoon tea, working on needlepoint samplers.

How I loved climbing stairways all the way to the attic - not at all spooky - just thrilling. There in the attic, the keeper of secrets held family treasures.  We played dress-up with the clothes drawn from old trunks, had tea using precious china cups and saucers and we occasionally staged a wedding! Finding old photos of people we knew were family members but had never met inspired beautiful daydreams and hopes that one day I would be the Lady in the picture being gazed upon with wonder.

I loved the fact that almost every one of these houses had a room at the top of the stairs – a tiny sewing room with a narrow window casting direct light into the room. This retreat was kept very tidy, one chair, the treadle powered Singer sewing machine, sewing basket and – if very fortunate – a beautiful narrow armoire.

At seven or eight years old as I was sewing fabulous Barbie doll-outfits, always at the back of my mind I discovered an enduring nostalgic notion, assuredly originated by my own family history: I could provide a bride, like in the old photos, with a beautiful wedding gown that they too could begin their own family journey.  

  

You see, my Great-Grandmother made dresses for my mother and her four sisters. My Grandmother sewed too, but I remember her doing mostly quilting and crocheting. My Mother worked from home sewing dresses and she always sewed for herself, my sister and me. From the time I was very young, there was never a time when sewing was far from my everyday life and memories, I always believed I could sew whatever I envisioned, because they did.

After many years at school, general dressmaking and creative design projects - including working with furs and leather, I discovered that Bridal design – specifically Couture Bridal Design – allowed me to combine all my interests, abilities and my passion. I remember reading once “couture is like architecture” the techniques are about structure, support, and function with perfect detailing, like those beautiful buildings back home.

Creating one-of-a-kind gowns, for me is something “I just have to do”.  Helping brides fulfill their wishes and dreams, allowing them to be the ‘Lady in the photograph’, completes the circle of life, so to say.

One’s wedding gown sets the tone for the entire wedding. Taking the first steps in your own family’s future history, wearing the gown that will live forever in your memories and photos, not just for one day, is the “once-upon-a-time happily-ever-after” story you can share with your own daughters and granddaughters." Tracey Ward-Kerr 

You can contact Tracey Ward Kerr through her website  http://www.couturegownstudio.ca/

or through her face book page  CoutureGown Studio

Tracey Ward-Kerr on the left wearing one of her creations for EHC's fashion event fundraiser. Amy on the right is from Making Changes Association Calgary - the beneficiary of the fundraiser.

Thank you Tracey for your story. Please let us know about couturiers that you have worked with and admire - we'd love to pass on their story!

Beauty is Always Worth Paying For

Beauty is an indulgence we should not give up, and it is always worth paying for. This is inspired from an article I read in Country Life magazine amidst the economic recession that has hit the UK pretty hard and has affected most everyone. Recession is affecting the whole of the western economic world, and Canada is no exception.

Enviably Britain has a long history of old-fashioned craftsmanship connected with extreme high quality in areas of architecture, furniture, clothing ie. Savile Row, Art, etc., etc., etc. Things created with expertise and care which last and can be appreciated regardless of current economics are all around to lighten the settling gloom.Canada as a young shoot of a country, historically speaking, is still developing its roots in these areas.

Canada really has little, in comparison with the UK, Europe and Mexico for that matter, in the way of beautiful classic architecture (that has not been demolished); few famous inventions - even though we have very notable inventions; and no one would consider Canada a center of great traditional art with splendid galleries. Everything it seems must be brand new or it isn't worthy of attention or given enough value. Canada repeatedly seeks to reinvents itself.

Fashion is also an industry that is not typically associated with Canada, and in particular high fashion. We are known for rugged and extreme sports wear, but its 'trendy' fashion - well...is not really of high appeal or exceptionally inspiring. I'm not saying that we don't have extremely good fashion or high quality fashion - but we are not known for it.

Canada is a country of Best-Kept-Secrets, and we don't especially spend a lot of effort exposing those secrets. Or so it seems. What we are associated with is 'landscape' and quite an abundance of it, which is our treasure and our problem at the same time. Canada's population of 34 million is mostly spread out along the Canada/US border - and the balance spread very thinly over vast expanses northwards, so 'trends' do not spread quickly and are not hugely relevant to the various regions.

Canada was populated (after the natives) by a mix of undereducated and extremely educated immigrants from England, Scotland, France and the rest of Europe bringing their valuable skills with them. And we still do have highly skilled craftsmen quietly going about their business living in relative obscurity - and they wouldn't have it any other way. Maybe.

Maybe, we should shout about our talents and skills a little louder and celebrate our artisans and achievements more affirmatively and share specialized knowledge more actively. That is what this blog intends to do in regard to Couture and haute couture in Canada. Haute Couture in Canada? Are you serious? Yes we know using the term "haute couture" is firmly restricted for use in France like "Champagne" is to the champagne region. But, champagne my friends is sparkling wine. No matter what you call it - a rose, is a rose, is a rose.

And so, let's share the very best of couture in Canada. True couture - not to be confused with the watered down over-used one-upmanship version of the word. Information about the profession and the art will be shared and if you have some best kept secrets about Canadian couture and couturiers that should be touted, please let me know. This will hopefully be a journey through a country new to blowing its own horn... so lets do it. J