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The streets of Vancouver are transformed into a sexy runway.
Renowned Vancouver designer Jason Matlo collaborated with Dianes Lingerie on a live couture exhibit, “Bras You Want to Show Off,” consisting of seven models wearing sheer Matlo designs over high-end Chantelle and Marie Jo lingerie.
Matlo, along with Diane Thompson, owner of Dianes Lingerie, believe the provocative cream and lace looks celebrate female confidence. Following the exhibit, Dianes Lingerie will donate the original Matlo designs to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation’s BC/Yukon Region to assist with their fundraising efforts.
I turned up at the South Granville boutique for the launch highly curious about what takes place during a “live fashion exhibit.” In a runway show, models strut. But a fashion exhibit is puzzling; would the media circle the women like sharks? Would they be mounted on walls?
I soon found out. We were there to shadow the models as they wore/walked their lingerie installation all over town. Confidence indeed! The models—real women of all ages—were beyond confident.
Although I’m disinclined to call them “ballsy,” they were bold, brazen and bursting with chutzpah as they strutted up and down Granville in the rain, climbing onto buses, posing with construction workers and energetically handing out passes for a complimentary bra fitting, all in the name of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.
Models for the “Bras You Want to Show Off’ exhibit pause for a moment on the streets of Vancouver. (Image: Johann Wall)
Jason Matlo has made a name for himself throughout North America by creating luxe and sophisticated ready-to-wear women’s fashion. Crafting couture using uber delicate silk organza, silk crepe de chine voile and fine gauge jersey mesh is another dimension of fashion design and certainly no easy task. This collection is quite a coup for the mature Matlo, demonstrating that he not only has the architecture of tailoring down pat, but that he can execute cunning engineering as well.
“We chose fine quality fabrics and the highest quality finishes,” said Matlo, who assents that constructing sheer dresses was a tricky endeavor. “It took one week and five skilled technicians working 18-hour days to complete the capsule collection.”
If you haven’t been to Dianes Lingerie, which has been supplying Vancouver with pretty, intimate apparel for 30 years, I recommend dropping by. Diane Thompson is all about providing personal attention to real women with real bodies in a safe zone.
I thought my bra fit properly until a seasoned employee entered the fitting room and showed me what was what. The post-bra-consultation comfort outweighed the momentary vulnerability, which was mostly mitigated by a complimentary mimosa.