THE PROVINCE - March 31/8%

Students put
other shows

in the shade

By KAY ALSOP

Three cheers, four stars and a pat on the back for
Looking West, the presentation of locally-produced
fashions staged Sunday by Capilano College’s Retail
Management students and faculty.

Fast-paced and first-class in every respect, yet a
first-time effort involving neophyte models, the
show put to shame some others seen recently
which purported to be professional — and (sadly)
weren't.

A project undertaken by first-year students, the
event was the culmination of several months’ stu-
dent research of the local garment manufacturing:
industry.

“Working in pairs, they sat in on plant production
conferences, talked to the company designers and
watched them working on new lines, studied meth-
ods employed by cutters, pattern drafters and
graders, and iearned how the garments are pro-
duced by seamstresses,” said Pauline Kershaw.

Kershaw is the faculty staffer responsible for stu-
dent instruction under the retail management pro-
gram, while her colleague Marilyn Taylor co-ordi-
nates the program. Both were proud and happy as
John McKeown, assistant deputy minister of B.C.’s
Ministry of Industry, and Eric MacDonald, chief —
industry branch, extended official ccngratulations.

Both McKeown and MacDonald remarked on the
relatively unheralded importance of the B.C. needle
trades to the provincial economy.

“Last year's sales amounted to $125 million. The
annual! payroll totals $50 million, and 4,500 people
are directly employed in the industry, with another
6,000 jobs indirectly resulting from it,” MacDonald
told the audience of 600, including French trade
commissioner Robert Jany.

Cap College students were to be commended for
their assistance in spotlighting the industry,
McKeown said.

For the audience itself, the show was an eye-
opener. Most had no idea that such a broad range
of family fashions was produced right here in Brit-
ish Columbia. They saw exciting swimwear by Jant-
zen, sleek skiwear by Tyrol Mfg. and second-skin
wetsuits by Fitzwright Suits Ltd. They were im-
pressed by Evergreen’s witty weekend wear, the

Students model Aero’s jumpsuit and
Koret’s clamdiggers and jacket.

imaginative stylings of Sports Toggery, the bold
color-blocked fashions of Snazzie Sportswear and
the active wear of Hutch Apparel. They were en-
thusiastic about the brilliance of Aero Garments’
jumpsuits and separates, the dramatic black and
white of Fadam Fiashions, Koret’s coo! classics.
And they applauded loud and long at the sight of
Aljean’s high-styled tartan poncho, the sophisticat-
ed leather jackets by Sidney Manufacturing, and the
fresh innovative rainwear by talented young Van-
couver designer Esme Hedrick.

Roberta Kelly’s sultry commentary and slick
choreography were indispensable to the over-all
production.