Vancouver Fashion eZine - Online Magazine | Fashion Designer - Denise Brillon

Designer Denise Brillon could not imagine a future in fashion when she was a child. Growing up in a small fishing village she had "...always been attracted to clothing, designing and styling, yet it seemed impossible to pursue that dream." Early signs of her talent were evident when she began to use the materials around her to recreate things she had seen in the Sears catalog. Bobby pins were twisted into earrings and tin cans were stomped onto shoes to make high heels. Fate opened the door during trips to visit her famous aunt, Blanche Macdonald. Macdonald was a woman of great style who started the very first model and talent agency in Vancouver. "She was regal and beautiful and she loved people...I believe my greatest inspiration for creating...(is) to honor the memory of my Aunty Blanche."

Brillon took the initial step down her current path when she put original First Nation's artwork on a Baby Tee. It was a hit! "T-shirts are the fastest way to be a designer..it's about getting that experience of playing with ideas and messages." Printed with subtle but powerful graphics, these distinctive T-shirts have become the anchor of her Artifaax line. Another essential element is her unique leather cuffs. She reworks original designs from First Nation's artists such as John Brillon and Heber Reece to fit the curves of the cuff and then uses a laser to cut the designs. "They remind me of Pucci's swirling prints except they are our very own West Coast designs." Bif Naked was recently seen wearing the Full Eagle cuff on stage at one of her concerts, a sure sign of their popularity. Brillon's line of regalia-like jewelry completes the collection. Using old postcards for inspiration she "captivates the essence of tradition while using modern material and semi-precious stones". The jewelry is designed to honor her heritage while making it wearable today- "Artifaax" for the next generation. HMS Host took notice and the Artifaax line of jewelry is featured in the Gifts of the Raven Native Art Gallery at the Vancouver International Airport.

As a designer Brillon is always evolving and moving forward. In Spring 2006 she launched her Indian Summer couture collection. The garments whisper of the past with pieces like the Louis Riel-inspired blouses, but have a style that will keep them classic for years to come. She experimented using materials that would have been available to her ancestors by making skirts and vests from Kanata blankets. Respect for other cultures is also evident in the kimono-inspired Pow Wow Jacket and a Scottish kilt. Indian Summer has an emotional vibrancy that takes you back in time It is filled with romance, integrity and a sense of history. This line is available by special order only and is maintained as a permanent collection in honor of her aunt.

Brillon's Artifaax and Indian summer lines have received international recognition, been written up in magazines, worn on stage and featured in the movie Johnny 2 Tall. As to where her future path will lead, Brillon is never certain. "I suppose in some ways I've just come full circle. I'm improvising fashion once again, yet now I'm taking parts of my ancestry and heritage and reworking (them) into jewelry and clothing." For information on the Artifaax and Indian Summer lines please visit the website www.artifaaxclothing.com.