In May we hosted our annual Patrons Luncheon – a special event to thank members of our Patron Program and a chance for them to meet the artists who their donations support.
The generosity of our patrons makes it possible for us to support new artist-led initiatives like our budding fashion program, so we thought it would be fitting to give them the first look at the latest creations with a fashion show!
Interested in joining our patron program? Click the link button below or email jenn@thenina.ca
About our fashion program
How one artist and a simple skirt turned into an annual fashion show
Returning to our studios after a break during the pandemic, Nina artist Alana Gersky felt like she was in a creative rut and decided to try something new: making her own clothes. Although we had limited experience supporting artists in fashion design, our studio staff took on the challenge and worked with Alana to take her design for a skirt from her sketchbook to the catwalk. Other artists saw what Alana was making and were eager to join in, and before we knew it we had a mini fashion program operating out of our textile studio.
Until this year the primary output from our textile studio included mediums like needlework, fabric collage, and soft sculpture, and we did not have the necessary equipment to meet the sudden demand for garment making. After seeing the “surge” of interest in fashion design, a generous volunteer donated a brand new, accessible sewing machine to allow more artists to start bringing their ideas to life. By spring of 2024, enough artists had completed garments for us to host our first ever fashion show – another brilliant idea from Alana. The show was a great success, and as soon as it ended the artists started planning for next year.
This is a perfect example of how an artist’s initiative and creativity combined with the support of our community can lead to magnificent things. We are confident that this is just the beginning for Alana and our fashion collective, and we look forward to developing this program further in the coming years.
Thank you to our supporters
In addition to our new and returning patrons, we could like to thank ATB for supporting this event, the Alberta Avenue Community League for sharing their space with us, Kristen Buchholtz Photography for capturing the magic, MC College for helping our models look their best and our incredible team of volunteers for making sure everything ran smoothly.
All photos by Kristen Buchholtz Photography.
Click here to view the full album.
Artists and patrons mingling at our 2025 Patrons Luncheon
Alana Gersky giving a speech
Bonnie Blackburn modeling her handmade outfit on the catwalk