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Miss Canada to wear sealskin dress in Panama pageant

Outfit part of Arviat collection

KIRSTEN MURPHY

CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE
Miss Canada Leanne Cecile models the sealskin and fox fur wedding dress she'll wear at the Miss Universe pageant this month. (PHOTO COURTESY OF KILUK LTD.)

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Nunavut's sealskin clothing is fit for a beauty queen.

Leanne Cecile, Miss Canada 2003 of Tecumseh, Ont., may wear a $15,000 white sealskin and fox fur dress at the upcoming Miss Universe pageant in Panama on June 3.

Cecile, 26, spotted the floor-length gown, designed by Kugluktuk's Dolorosa Nartok at the North American Fashion and Fur Exhibition (NAFFEM) in Montreal May 4 to 7.

The outfit, a wedding dress, is one of a dozen pieces from Arviat's Kiluk Ltd. displayed at the trade show.

Diana Giroux, Kiluk's manager, said Cecile was smitten with the dress.

"She fell in love with it and said she wanted to wear it at the Miss Universe pageant when contestants wear garments that represent their county. Right now the dress is in Montreal for alterations. She's a little bit smaller than the dress, like very small. So we're just going to fix it and ship it to Panama," Giroux said. However, the garment was still in Montreal awaiting shipment to Panama this week.

Wearing fur in the tropics is not Giroux's idea of comfort.

"We said 'You're going to die from the heat,'" she said with a laugh.

Kiluk won't collect the sale price for the dress, as Cecile has only borrowed it for the event. Even so, the publicity is priceless.

"This is very exciting. We had a good group of seamstresses and it was very much a team effort," Giroux said. "The overall response was excellent. People said the garments could be shown in Paris. I'm very proud."

Nunavut has participated in NAFFEM since 2000.

Baffin seamstresses sewed the 2000 collection, Kivalliq seamstresses sewed the 2001 collection. This is the first year seamstresses from Cambridge Bay, Gjoa Haven, Kugluktuk and Taloyoak have shown off their talents.

Giroux said the future looks good.

"The only thing I haven't sewn is underwear," she said laughing.

The department of sustainable development (DSD) pays for the skins, labour and shipping. In return, DSD owns the pieces, which go on tour for promotional purposes. If people see something they like, orders are placed through Kiluk, a Nunavut Development Corporation business.

Seven Quebec retailers placed orders following this year's show.

"It's a chance to show Nunavut and the rest of the world what Inuit can do with sealskins." said Rosemary Keenainak, assistant deputy minister for DSD.

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