the Commuter 27

As a fine arts student,Dean Hutchinson

dreamed about a careerin fashion design. Today

he's got his own labeland an upscale store inSan Francisco. Not bad

for a Saskatoon boy.

Dean Hutchinson confides the secret tohis success. "I pride myself on being able

to notice trends, to say, 'this is amoment.' And to respond to that."

In fashion design, being able to spot atrend early is often the difference between

long-term success and early flame-out.Thanks to his ability to see what's on the

horizon, and a knack for knowing his

ClassicLines

26 Summer 2004

photography by Sean Francis Martin

"I got an opportunity to open my ownstore in San Francisco," he says. "Itwas a really good opportunity. I justfelt that it was the direction to go. Sowe closed down the wholesale end ofthings and concentrated on building avertical business line - design,manufacture and retail."

Hutchinson moved state-side in 1996to get a better feel for the southernCalifornia market. He had a secondstore in LA for a time, but when hesaw the trend shifting towards ayounger, trendier, more disposalfashion ethic, he closed the outlet andfocussed on his San Fran store.

"I know my clients, they're anywherefrom their mid-30's to their 60's. Theywant to look good; they do not wantto look missy. My clothes are classic,basic but with good architectural lines,good fit and detail.

"I know how to make good clothes.My designs are built on beautifularchitecture (another of hissignatures). I have the ability, onceI've built this foundation, to distort it.My inspiration comes from the humanform, both physical and non-physical. Ireally like tapping into that energy thatwomen have. I've had women tell methey feel powerful when they put onmy clothes. You feel good wearingthem. It's an intangible thing, but abig part of my creative process."

Dean Hutchinson (Design) Inc.designs and manufactures clothing inToronto and retails them through theSan Francisco store.

market, Hutchinson has built anenviable career in one of the world'smost intensely competitive fields.

The ink wasn't even dry on hisUniversity of Saskatchewan Fine Artsdegree when he headed south to LosAngeles in the early 1980s. He plannedon staying a year, soaking up everythinghe could about the industry in a citywhere fashion was being redefinedalmost every day.

He returned home, briefly, beforemoving to Toronto in 1985 to officiallylaunch his career. "In order to do whatI wanted to do in Canada, I had to be

in a big market. At that time, Torontowas really a centre of fashion, and therewas a lot happening to promote theindustry in the city. And for me, itturned out to be the right place at theright time."

Hutchinson went straight to work. In1986, he started wholesaling hisdesigns. By 1992, he had created anentire collection and a network ofrepresentatives across North Americawere working to get his clothes intostores, everything from small boutiquesto high-end department stores. Thatsame year, another door opened on awhole new market.

Our Model:Tanja Reichert

At 5'5", Tanja Reichert is notyour stereotypical model. Butthen, this 25-year old blonde isn'ta model - she's an actress. She'salso a fitness buff who lovessnowboarding, hiking, Starbuckscoffee, Sarah McLachlan andMiles Davis, ice cream, sushi,smoothies and men who weargood shoes.

A recent transplant to LA fromVancouver, Reichert is making aname for herself in the movies.Her latest venture is the horrorslasher spoof Club Dread. She'salso had parts in Legally Blonde 2with Reese Witherspoon, HeadOver Heels with Freddie Prinze Jr.and Scary Movie with the Wayansbrothers.

Reichert has been building heracting resume since 1996. Shefollowed up a guest spot ontelevision's Poltergeist: TheLegacy with roles on a variety ofseries filmed in Vancouver andToronto, including Breaker High,The Net, Beggars & Choosers,2Gether and Millennium. Shelanded a break-through recurringrole on Relic Hunter in 2001-2002, and recently took anotherstep forward with appearances onCSI Miami and The Chris IsaakShow. In a town with more thanits fair share of blonde beauties,Reichert is in demand.

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To date the Fund represents 8,000 shareholdersacross the province, and has invested in the growthof 30 Saskatchewan companies across 11 differentindustry sectors.

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28 Summer 2004