InFocus Magazine

To Comox Valley milliner Lori Lachance-King, no rx
her dazzling little chapeaux are ‘hats’, and are not to be known as ‘Fascinators.’

“Fascinators are items you can buy at Wal-Mart for $20,” says Lachance-King of her business, Always on Top Hat Designs. “That term doesn’t quite apply here. I make ladies’ hats—unique and original one-of-a-kind ladies’ hats.”

Lachance-King has always been something of a fashion pace-setter because she has never been afraid to be bold in her statements—and sometimes even with ever-so-slightly outrageous ones. Flamboyant eye makeup was a long time aspect of her persona, as well as colorful garb. At one point, she says, she even went so far as shaving her head, just to see what it felt and looked like, as well as the fact that it gave her more options.

“You should have seen some of the fabulous wigs I wore!” she says.

But what exactly is a fascinator, as she chooses not to call them?

A fascinator hat is a small ornamental headpiece that fits on the head using an Alice-band-type base or headband or even a small comb. It is always lightweight and usually features feathers, beads or flowers. The use of the term fascinator began in the 1990s when such headpieces became popular for wearing at weddings without ruining a lovely hairstyle or giving the wearer a helmet head.

Picture Kate Middleton and her sister, Pippa and all the rest of that Royal Ascot gang where everybody tries to outdo everyone else in their fashion statements, if you are still in the dark about such a millinery fashion mode.

“I got into hats because a neighbor had borrowed one from a friend and I was so intrigued by it that I decided I wanted one. And from that inspiration I simply started making them,” she says.

She also got into hats because headwear intrigues her, as it has others through history. Hat fashions come and go, but something atop the head has inspired thought in others. Like, for example, Shirley MacLaine, who said, “Life is like a new hat. You don’t know if it suits you if you keep trying it on in front of your own mirror.”
Or Margaret Atwood, who said: “I myself have 12 hats, and each one represents a different personality. Why just be yourself?”

Lachance-King likes the creativity involved in making hats. “I like seeing what my fingers create from what my mind sees,” she says. “Watching myself experiment, spontaneously or unconsciously. Feeling on fire when the right hat matches the right wearer. As an introvert, I just love working alone in my cozy studio. I crave the exhilaration of simply handling all my colors and textures.”

The difficult parts, she adds, are, “Spending enough time on the business of business; justifying myself and my work. A nagging lack of confidence in self promotion.”
As it was for Lachance-King, especially in the early days, wherein she produced so many hats via her enthusiasm for what was, at that time, essentially a hobby, she began giving the hats away. She continued to do that until she decided to get more serious about what she was doing. And the thought of actually earning money from all that hard work was understandably alluring.

When that point arrived she decided she should do something more about not only her passion, but also her artistic skill. She had no doubt she was doing good work with the little hats, but she wanted to both gain a wider profile, and also to learn all that she could. She knew she could only do that via the mentorship of some of the best in the millinery business. And that is basically what happened for her—looking for mentors she sought out the crème-de-la-crème.

 

Two years ago, after about six months of hat-making, Lachance-King mounted a show of what she had done to that point at the Gatehouse Gallery in Cumberland. It was there that she had a serendipitous meeting with Piroska (von Kampen) Mueller of PM*BC Custom Made Hats, a master milliner from Germany who had recently settled in this area. Mueller liked what Lachance-King had done and told her so. Mueller herself began her own hat-making while in her teens and ultimately had her own shop, and a huge reputation, in Germany for many years.

From her, Lachance-King got a great deal of invaluable training—in return for aiding Mueller with conversational English after she and her husband had settled in Oyster River. “She knew a lot of tricks in the craft, and through her I also had the privilege of seeing a lot of millinery material that is no longer available, including her vast array of feathers. My technique has improved a lot since meeting her.”

Her next step involved her contacting William Walker of William Walker Millinery in Yaletown, Vancouver. She went to his apartment there and took lessons in working with feathers. “We worked there for two-and-a-half days in his tiny apartment that was absolutely filled with millinery materials,” she says. “Every square inch was filled with materials for hat-making. He then came here to give me lessons and taught me about felt and veiling. It was all really fruitful and such a gift to work with these experts in the field.”

But making the hats and then operating a business incorporating your artistic and creative skills are two different sides of the coin, and from the business end Lachance-King received invaluable help from Jay Silverberg, who was offering a program called Women in Business through the Wachiay Friendship Centre.

“Jay offered me the business side of what I was doing; all the little tricks that make entrepreneurship work,” Lachance-King says. “He came highly recommended since virtually all the women he has nurtured through his program are now running successful businesses.”

Through all this mentoring in her early stages, Lachance-King developed a distinct philosophy of style and the products—the small works of millinery art—she creates. In that she embraced the concept of slow fashion. “This philosophy is another way I offer something Wal-Mart cannot,” she says. “Since learning about slow fashion, I have worked on applying it to more parts of my life, starting with house and home purchases and emotional involvements,” she says.

One way her product differs from mass-produced hats lies in her endeavour to create an organic, West Coast feel to the hats she painstakingly produces.

“I do stand out from the crowd with my daring quasi-vintage headwear spectaculars. My pieces are all hand-made and my next collection features couture BC cedar bark designs,” she says. “My online research has not found any other hat maker using bark for fancy dress. Dramatic, organic and positive use of negative space are all part of my signature style.”

Small hats, or fascinators, if you will, have been modish for about five years in North America, she says. In Europe and Australia they have been around for much longer. In the case of Canada, the fashion moved up from the United States. Lachance-King is candid in saying she is seeking to attract buyers not only here but also in the larger fashion-oriented centres such as Vancouver and Victoria.

“If you buy a Lori Original you have an original. There will be no other like it,” she says of her one-of-a-kind hats. Her Always on Top hats start at $225 with some going as high as $300, depending on the materials and the hours it took to create.

“I can’t just sit down and go from start to finish with a hat, and at the same time I cannot undersell myself,” she says. “As purchasers, quite honestly, I am looking in the direction of women with money who are also highly interested in fashion.”

Is such a purchase an extravagance? Yes and no, she says. The yes part revolves around the fact that the item itself is costly. However, it’s also an accessory and that makes a difference.

“That means you can wear it with a skirt and blouse or whatever outfit you have worn many times before, but people are going to focus on the hat and won’t notice you’re wearing a sweater, say, that you have worn many times before,” she says.

It’s a phenomenon she refers to as the ‘lipstick effect’ and it makes sense. “When the economy is tight, a woman should get herself a good lipstick, and lipstick popularity peaks in tough times. People then focus on your mouth rather than on whatever else you’re wearing.”

In North America lipstick was used widely in the tough times of the Great Depression and World War Two, whereas it had minimal popularity during the relatively affluent hippie days of the late 1960s and early 70s.

As fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli once said: “In difficult times fashion is always outrageous.” Lachance-King accepts the wisdom of that sentiment and is working it into her themes. “When things are tight, women can afford a hat if nothing else,” she says.

Currently she is working on what she refers to as “concept pieces.” That is, hats developed along a certain theme—truly lovely creations that can be seen as small works of art, which is exactly her intention.

One particularly enticing item explores a West Coast theme with shades of blue representing the roiling sea and tiny pearls giving the effect of whitecaps.

“I try to develop a story with each hat,” she says. “The veiling on this one represents fish nets. The story will be included with the hat when it’s purchased.”

In similar coastal exploration she is also working with the aforementioned cedar strips as a representation of West Coast resources. More than anything, her hats give her a huge and, in this geographic area especially, largely untapped outlet for creative expressionism. Having been involved in various areas of artistry through the years she is finding the venture highly personally fulfilling.

With her background, the hats have become part of an evolution of artistry that goes back a couple of decades or more.

“I started working as a photographer in the late 1980s; mostly weddings and portraits as well as for the Green Sheet,” she says. “I purchased Romalene Studios and continued with my own work while serving the previous proprietor’s clients. I was forced to stop work in the late 1990s because I had problems with my eyes and there was no guarantee that the condition would get better. It was at this time I took up working in ceramics. I never sold any but loved making creations. Now my creative outlet is making hats.”

She adds that she also dabbles with an, “as-yet-unnamed style of writing. It is entertaining for me to read my own writing but no one else has seen it.”

For more information check out the Always On Top Facebook page, which shows many examples of Lachance-King’s artistry. Or visit www.alwaysontophatdesigns.ca

To Comox Valley milliner Lori Lachance-King, her dazzling little chapeaux are ‘hats’, and are not to be known as ‘Fascinators.’

“Fascinators are items you can buy at Wal-Mart for $20,” says Lachance-King of her business, Always on Top Hat Designs. “That term doesn’t quite apply here. I make ladies’ hats—unique and original one-of-a-kind ladies’ hats.”

Lachance-King has always been something of a fashion pace-setter because she has never been afraid to be bold in her statements—and sometimes even with ever-so-slightly outrageous ones. Flamboyant eye makeup was a long time aspect of her persona, as well as colorful garb. At one point, she says, she even went so far as shaving her head, just to see what it felt and looked like, as well as the fact that it gave her more options.

“You should have seen some of the fabulous wigs I wore!” she says.

But what exactly is a fascinator, as she chooses not to call them?

A fascinator hat is a small ornamental headpiece that fits on the head using an Alice-band-type base or headband or even a small comb. It is always lightweight and usually features feathers, beads or flowers. The use of the term fascinator began in the 1990s when such headpieces became popular for wearing at weddings without ruining a lovely hairstyle or giving the wearer a helmet head.

Picture Kate Middleton and her sister, Pippa and all the rest of that Royal Ascot gang where everybody tries to outdo everyone else in their fashion statements, if you are still in the dark about such a millinery fashion mode.

“I got into hats because a neighbor had borrowed one from a friend and I was so intrigued by it that I decided I wanted one. And from that inspiration I simply started making them,” she says.

She also got into hats because headwear intrigues her, as it has others through history. Hat fashions come and go, but something atop the head has inspired thought in others. Like, for example, Shirley MacLaine, who said, “Life is like a new hat. You don’t know if it suits you if you keep trying it on in front of your own mirror.”
Or Margaret Atwood, who said: “I myself have 12 hats, and each one represents a different personality. Why just be yourself?”

Lachance-King likes the creativity involved in making hats. “I like seeing what my fingers create from what my mind sees,” she says. “Watching myself experiment, spontaneously or unconsciously. Feeling on fire when the right hat matches the right wearer. As an introvert, I just love working alone in my cozy studio. I crave the exhilaration of simply handling all my colors and textures.”

The difficult parts, she adds, are, “Spending enough time on the business of business; justifying myself and my work. A nagging lack of confidence in self promotion.”
As it was for Lachance-King, especially in the early days, wherein she produced so many hats via her enthusiasm for what was, at that time, essentially a hobby, she began giving the hats away. She continued to do that until she decided to get more serious about what she was doing. And the thought of actually earning money from all that hard work was understandably alluring.

When that point arrived she decided she should do something more about not only her passion, but also her artistic skill. She had no doubt she was doing good work with the little hats, but she wanted to both gain a wider profile, and also to learn all that she could. She knew she could only do that via the mentorship of some of the best in the millinery business. And that is basically what happened for her—looking for mentors she sought out the crème-de-la-crème.

 

Two years ago, after about six months of hat-making, Lachance-King mounted a show of what she had done to that point at the Gatehouse Gallery in Cumberland. It was there that she had a serendipitous meeting with Piroska (von Kampen) Mueller of PM*BC Custom Made Hats, a master milliner from Germany who had recently settled in this area. Mueller liked what Lachance-King had done and told her so. Mueller herself began her own hat-making while in her teens and ultimately had her own shop, and a huge reputation, in Germany for many years.

From her, Lachance-King got a great deal of invaluable training—in return for aiding Mueller with conversational English after she and her husband had settled in Oyster River. “She knew a lot of tricks in the craft, and through her I also had the privilege of seeing a lot of millinery material that is no longer available, including her vast array of feathers. My technique has improved a lot since meeting her.”

Her next step involved her contacting William Walker of William Walker Millinery in Yaletown, Vancouver. She went to his apartment there and took lessons in working with feathers. “We worked there for two-and-a-half days in his tiny apartment that was absolutely filled with millinery materials,” she says. “Every square inch was filled with materials for hat-making. He then came here to give me lessons and taught me about felt and veiling. It was all really fruitful and such a gift to work with these experts in the field.”

But making the hats and then operating a business incorporating your artistic and creative skills are two different sides of the coin, and from the business end Lachance-King received invaluable help from Jay Silverberg, who was offering a program called Women in Business through the Wachiay Friendship Centre.

“Jay offered me the business side of what I was doing; all the little tricks that make entrepreneurship work,” Lachance-King says. “He came highly recommended since virtually all the women he has nurtured through his program are now running successful businesses.”

Through all this mentoring in her early stages, Lachance-King developed a distinct philosophy of style and the products—the small works of millinery art—she creates. In that she embraced the concept of slow fashion. “This philosophy is another way I offer something Wal-Mart cannot,” she says. “Since learning about slow fashion, I have worked on applying it to more parts of my life, starting with house and home purchases and emotional involvements,” she says.

One way her product differs from mass-produced hats lies in her endeavour to create an organic, West Coast feel to the hats she painstakingly produces.

“I do stand out from the crowd with my daring quasi-vintage headwear spectaculars. My pieces are all hand-made and my next collection features couture BC cedar bark designs,” she says. “My online research has not found any other hat maker using bark for fancy dress. Dramatic, organic and positive use of negative space are all part of my signature style.”

Small hats, or fascinators, if you will, have been modish for about five years in North America, she says. In Europe and Australia they have been around for much longer. In the case of Canada, the fashion moved up from the United States. Lachance-King is candid in saying she is seeking to attract buyers not only here but also in the larger fashion-oriented centres such as Vancouver and Victoria.

“If you buy a Lori Original you have an original. There will be no other like it,” she says of her one-of-a-kind hats. Her Always on Top hats start at $225 with some going as high as $300, depending on the materials and the hours it took to create.

“I can’t just sit down and go from start to finish with a hat, and at the same time I cannot undersell myself,” she says. “As purchasers, quite honestly, I am looking in the direction of women with money who are also highly interested in fashion.”

Is such a purchase an extravagance? Yes and no, she says. The yes part revolves around the fact that the item itself is costly. However, it’s also an accessory and that makes a difference.

“That means you can wear it with a skirt and blouse or whatever outfit you have worn many times before, but people are going to focus on the hat and won’t notice you’re wearing a sweater, say, that you have worn many times before,” she says.

It’s a phenomenon she refers to as the ‘lipstick effect’ and it makes sense. “When the economy is tight, a woman should get herself a good lipstick, and lipstick popularity peaks in tough times. People then focus on your mouth rather than on whatever else you’re wearing.”

In North America lipstick was used widely in the tough times of the Great Depression and World War Two, whereas it had minimal popularity during the relatively affluent hippie days of the late 1960s and early 70s.

As fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli once said: “In difficult times fashion is always outrageous.” Lachance-King accepts the wisdom of that sentiment and is working it into her themes. “When things are tight, women can afford a hat if nothing else,” she says.

Currently she is working on what she refers to as “concept pieces.” That is, hats developed along a certain theme—truly lovely creations that can be seen as small works of art, which is exactly her intention.

One particularly enticing item explores a West Coast theme with shades of blue representing the roiling sea and tiny pearls giving the effect of whitecaps.

“I try to develop a story with each hat,” she says. “The veiling on this one represents fish nets. The story will be included with the hat when it’s purchased.”

In similar coastal exploration she is also working with the aforementioned cedar strips as a representation of West Coast resources. More than anything, her hats give her a huge and, in this geographic area especially, largely untapped outlet for creative expressionism. Having been involved in various areas of artistry through the years she is finding the venture highly personally fulfilling.

With her background, the hats have become part of an evolution of artistry that goes back a couple of decades or more.

“I started working as a photographer in the late 1980s; mostly weddings and portraits as well as for the Green Sheet,” she says. “I purchased Romalene Studios and continued with my own work while serving the previous proprietor’s clients. I was forced to stop work in the late 1990s because I had problems with my eyes and there was no guarantee that the condition would get better. It was at this time I took up working in ceramics. I never sold any but loved making creations. Now my creative outlet is making hats.”

She adds that she also dabbles with an, “as-yet-unnamed style of writing. It is entertaining for me to read my own writing but no one else has seen it.”

For more information check out the Always On Top Facebook page, which shows many examples of Lachance-King’s artistry. Or visit www.alwaysontophatdesigns.ca
The Comox Valley is home to great food. In this issue, for sale
we have touched upon some of the many interesting options that are available right at our doorstep. We are indeed fortunate to have so many producers of local fruits and vegetables, buy cialis not to mention seafood and specialty meats within such a small geographical area.

Check out the local farmers’ markets in Courtenay and Comox to pick up the freshest of the fresh this season. Or drive out to one of the many farms that sell direct to the consumer. In this issue we look at everything from a local farm cultivating one of the world’s first fruits, to a Comox business offering a unique oil and vinegar tasting bar, to a chef duo committed to promoting our local food culture. If you’ve never tasted fresh figs, you may want to give them a try after reading about all the health benefits and the history of this ancient fruit (see story this issue). Drop in to Signature Oil and Vinegar in Comox to sample some of their delicious balsamic vinegars and imported olive oils (story this issue). Or learn more about the local foodie scene from local chefs Jonathan Frazier and Darren Howlett of ‘Edible Valley’ (story this issue).  The following recipes take advantage of some of these ingredients, and highlight local cuisine.  The recipes below are courtesy of Jonathan Frazier, Executive Chef of the Atlas Café.

 

 Cajun Albacore Tuna with Red Pepper Aioli  – From Atlas Café Executive Chef Jonathan Frazier

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces albacore tuna
• 1 tablespoon Cajun spice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

 

Red Pepper Aioli 

• 1 red pepper (roasted)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper

 

Preparation:

• Coat tuna fillet with small amount of olive oil and rub with Cajun spice. Pre-heat pan to medium to high heat. With remaining olive oil, sear all sides of the fish for 20 to 30 seconds.
• Remove from heat and allow to rest 5 minutes. Slice thinly.

 

Red Pepper Aioli

• In blender or with hand blender, add pepper, garlic, lemon juice, egg and blend. Slowly add oil to the mixture, allowing it to emulsify. Do not pour the oil too quickly. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

___________________________________________________________________________________

 

Kale Caesar Salad with Polenta Croutons – From Atlas Café Executive Chef Jonathan Frazier

Kale Caesar Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh kale
• 3 tablespoons Caesar salad dressing
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
• Polenta croutons  (recipe follows)

 

Caesar Salad Dressing

• 2 anchovy fillets (minced)
• 2 garlic cloves  (minced)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon red wine
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper

 

Dressing Preparation:

• In a bowl whisk together all the ingredients except the olive oil, until smooth.
• Slowly drizzle the olive oil while whisking. Do not pour the oil too quickly—make sure that it has emulsified into the rest of the ingredients before pouring in more. Continue to drizzle and whisk until all the oil has been added.
• Trim and wash kale. Spin in salad spinner to remove excess water. Place in a bowl and toss with dressing. To serve, place on a plate, top with Parmesan cheese and polenta croutons.

 

Polenta Croutons

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 tablespoons diced onions
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper

 

Preparation:

• Sauté onion in oil in a small pot until onions begin to brown. Add water and cream, bring to simmer.
• Add cornmeal slowly while stirring to make sure lumps do not occur.  Continue stirring until mixture begins to thicken and hold its own form. Add butter, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and stir until butter is dissolved.
• Pour into pan lined with plastic wrap and allow to cool in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Remove from pan and cut into croutons.
• Pre-heat pan to medium to high heat with olive oil.  Sear polenta and serve on top of Caesar salad.

__________________________________________________________________

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

This healthy and delicious summer salad can be served either as a side dish or as a dinner salad (add cooked, sliced chicken or fish, if desired). The dressing pulls all the flavors together – you can find the Chipotle Olive Oil and the Blackberry Ginger Balsamic Vinegar at Signature Oil & Vinegar in Comox.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked quinoa (cold)
• 2 cups chopped cucumbers
• 2 cups red pepper, coarsely chopped
• ½ sweet onion, sliced thinly
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• Fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley

 

Dressing:

• 2 tablespoons Chipotle Olive Oil
• 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 6 tablespoons Blackberry and Ginger Balsamic Vinegar (or to taste)
• ¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar (or to taste)

 

Preparation:

• Mix Chipotle Olive Oil with the Extra Virgin Olive Oil, add Blackberry and Ginger Balsamic Vinegar, plain Balsamic Vinegar and mix. Adjust amounts for personal taste.

________________________________________

Roasted Figs with Honey

Ingredients:

• 12 to 16 plump figs
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Tiny pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons honey, such as lavender honey
• Pinch of ground cinnamon
• Vanilla ice cream

 

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F. Rinse the figs and pat them dry, then cut off the stems and, without cutting through the base, halve them from top to bottom. Set the figs upright in a dish just big enough to hold them snugly.
• Melt the butter in a small skillet with the salt, honey, and cinnamon, then spoon it over the figs.
• Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the fruit is heated through, about 15 minutes. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream.

__________________________________________

 

Grilled Adobo-Rubbed Fish Tacos

Ingredients – Adobo-Rubbed Fish:

• 4 teaspoons chili powder, preferably made with New Mexico or ancho chiles
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 pounds ling cod, Pacific halibut or other firm white fish, 1/2-3/4 inch thick, skinned and cut into 4 portions

 

Coleslaw:

• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon lime zest
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 3 cups finely shredded red or green cabbage
• 12 corn tortillas, warmed (see Tip)

 

Preparation:

• To prepare fish: Combine chili powder, lime juice, oil, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub adobo rub all over fish. Let stand 20 to 30 minutes for the fish to absorb the flavor.
• To prepare coleslaw: Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, cilantro, lime zest, lime juice, sugar, salt and pepper in a medium bowl; mix until smooth and creamy. Add cabbage and toss to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Preheat grill to medium-high. Oil the grill rack or use a grilling basket. Grill the fish until it is cooked through and easily flakes with a fork, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer the fish to a platter and separate into large chunks. Serve the tacos family-style by passing the fish, tortillas, coleslaw and taco garnishes separately.
• Tips: Prepare coleslaw up to 4 hours ahead. To warm tortillas, wrap stacks of up to 12 tortillas in barely damp paper towels; microwave for 30 to 45 seconds. Wrap in a clean towel to keep warm. Or, wrap stacks of 6 tortillas in foil; place in a 325°F oven for 10-15 minutes. Remove, wrap in towel to keep warm.