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A fashion show of dresses from the 1930s to 1950sThe 'inspiration' for the 1996 exhibition at the Powell Street Festival came from a collection of dresses owned by Mary Ohara and developed through a series of discussions looking over these dresses. Typical of those worn in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, many are dressmaker-made, which led to our curiosity about the dressmaking, dressmakers, their schools and businesses.
Like approximately 4000 other Japanese Canadians, Mary Ohara left for Japan after the war in the government's effort to "repatriate" Japanese Canadians. As a 15 year old who was born and raised in Canada, Mary longed for the day she could return home to Canada. As she speaks with us about her collection and her experiences, Mary talks of the difficulty of her relocation and her fondness for objects from a past era from which her passion for collecting began:
"When I left Canada and relocated to Japan along with my family ... it was in 1946, June of 1946. As soon as I hit Japan I became homesick and was determined to come back to Canada. And it took me eight long years before that dream was realized. I missed everything about Canada ( clothes, food, customs, of course friends, familiar surroundings ... I missed everything from here. Everything old and everything familiar, I'd be drawn to it because it was something I hadn't forgotten." (From a conversation with Susan Michi Sirovyak of the Japanese Canadian National Museum, July 1996.)
In 1996 the Japanese Canadian National Museum presented an exhibition on sewing and dressmaking in the Japanese Canadian community at the Powell Street Festival, and staged a fashion show at the Japanese Language School of Vancouver on Alexander Street, titled "Printed Patterns and Patterns Printed."
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Museum volunteer Beverly Inouye welcomes visitors to the Our Mothers' Patterns exhibition4 August 1996
Vancouver, BC
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View of the 'Our Mothers' Patterns' exhibit at the 1996 Powell Street Festival4 August 1996
Vancouver, BC
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Naomi Sawada installing the show at the JCNM annual general meeting.1996
Vancouver, BC
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A visitor reading the text panel of the Our Mothers' Patterns exhibition4 August 1996
Vancouver, BC
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Mary Ohara wearing a feather trimmed hat and 1940s burgundy afternoon dress1996
Vancouver, BC
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Mary Ohara, Michael Wilson, and Minnie Hattori pose on the 1996 Powell Street Festival Stage4 August 1996
Vancouver, BC
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The fashion show audience gathers at the entrance to the venue4 August 1996
Vancouver, BC
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Models for the 1996 fashion show gather in a school classroom, the 'green room'4 August 1996
Vancouver, BC
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Mary Ohara, modelling a 1940s burgundy crepe rayon dress4 August 1996
Vancouver, BC
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The fashion show audience at the Vancouver Japanese Language School Hall4 August 1996
Vancouver, BC
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Yvonne Kitade models a black with white moyo silk dress and jacket with white horseshoe buttons4 August 1996
Vancouver, BC
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Mary Ohara models a camel short sleeved afternoon dress with wide tan collar and sash4 August 1996
Vancouver, BC
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Mary Ohara models a long black rayon crepe dress with red satin lining inside collar and sleeves4 August 1996
Vancouver, BC
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