by CHRIS BARRY

Name: Brigitte Therrien Brasseur

Age: 55

Occupation: Artist/mother/co-proprietor of les Chapeaux de la Chaudière costume rentals/friperie

Bio: In the early 1980s, this free-spirited Lachine baby-makin’ machine had recently separated from her husband, leaving everything behind her, including her first two children. “I didn’t want to leave them. I cried so much, but I knew that he really needed to be with them, so I said yes, and in the end I think it helped me to find myself.” Not long thereafter she met her current beau, who was in an almost identical situation. “It was love at first sight; we were together immediately.” After a tremendous amount of difficulty, financial and otherwise, the two lovebirds were finally able to open their costume rental joint/friperie, les Chapeaux de la Chaudière (117 6th Avenue, 634-2151), in the fashion centre of the universe, Lachine. With a 3,000-square-foot showroom jam-packed with clothing from the ’20s through the ’80s, these days Brigitte primarily rents her 100,000-piece collection out to people looking to throw theme parties. “We didn’t know anything when we started—we just knew to do it, that it was our destiny. We understood that things happen as they happen and not to interfere, that it was fate guiding us.” Unfortunately, because of relentless financial pressures, fate currently has Brigitte looking to sell off her inventory.

One reason why Brigitte might be struggling financially: Because she won’t sell clothes in her friperie for more than a few dollars. “The people who gave their clothes away to a church bazaar or Value Village wanted others to wear them. And I have to be true to what the original owner intended. I won’t sell a piece for more than $5.50—even if it’s worth much more than that. People think we’re crazy, but I have to respect the original owners’ intentions.”

Another thing that’s helped keep her struggling: Brigitte has given birth to eight children—with another that died late in pregnancy.

Is she Catholic? Yes, but that’s not why she birthed so many pups. “My approach to [not using contraception] is, if the children are meant to come then they will come, but it has nothing to do with being Catholic.”

The fashion era she specializes in: The 1960s and ’70s. “I’m not a big collector. I hate brands and everything they represent. I always just bought things I thought were beautiful or special—back when it wasn’t so hard to find these clothes. But yes, they are quite valuable now.”

Does she have any cool vintage T-shirts from bands like Winger up for grabs? Winger might be too much to ask for, but a Lou Reed shirt circa 1974 isn’t impossible.

Something Brigitte likes to do a lot: Smoke reefer.

Hobbies: Creating art, playing music. “I’ll play pretty well any instrument. But I never want to learn how to play them formally.”

Musical preferences: “Everything.”

Last book read: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, by JK Rowling.

Words of wisdom: “Take it one day at a time.”

Comments? dimwit@hdot.net