Slaves to fashion

Mirror staff model the threads of six hot local designers

by SASHA

YOU hear the name AVI TENZER and perhaps it invokes an image of some suave Middle Eastern guy soaked in Azzaro. But go to his atelier and you just might mistake his look for that of the bassist from the Butthole Surfers. After talking to Avi I realized a few things, not the least of which was that he should have his own TV show. I would pay for cable just to hear him say "Tommy Hilfiger style is zee ugliest sing ever" in his fucking great Israeli accent. Avi describes his Spring collection as "Bohemian Eccentric" and also "African Influenced"--in other words, lots of animal-print pants and patterns. Which I like because if I see one more sherbet-coloured halter top I'm gonna throw up. He also came out with some long flowy white stuff and white belted jackets. "In my imagination my customer travels and picks things up in each country and then mixes them all together," he tells me. Avi's line of clothes for women of all sizes show not only his love for night life but also his practicality. See, a lot of his stuff this season is polyester, so you can spill Frangelico all over it, crawl around the dance floor looking for your diaphragm, wake up on somebody's couch and still look great. Try doing that in a linen suit, sweetie. Avi Tenzer's atelier is at 7080 Hutchison, 270-1125. Prices vary but are reasonable for what you get.

BLANKITA was a showgirl before she started designing and sewing clothes for the dancers in the best strip clubs in Montreal. Twenty years ago, the costumes she made were more elaborate but so was the business of removing them. These days the girls favour long gowns in wet look and velvet in baby blue, pink or black. The big material for bikinis and short dresses is called "lazer," which looks like you're wearing a fabric disco ball. Last year, Blankita did bikinis for Miss Hawaiian Tropic and this year she's snagged Miss Montreal. Who's her favourite designer? "Myself," she says. I'm sure the clients at Chez Parée would agree. Blankita can be reached at 488-5251.

When I went to visit CHRISTIAN CHENAIL at his boutique on St-Denis, I was first broadsided by his basset hound and then M. Chenail informed me that he wasn't sure he was Mirror material. Did you ever? Is this the way Jeannie Bekker gets treated at the Dior showroom? But I could see his point. If some loud girl wearing plastic pants walked into my chic atelier instead of Catherine Deneuve, I'd feel the same. His clothes are all pretty and 1930s and Indochine-like this season. Pale colours and lots of big print ginham. A word you would not associate with Chenail's collection is kinky. Do not go here if you are looking for something to wear to the Fetish Café. Also, do not mention Prada, it makes him go crazy. Chrisitan Chenail's boutique Muse is at 4467 St-Denis, 848-9493.

DÉNOMMÉ VINCENT: You wanna make your mom really happy this Mother's Day? Buy yourself a suit! Just see how swish Shawn looks and he's spent half his life in a tour van. Marcel Dénommé of this well-established Montreal menswear company says, "We're into colours this season because that's what our clients want." This doesn't mean you'll be seeing any bankers in hot pink pantsuits, but shirts are brighter, ties have splashy fruit prints and suits are kinda sharkskin shiny. Dénommé Vincent's atelier is at 4001 Berri, suite 200, 844-5155.

PATRICIA FRANCISQUE's shorts and dresses this spring are just above the knee with strong stripes in lime, navy and yellow, and she's using a lot of grey linen voile and silk for simple pants and jackets but with keen details like bows, sewn-in shoulder bags and kimono-style sashes. If David Bowie (in his present incarnation) were a girl, he'd wear her clothes. Patricia Francisque's boutique Nous Art is at 4429 St-Denis, 281-1242

SASTRERIA JEAN CHARLES: José Beltre started off in fashion at a clothing factory in his native Dominican Republic where he began working at the age of 13. Now in his small store on St-Zotique, he does a brisk business designing clothes for prominent Latino singers like Nacho and Papo Ross. For $30 or $40 José will whip you up one of his fancy, traditional shirts. "The countries we come from are hot," says José, "We don't wear jackets so the shirts have to speak for themselves." Sastreria Jean Charles is at 431 St-Zotique E., 278-9749.

Fashion crimes

Montreal enjoys an international reputation as a burg de mode but sometimes I wonder if we live up to it. Every day I spot such fashion felonies as fringed perfecto jackets worn with sweat pants. It's a positive affrontery! Here are my top Montreal fashion crimes, although some of them are definitely universal.

1. Five Minutes For Looking So Bad: Hockey players off the ice. You can spot them a mile away in t heir black turtlenecks, black jeans and two-tone cowboy boots. And the hair? Why do they even bother wearing helmets? The gel alone is enough to shatter ice on impact.

2. I know ravers are easy victuals for even the dullest of merry-andrews but we had a name in the second grade for people who dressed like them guys and it was gaylord. Oma would be apoplectic making tea cosies with all the extra fabric in those pants. Besides, what are they gonna do to get back at me? Blow their whistles on me? Call the Rant Line? Warning: it's all fun and games until someone is asphyxiated by a giant down coat.

3. Chelsea Girl Hair. The female equivalent to hockey head. Looks like someone ran over your noodle with a lawnmower. Is it some sort of punishment for choosing the life of ska? I always think they musta gone to the hairdresser and said, "Make me look skankin'" and the hairdresser thought they said, "Make me look skanky."

4. Jokey Ties, e.g. a tie with some cartoon character or quirky little message on it. People who wear Jokey Ties: FM radio DJs, retail clothing salesmen, telemarketers. What you think this says about you: I'm a sharp, funny guy. What it really says about you: I am wearing a tie I bought at the pharmacy. I am a gaylord.

5. Fedoras. Who the fuck are you, Humphrey Bogart? Look, I know everyone else in your Dungeons & Dragons club wears one but they're stupid. What you think this says about you: I am a swashbuckler. What it really says about you: "You wouldn't say that if you knew I was King of the Alherie Dryads!"

6. Ocean Drivel Magazine. Is this supposed to be a joke? Their "celebrity" photo pages are hilarious. "Claudia at Buona Notte." Who the blahdiblah is Claudia? A waitress/model at Prima Donna? The coatcheck girl from Nitebox? More importantly, why the hell haven't I been featured yet?

Fashion news

* Montreal designer Marie Saint-Pierre has announced plans to move her successful St-Denis Street store to de la Montagne Street in June of this year.

* In the upcoming National Fashion Award ceremony held in Toronto next month, four of the participants are from Lasalle College and one from College Marie Victorin. The winner of that award gets to go on to London England to represent Canada at the Smirnoff International Fashion Awards. Some of the past winners of this prestigious award include Frederic Tremblay in 1992 and Martine Elmaleth in 1996.

* If you want to check out the work coming out of Lasalle College, they'll be holding their annual special gala evening to showcase the graduating students' designs. This year, Signature '97 will be held at the Palais des Congres on May 11. --Frances Ma