BREHVE MABEL
When I created CANADIAN BREHVE, at the beginning of the pandemic, my grandma Mabel was at the forefront of my thoughts. She had been taken from her mother at four years old, and sent by train to Manitoba where she would courageously live out the remainder of her childhood in Brandon Residential School.
She was released at the age of 20, and sent home by train to the Delaware Nation at Moraviantown, First Nation reserve in Southern Ontario. She stayed one night in the family home, with people she was not familiar with any longer. The following day she was sent to live and care for an elderly palliative patient, as she was trained in home nursing. For the remainder of her career she cared for many of the elite women in Hamilton, Ontario. My grandma was a master at needlework in school, winning competitions at the country fairs, as far as neighbouring provinces. This skill lead to a seamstress business of her own. She had created many beautiful pieces, including wedding gowns, fine suits, draperies and home decor pieces. Much of her work came from the friends and family of the women she worked for.
She was extremely ambitious. She raised three children on her own, paying for each to be educated in a field of their choice. In 2019 she left behind a legacy of baking skills, sewing skills, the gift of laughter and a deep caring for humanity that she passed down to her three children, seven grandchildren, twelve great grandchildren and four great great grandchildren. All in 100 years.
My grandma loved motorcycles and whenever the opportunity arose to hop on the back and steal a ride, she was sure to take it. When I came up with the design for BREHVE MABEL, I simply saw her riding a motorcycle in a pretty vintage dress, hiked up to show her scared legs. She didn't like to show her legs as they had been melted in childhood. In this design I wanted her to be proud of them. I saw her wearing a head dress of some sort to represent the veils she would create for the brides she had sewn gowns for. This head dress would include the feathers to represent her indigenous roots, and long lengths of entwined fabric, beads, and buttons she worked with through out her incredible life as a dress maker. I chose to call the motorcycle "Steel Horse" with her connection to her heritage and to the farming as a child. She had a real fear of the large animals, although she loved to see them on our long drives through nature. In time I would love to have a real to life picture taken of the whole scene. I can just feel the emotion!
She was truly an amazing woman and someone I cherish. I was lucky enough to be extremely close to her. Having a grandma for 47 years was truly a gift. She was all of 5'2 and a 100 pounds soaking wet, and yet with all she endured, including loosing her oldest daughter, she found a way to be thankful for all of the gifts life has to offer. Her laughter will always ring strong in my thoughts and I know she will never be far, as she reminds me often of her presence by leaving dimes and feathers.
She was BREHVE! You might have noticed that the "EH" replacing the "A” in BRAVE. We are Canadian, and that’s what we say.
I can only hope in time this collection will touch the hearts of many. "FIND THE COURAGE TO BE BREHVE AND CREATE YOUR OWN PATH"
