Networking in style

A local clothing designer wanted to show elegance, maturity and sophistication for an older audience at her first fashion show at the women’s expo.

Joyce Seppala, owner of Joyce Seppala Designs, had a booth set up among 44 other business at the fifth annual Thunder Bay Business Women’s Network expo on Saturday. The expo is a chance for local businesses to network and display some of their products.

Although targeted towards a female audience, both men and women looked around at the displays that ranged from a treadmill and Tupperware to lingerie and fine art.

Seppala had a booth at the expo for years but this year was the first time she put her clothing line as one of the main attractions. She said she was excited to have the opportunity to show her work.

"It is a struggle to get people to dress stylish," Seppala said. "A lot of older women like the younger styles but the fit and the proportions are completely wrong for them. I know how to take a rectangle and proportion it and angel it so you are no longer wearing a box but wearing something architecturally pleasing."

Seppala started her business in 1990 and the price range of her clothing can be from hundreds dollars to more than a thousand dollars. For example, a wedding dress can be from $800 to $1,800, however, Seppala added that despite the price, the wedding dress would be one of a kind.

Seppala described her new collection as youthful, mature, and sophisticated for women who wanted to be elegant and edgy.

"I’m showing everything from casual to special occasions," she said.

To keep up with larger clothing designers and shopping online, Seppala takes her clothing designs abroad to try to reach a larger market holding fashion shows in Toronto and even in the United States. She said she has good support from the local community but like any business, there are difficulties.

Mary Armstrong, 23, never modeled before. The Lakehead University music student from Perth, Ont. said it was amazing to wear a piece of clothing tailored to her specifically.

"When Joyce found out that I was a musician, she decided I needed to wear something dramatic," Armstrong said. "It is really fun being a model. It is interesting to walk around to support Joyce and talk to people when they don’t know a lot about her. So it is nice to get Joyce’s information out there."

Armstrong wore a long black dress with gold trimmings that sported a large collar around the back of the neck. She said it was interesting to see so many heads turn to get a look at her dress because no one else wore anything as attention grabbing.

Debra Philp, coordinator for Thunder Bay Business Women’s Network expo, said the showcases allowed women a chance to see what local businesses had to offer.

"You always hear that there is nothing in Thunder Bay or I have to go to Toronto to do something," Philp said. "There is so much going on local that it is hard to find out (sometimes). We live our life day-to-day, we’re busy and we don’t know that someone is making these awesome jewelry or great fashions right here in town."

Philp said she hoped to have 2,000 people to come but by 11:40 a.m., the expo had sold 450 tickets. She said most of the advertising was done by word of mouth.