Ravishing Rags 

Fashion historian Ivan Sayers is joined by fellow collectors Claus Jahnke, corset specialist Melanie Talkington, milliner Edie Orenstein, and an eclectic troupe of fashionistas on a mission to protect their priceless vintage clothing from the ravages of fast fashion. The series follows their journey to create a museum that preserves Vancouver's history of social change through the stories and sustainability of vintage fashion.

View the whole series for free on TELUS Optik TV Channel 8 or on the TELUS originals online platform, beginning October 6, 2023.

Ivan Sayers

Ivan Sayers began as a volunteer at the Museum of Vancouver in 1970 and served as Curator of history from 1976-1990. He now works as an independent costume and textile researcher and museum consultant. Sayers’ extensive collection of historic garments and fashion publications, which focus on men’s, women’s and children’s fashionable, occupational and recreational clothing, date circa 1690 to the present day. 
 
Sayers is a popular speaker and has received several awards including a Distinguished Service Award from the BC Museums Association, an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Kwantlen Polytechnic University, a BC Achievement Award, and the designation Curator Emeritus by the Museum of Vancouver. He is currently the Honorary Curator of the  BC Society for the Museum of Original Costume (SMOC).

Claus Jahnke

Claus Jahnke trained in fashion merchandising, but his passion has always been for history and fashion.
His collection of historic clothing from Germany and Austria covers the time span from c. 1720-1960 and special items have been displayed at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and in 2017 he loaned garments from his collection to the Jewish Museum of Vienna.
His most important contribution to scholarship was the 1999 exhibition Broken Threads hosted by the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre. The display was based on his collection and examined the destruction of the Jewish garment industries in Germany and Austria under fascism.

Melanie Talkington 

Melanie Talkington studied fashion design at Kwantlen College and has been working in the fashion industry for over 28 years. Her passion has always centred around fashion history, specifically the corset and undergarments. Talkington's collection now has over 350 examples of antique corsets from the 18th century through to 1970. Utilizing historical patterns, she started a business, Lace Embrace Atelier, creating bespoke corsetry for clients all over the world. There is an Antique Corset Museum located inside her boutique. Talkington has displayed items from the collection at museums in British Columbia, New York, Texas, New Mexico and Florida. Forty pieces from the collection were on loan to the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in the Louvre Palace, Paris.

Patricia Sims

Patricia Sims is an award-winning Canadian filmmaker who has directed documentaries around the world focusing on stories that merge art, science, and nature. She has collaborated with some of the world’s leading conservation celebrities, scientists and explorers, and is a Fellow International of The Explorers Club and Fellow at the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. Well-traveled in over twenty-five countries she has produced documentary features and series for Canadian and international networks, non-profit organizations and the United Nations University. As a dedicated conservationist and impact producer, Patricia is the Founder of World Elephant Day, the annual global awareness day that brings attention to the critical threats facing elephants and  is recognized by conservation organizations, governments and citizens worldwide.   Patricia now turns her lens to the world of fashion history and vintage collectors in her latest documentary series “Ravishing Rags”.