 |
Marilyn Denis turns around. She looks striking in a beautifully tailored red suit that is coloured to look like blood the second it becomes oxygenated.
Denis, radio personality and former CityLine host, has come to 495 Queen Street West, a quaint fashion studio, to undergo a suit fitting one week before Toronto Fashion Week. She will be the last model to walk down the runway at the Heart Truth fashion show, on March 17. This is the cornerstone event of the Heart and Stoke Foundation's: Heart Truth campaign. Their goal is to raise awareness of heart disease and strokes, the number one killer of women in Canada.
The studio is professional and organized, with beige cut-outs showing past patterns carefully hung up and numbered in an exposed closet. Designer Farley Chatto is playing hits from bands like Abba to help inspire for the show's '70s theme.
Before Marilyn arrived, the show's producer, Erica Larva, mulled over details, ranging from whether sling-back shoes are a dangerous idea for the models to appropriate accessories for each of the ensembles.
“Do you love it?” Erica asks Marilyn.
“I love it,” she responds. The power suit's material is glossy and rich. The top of each pocket is ornately edged with thin, satin material.
Marilyn immediately gets to work with Farley, who encourages his models to give him feedback on how the design is coming along. “I prefer a very clean v-neck,” she says. She also stresses the importance of being comfortable, a word I wouldn’t expect uttered in a high-end fashion setting.
Marilyn is happy to be involved in this project. “This has not been work for me, that's the great part about it," she says. "I get to see a lot of people in the business that I don't get to see. We have other campaigns that are visible for other issues, but with heart and stroke, we really have to emphasize to women that your heart health is so important.”
“Women are the ones, that if they feel pain, they put it off and put their families first. When you are not feeling well you need to check it out. We have to be conscious, it can happen to anyone. This is all about awareness.”
She also notes the lack of pretentiousness in this project. “I'm telling you the truth, the people have been lovely, it honestly has been great." She didn't want to work with someone who is overly intense about fits. “I didn't want to go to some designer who is all snap, snap, snap,” she gestures. “I don't have a designer body.”
Beyond suit fittings, shoe selections, and whether or not a necklace should be worn with the outfit comes another integral question: the runway song. Marilyn's disc jockey days kicked off in the ‘70s, so she is excited to select from this genre. “The music was happy in the ‘70s,” she says.
The group all begins to input their own music ideas, all agreeing that it must be a show stopper with high energy. Marilyn starts to verbalize her ideas, including Earth, Wind and Fire's: "Getaway or Boogie Wonderland." Marilyn asks me how I feel about "Getaway. " “If you catch it at the beginning, it gets you right away, oh yeah. That's good, eh?” Still sifting through her mental musical library, she decides to call up a trustee disc jockey cohort. “I want a great big number at the end, maybe "Best of My Life" by The Emotions?" I throw out the idea of Cheryl Lynn's: "Got To Be Real," and sing the first few lines. She likes the song, but still doesn't think it is the right fit.
This Heart Truth campaign is especially important for Marilyn to work on, as she has known women in the past who have suffered from heart-related diseases. “I've had friends in my life who have lost siblings through heart attacks and strokes, that's what I'm thinking about. I have started to see medical situations crop up with my friends. Some women are not doing the maintenance that they should be doing, like getting breast exams, and seeing cardiologists.”
MARILYN'S LIFESTYLE SUGGESTIONS:
• Eat 5 meals a day, 2 snacks and 3 major meals.
• No more than 2 cups of coffee day, herbal teas are okay (but admitted to already having 2 cups of coffee the day we met) “boy it tastes good!”
• No less than 2 litres of water a day.
• Work out 5 times a week, including cardio, walking, and weight training. Marilyn’s regime includes 2-3 spin classes a week, and 1 weight and pilates class per week. She believes in switching up your workout routine!
• Lots of greens, protein no bigger than the size of your palm, and fish to stave off late night junk food cravings.
Sleep! 8 hours a day, and a nap is nice.
Wine is good for your heart health, but bad for certain types of cancer. No more than three glasses a week! Marilyn wants people to do their research, to determine what works best for them.
Marilyn seems to be the right fit. Red is her color, body and soul.
For more tips on maintaining a healthy heart and living a healthy lifestyle, check out:
www.thehearttruth.ca