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Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1505828
TIME TO CHILL Christine Morton, owner of local lingerie brand Christine, goes for her daily plunge O FF T H E C LO C K ( quality time ) ADAM BLASBERG SEPTEMBER 2023 BCBUSINESS.CA 71 C old-water swims have been part of Christine Morton's life since she was a child in Scotland. Her father taught all three of his daughters to swim in the North Sea, and Morton loosely held onto the habit even after she moved to Vancouver at eight years old. But 2023 marks some big waves for her. Not only did she celebrate the 50th anniversary of her luxury lingerie brand Christine this year, she also became a certified scuba diver at 72 years old and made a commitment to swim in cold water every day. "It's just given me a whole different spark," she says. "It's rejuvinating—it sets you up for your day, like you can face those challenges." In April, Morton was coming back from a long swim at Dundarave Beach in West Vancouver when she spotted a group of women getting ready to go in the water. She learned that they swim together at 6:30 a.m. every day. "I started swim- ming with them on May 1, and I've done it every morning since." Morton confesses that swimming has always been a personal experience for her, but diving is even more per- sonal. ("It's like an entry into life again," she says.) Her husband David was a diver, and after he passed away in 2019, Morton wanted to learn the skill to be closer to him. In February, she booked a flight to Belize and got certified. "The reef down there is so beautiful—it was extreme- ly special," she remembers. Two of her three kids were on that trip, and during their WARRIOR SPOTLIGHT Because Christine Morton's epon- ymous company was built on her love for lace (and eventually bridal wear, when she designed her own wedding gown in 1983), the brand's 50th anniversary collection pulls inspiration from special pieces over the decades. Christine is known for its iconic prints (think peacocks and silky florals), and celebrities like Oprah, Chrissy Teigen and the Kardashians have publicly donned its pyjamas and loungewear. With a creative process that Morton describes as more of a "cottage industry" with "couture sewing," Christine is supported by a team of 10 staff in Vancouver and an ad- ditional 20 people throughout B.C. W E E K E N D WA R R IOR Something in the Water Fashion entrepreneur Christine Morton gets deep about swimming By Rushmila Rahman