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Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1505828
first dive together, Morton was following her son through the underwater channels in the Esmeralda Canyons, mesmerized by the fish and the 50-foot reefs on either side of her. Then she saw him disap- pear through some walls. "It was very narrow, and I thought, Oh my gosh, am I going to be able to do that?" That's when a nurse shark swam up beside her, close enough for Morton to touch, and she was sud- denly reminded of David. "Because he was such a beautiful swimmer in the water," she explains. "And I thought, Oh, I'm going to follow. It took all the fear away of going in this little channel, almost like a cave, and I just followed him through and came out the other side. It was amazing." She compares the feel- ing of being in the water to that of overcoming loss— both in her personal and professional life. Fifty years in business comes with its fair share of ups and downs, and she admits that it took a lot of strength and perseverance to build what she has now. But Morton is one of those lucky people who al- ways knew what she want- ed to be, so she stuck with it. She remembers cleaning out her grandmother's drawers as a child and be- ing fascinated by all the lace in there—so much so that Morton started making her own clothes at 12 years old, completed a design course at 20 and launched her own company at 22. Lace was always her biggest inspiration, and through every new collection and add-on has remained one of the signature touches of the Christine brand. "Everything is made locally," says Morton. "We work with silk, we work with lace. We're designing lingerie but also lounge- wear and outerwear pieces like camisoles, caftans, tu- nics and kimonos—all those pieces that cross over into day or evening wear. But we also have a full range of chemises, nightgowns and pyjamas that we sell for nightwear." Morton is now looking for an investor to help her scale the business, perhaps to expand it into Europe and Asia. That way she can invest a little more time in her personal life—and be able to swim more. Her excitement is pal- pable when she explains why the cold water swims are special to her: "They're just a group of incredible women, all different ages, from different backgrounds and cultures." They even visited the Christine store on Powell Street in June to have a fun photoshoot try- ing on lingerie. "Some mornings we swim out to the buoy and stay in the water and talk for a while. But to start, we stand in a row and we each have a word for the day. And when we come out, we do yoga poses or someone brings music and we dance. It just sets you off in such a different mood. Can you imagine? Would you like to join us?" £ A F T E R HO U R S BRING IT IN RIP, outdoor season: time to focus on bringing those good vibes inside. For expert renovation advice, designer inspiration, innovative homewares and more, head over to the Interior Design Show ( IDS) at the Vancouver Convention Centre from September 21 to 24. Local exhibitors include Green Theory Design (think architectural planters), modern lighting company Matthew McCormick Studio and the ethics-focused, artisan-crafted wares of Obakki. interiordesignshow.com/vancouver HEAT IT UP Ahead of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (September 30), there's Come Toward the Fire—an Indigenous- led festival with an awesome lineup of live music, film screenings, workshops, food and shopping at UBC's Chan Centre for the Performing Arts on September 17 and 18. Performers include Black Belt Eagle Scout, Mato Wayuhi and Tia Wood. cometowardthefire.com £ TOP RIGHT: 8 WEST COSMETIC SURGERY & SKIN CLINIC; BOTTOM: EYE OF EVAN ■ COLLAGEN ME MAYBE Vancouver-based 8 West Cosmetic Surgery and Skin Clinic offers what it colloquially dubs a "non- surgical facelift." Practitioners claim that Emface stimulates collagen and tightens skin using focused, high- intensity electromagnetic radiation and radiofrequency energy. (8 West declined to share pricing; spidey senses not included.) ■ PHOTO OP No storage space required for this photo: intense pulsed light ( IPL) photorejuvenation aims to lessen skin concerns like dark spots, fine lines and rosacea. Both Belladerm Laser & Medspa in Kelowna and Philosophy MD in Victoria offer up this service—the former starts at $199 and the latter at $399. ■ WAY OF WATER North Vancouver's Theory + Essence and Fort Langley-based Raw Canvas Skin Bar are both hyping up the HydraFacial, a non-irritating treatment that uses patented tech to cleanse, exfoliate, extract and hydrate. Treatments start at $350 at T+E and at $299 at Raw Canvas. £ ON T R E N D FACE OFF Cosmetic treatments no longer require a scalpel: from facials to photorejuvenation, these B.C. companies promise non-surgical magic by Alyssa Hirose 72 BCBUSINESS.CA SEPTEMBER 2023