{"id":933,"date":"2022-02-03T12:57:06","date_gmt":"2022-02-03T17:57:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blackfashioncanada.ca\/database\/?post_type=cpt_portfolio&p=933"},"modified":"2026-02-18T02:03:43","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T07:03:43","slug":"ethne-grimes-de-vienne","status":"publish","type":"cpt_portfolio","link":"https:\/\/blackfashioncanada.ca\/database\/profiles\/ethne-grimes-de-vienne\/","title":{"rendered":"Ethn\u00e9 Grimes-de Vienne"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Born in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, Ethn\u00e9 Grimes-de Vienne grew up surrounded by the ever changing worlds of fashion. She remembers friends of her mother \u2013 a civil servant and fashion hobbyist – traipsing through the house, coming in for fittings, dropping off fabrics, or casually flipping through fashion magazines, determining their desired looks.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Early Life and Career<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Ethn\u00e9 feels fortunate to have a mother like Lorna, as well as the upbringing that she provided, as both proved fundamental to her life, her style and her lifelong appreciation of fashion.<\/p>

Beyond sewing outfits featured magazines from the patterns she made herself, Lorna would modify the styles in an effort to compliment the individual; by moving a bow here or dropping the waistline there. \u201cShe was adamant about the precision of the fit, as well as about the neatness and efficacy of the finish, but more importantly, she was uncompromising when it came to fashioning things that suited the wearer\u201d says Ethn\u00e9.\u00a0<\/p>

This understanding and mindfulness of clothing and style eventually translated to her job on the runway. \u201cIf I was trying to hide the bad cut of a coat, I would put my hand in the pocket of the pant underneath, for example, because that would potentially hide the flaws of how the ugly, badly made coat would fall,” she explains.<\/p>

“But, on the other hand, don’t expect me to turn left or right automatically, or to even pivot at all \u2013 despite the implicit chorography of any show \u2013 especially if it would impact precisely what I’m trying to camouflage about the coat!\u201d jokes Ethn\u00e9.<\/p>

After graduating from college, Ethn\u00e9 found herself at a crossroad, she spontaneously enrolled in a modelling course which eventually led to the career that had been pitched to her since adolescence.<\/p>

However, before the course was over, Ethn\u00e9\u2019s 18-year modelling career officially kicked off. \u00a0Her first appearance on a runway was for the newly established Fashion Designers Association in Qu\u00e9bec in 1978.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Her status in the industry was further anchored when legendary fashion editor, Iona Monahan chose to regularly feature her in the pages of the Montreal Gazette.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Ethn\u00e9\u2019s unique approach to her modelling career was that of an interpreter<\/em> of sorts. A link of sorts between designers, stylists, show runners and the public.<\/p>

Her style differed from that of her colleagues, and at the time \u201cwas not one that was accessed by most young women of any race.\u201d<\/p>

The idea that \u201cyou [could] be the interpreter of someone else\u2019s dream or even your own, for that matter, could potentially [give] women and especially young women of color, a hell of a lot of power \u2013 maybe even too much power.\u201d<\/p>

Ethn\u00e9 always worked to simply \u201csell the damn clothes\u201d and her style and walk were applauded by designers and the public alike.<\/p>

Her status in the industry was further anchored when legendary fashion editor, Iona Monahan \u2013 recipient of two Order of Canada honours \u2013 regularly featured her in the pages of the Montreal Gazette, then considered one of the bastions of local and international fashion reporting.<\/p>

\u201cOf course, I knew that I was treated differently, maybe because I was taller, or skinnier, blacker, or maybe even because I didn’t have much hair!” says Ethn\u00e9.<\/p>

“In fact, I applaud being treated differently, after all, each and every one of us is a unique, singular individual,” she adds. “There should, however clearly be an important and implicit distinction between being treated differently and being treated equally!”<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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This special section creates a spread of 2 photos that will jut out into the side margin.<\/p>\n

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Influence and Legacy<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In spite of the many challenges that modelling oftentimes presented, Ethn\u00e9 remained focused.<\/p>

\u201cIt was a wonderful profession that provided me with many advantages and a great deal of independence. It also afforded me a wonderful lifestyle that enabled me to enjoy a fulfilling life, embark on other business adventures, travel extensively and meet amazing, talented people, from all over the world; what\u2019s not to love?\u201d<\/p>

Ethn\u00e9 eventually moved on from her career in fashion to owning and operating \u00c9pices de Cru, a spice company she founded with her husband Philippe de Vienne. She has co-authored five books on spices and spice hunting and is a Taste Canada laureate.<\/p>

When contacted for this interview, she was relaxing at home with a glass of wine, dressed in a royal blue Salwar or traditional drop crotch slacks, from Urfa,Turkey, paired with a hand dyed, block print indigo top she bought in Shanghai.<\/p>

It\u2019s obvious that fashion\u2019s role in Ethn\u00e9\u2019s life continues to be as relevant today as it has always been.<\/p>