Freda Iordanous
Interviewer(s):
Theo Xenophontos
Project:
Film as Mediator: Cultivating a Cypriot Canadian Community Audiovisual Media Archive
INTERVIEW LOCATION:
Zoom
LANGUAGE:
English
DATE:
February 21, 2022

Interview Summary:

Freda Iordanous was born in Kalo Chorio, Cyprus in 1953. In 1971, she migrated to Canada due to her marriage. She works as a fashion designer and is the founder of Freda’s Originals Inc.

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Interview Details
Categories and Themes
Content
Media
Date and Location
February 21, 2022
Zoom
Interviewee(s)
Freda Iordanous
Interviewer(s)
Theo Xenophontos
Languages
English
Reference ID
FAMREF002
Project
Film as Mediator: Cultivating a Cypriot Canadian Community Audiovisual Media Archive
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Categories
Canadian Society
Culture and Tradition
Historical Events
Migration
Rites
Working Life
Tags
Clothing
Cypriot Canadian Economic Relations
Cypriot Canadian Identity
Entrepreneurship
Marriage
Pre-1974 Migration
Religion
Decades Referenced
1970s
1980s
2000s
Locations Referenced
Cyprus; Kalo Chorio (Limassol District); Limassol; Kyperounda (Limassol District); Amiandos Asbestos Mine; University of Cyprus; University of Toronto; York University; CN Tower; SkyDome; Vancouver; Canada; Arizona; Thessaloniki; Greece
Occupation(s)
She is a fashion designer and entrepreneur. In the 1970s, she worked as a stylist and photographer for Simplicity Fashion Magazine.
Parents Occupation(s)
Her father was a landowner and sold Caterpillar land levelers.
Names Referenced
Constantine II of Greece; Constantinos (Costas) Christofides (University of Cyprus); Ephraim of Arizona; Theodoros Xenophontos

[00:00:19] Early memories of Cyprus and of her father

[00:03:24] Migrating to Canada due to her marriage

[00:04:02] Siblings coming to Canada, but not staying

[00:06:57] Her daughter's desire to live in Cyprus

[00:08:30] Her uncle working in the Amiandos Asbestos Mine

[00:09:16] Describing her first job in Canada

[00:10:37] Background on her fashion career

[00:14:08] Adjusting to Canada

[00:16:19] Various uses of audiovisual media

[00:20:23] The divide between being Cypriot and Canadian

[00:21:13] Class relations in Cyprus

[00:23:35] Religion and Ephraim of Arizona

[00:29:58] Building her business; meeting King Constantine

[00:38:38] Meeting with CIBC executives on 9/11

[00:39:55] Working with Cypriot companies

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