Disease Affects Local Couture Community

Cadi Timberlake, a young Seattle designer who was becoming known for his fun, innovative and sometimes outrageous fashion designs, died last year of acquired immune deficiency syndrome. He was 25.

Another man, who's 29 and did not want to be identified, was diagnosed last year as carrying human immunodeficiency virus, which causes AIDS. Although he works in an office, he custom-designs clothing on the side and hopes to make a full-time career of it.

``I have no AIDS symptoms,'' the man said. ``The doctors tell me I have a 50 percent chance of getting AIDS. I tell myself I have a 50 percent chance of not getting AIDS.''

While AIDS has a foothold in fashion and related fields here, the exact number of cases is not clear.

``We have had some (people in the fashion industry) come through here,'' said Hazel Tutor of the Northwest AIDS Foundation. ``However, not everyone who has AIDS does contact us.''

Charles Harbaugh, psychotherapist at the Denny Clinic, said he has counseled several clothing and accessory designers who have AIDS.

``It can't help but have an impact,'' he said. ``The first reaction is one of fear and panic. That certainly has an impact on one's creativity. If it becomes known, often the business goes down the drain. Some people will just stay away.''

Joanne Meyers, owner of Seattle Models' Guild, said she believes that AIDS has affected modeling agencies all over the country.

``One of the male models we used who was based with Eileen Ford in New York died of AIDS. I know of three others who are ill with it.''

However, Larry Leffler, costume designer for movies and television, feels there is no more impact on fashion and entertainment than on any other field.

``It's just that when someone like Perry Ellis or Willi Smith dies, you hear about it,'' he said. ``Big names are more visible.''

Leffler moved to the Northwest from Los Angeles in 1983 after his friend and mentor, ``the guy who taught me the ropes,'' died of AIDS.

``Subconsciously, that was probably the reason I left Southern California, that and the drug madness in the film industry there.''

Since then, a number of friends have died. At 41, he is now semi-retired and spends two-thirds of his time fund-raising for gay and AIDS support groups.

He said he sometimes asks himself ``Why? Why are they dead and I am alive and healthy?''

The man who did not want to be identified described his reaction to his HIV-positive test: ``It was frightening to me. One of the hardest parts was telling my friends and family. My companion dropped me at a time when I needed emotional support the most.

``My mother is wonderful. (His father is dead.) She just said calmly, `Now you're just going to have to take good care of yourself.' ''

He has not told many people - including his employers - about his diagnosis.

``I want to go to work for a clothing firm eventually and it's not likely one would hire me because of the high cost of health insurance.

``Careerwise, I feel I have a lot of time left.''

Pete Wilmot, director of Human Resources at Seattle Pacific Industries, said AIDS has had some impact here and that they have lost some employees to it.

``We are supportive,'' he said. ``We have a policy about life-threatening illnesses and that includes AIDS. Employees are guaranteed their jobs as long as they can do the work and do not endanger the lives of others.''

Henry Farber, general counsel at Frederick & Nelson, said he is not aware of any employees suffering from AIDS.

``But we would treat it as any other serious illness,'' he said. ``Our employees are covered by short- and long-term disability so their salary would be continued in the same way as anything else. They have medical insurance to help with costs.''

Selena Paquiet and Monica Baker collaborated with Cadi Timberlake on design in the company they named Mulatto. Timberlake, who was born in Austria, was African American and Caucasian. Paquiet is African American and Baker is Asian American, thus the name of their firm.

``Cadi and I were very close,'' she said. ``We had been best friends from high school on. He was just like my brother.

Paquiet married a Frenchman she met when he visited Seattle while in the French Marine Corps.

``Eric and I were married in a Catholic church in the countryside of France and Cadi designed and made my wedding dress. My mother brought it over for the wedding.''

The dress is of white lace and satin with big sheer white lace sleeves and a skirt of petals of lace. Paquiet still wears it to parties.

Mulatto was born when Selina and Eric Paquiet returned from France.

``Cadi's designs were outrageous and original,'' she said. ``He loved lame and sparkly things.''

And then he got sick.

``Cadi started feeling poorly almost two years ago but it was not diagnosed as AIDS until about eight months before he died. It was hard to watch him deteriorate. He was terrified by the diagnosis but he accepted it bravely, calmly and controlled. He worked as long as he could hold a pencil and sketch pad.''

His family and friends stayed by him to the end.

Paquiet and Baker are starting out again with Mulatto and taking in another partner.

Said Paquiet: ``I think Cadi would have liked that.''