Starting off 2018 in style, 55 Avenue Road’s Yorkville-Village opened its doors to Toronto Fashion Week – and the Fall/Winter season has never looked so good! The 3-day festival, in Toronto’s most prestigious and stylish luxury neighborhood, welcomed designers, influencers, the who’s-who of Canadian fashion, and fashion lovers alike. Traditional runways, paired with studio presentations and designer showrooms, created a unique atmosphere of the here and now.
Celebrating the undeniable talent and achievement of both established and emerging Canadian designers, CAFA (The Canadian Arts & Fashion Awards) along with Fashion Talks (a podcast created by host Donna Bishop, that observes the world through fashion), opened each day with discussions involving some of Canada’s top industry leaders and outside influencers.
Guests included: Academy Award Nominated Costume Designer Luis Sequeira and Assistant Costume Designer Ann Steel – Columnist and Author, Shinan Govani and Bojana Sentaler, Designer and Creative Director SENTALER – and Star Trek Discovery’s costume designer Gersha Phillips – all providing unique perspectives, observations, and personal stories concerning the influence of fashion in today’s world.
Along with Fashion Talks, industry leaders and celebrities also came together last week in support of Fashion Heals – A fundraising gala and runway show in support of Toronto SickKids Hospital, to bring awareness to Pediatric Cancer Research and Care. Funds were raised for the Innovation Grant to support SickKids researchers, in their work towards developing new treatments for children with cancer. Toronto Fashion Week closed day-3 with patients, doctors, caregivers and celebrities all walking the runway together.
‘See-now-shop-now’. This season, Toronto Fashion Week partnered with THE COLLECTIONS and RE\SET – a local fashion production company who promotes Canadian fashion through venues such as; film, photography, designer presentations and events. From February 5th-7th, guests were treated to view collections in RE\SET’s chic designer showroom – viewing the piece’s in real-time, and taking advantage of the ‘See-now-shop-now’ retail model. A model that eliminates traditional wait times, and allows fashions to be purchased directly off the runway. Designers showcased this season included; Christopher Bates, Pedram Karimi and Hilary MacMillan – as well as, Grayes, Biko, Dolorous, Alan Anderson and Cuchura.
Fashion never stops, and neither did the studio and runway throughout these three spectacular days. Below are some highlights from this year’s unforgettable Toronto Fashion Week. So, grab your most stylish outfit and a warm cup of tea – to sit back, relax, and see what Fall/Winter 2018 has in-store!
HENDRIXROE’s Jordan McKay opened her always-anticipated show with a special performance by Kardinal Offishall and Celebrity Marauders. Model’s owned the runway, with their unique and playful personalities – perfectly celebrating the freedom of expression in McKay’s collection of colour, shine, texture, gorgeous bold prints, and fur-collared coats; inspired by a mix of vintage rock & roll and old Hollywood glam.
Triarchy’s Adam and Ania Taubenfligel’s mixed things up on the runway, with their sustainable eco-conscious denim brand – incorporating bleached ‘white-hot-denim’, sequins, and fringe.
Hilary MacMillan’s Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette-inspired collection wowed the day-2 runway. Her cruelty free line paired athleisure with tailored pieces – coming together with sequins, pastels, faux fur and patent leather; with a stunning holographic moto jacket to seal the deal.
HAYLEY ELSAESSER’s ‘Cosmic Dread’ space-themed collection showcased bold, colourful, and texturized pieces. The models ruled the runway in faux leathers, furs, and snakeskin’s – alongside bright metallics and UFO-prints.
Fashion Heals fundraising gala, in support of Toronto SickKids Hospital, closed Day-3 with patients, doctors, caregivers and celebrities proudly walking the runway together.
The adoring crowd was as bold and bright as the collection. WRKDEPT’s Andy Long Hoang and Tinashe Musara overtook the studio this season, with their incredible ‘Qweens’ showcase presentation. Inspired by empowerment and drag queen culture; their line radiated in technicolour, tulle, ruffled denim, clashing hues, and oversize garments – finishing it all off with model’s faces covered in cool dotts and candy sprinkled lips.
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Fall/Winter 2018 did not fall short of Christopher Bates’ excellence on the runway. His distinct line featured gorgeous structured suits and textured fabrics – for an ever-so-chic, contemporary, sophisticated, and urban menswear collection.
Both Pedram Karimi and S.P. Badu’s stunning Fall/Winter 2018 collections featured fashion forward contemporary designs – focused on minimalism, androgyny and unisex apparel.
From textured suits, unique menswear and streetwear styles, Mayer Man, WIL Studios, Eleventy, and Andrew Coimbra x UNCUFFED all showcased sophisticated and trend-setting collections – from Ross Mayer’s textured suits and Eleventy’s refined italian suits, to WIL Studios’ bungee cord hardware and Andrew Coimbra x UNCUFFED’s unique laser-cut scarves.
Femininity and elegance filled the runway with Narces, Mani Jassal, Tara Rivas, UNTTLD, and Nonie’s beautiful Fall/Winter 2018 collections. Florals, gold embellishments, intricate beading, bold red’s, romantic velvet’s, tulle, rich jewel tones, and elegant wool’s and cottons – perfectly encapsulated this season’s charm.
All photos by George Pimentel