Toronto Fashion Week

Last updated
Toronto Fashion Week
Bryanna Elkins at Toronto Fashion Week.jpg
Model Bryanna Elkins walks the runway modeling fashions by Jay Manuel at Toronto Fashion Week, September 2011.
GenreClothing and fashion exhibitions
FrequencySemi-annually
Location(s) Toronto
Country Canada
Inaugurated1999
Founder Robin Kay

Toronto Fashion Week (TFW), held in February (for fall/winter collections) and September (for spring/summer collections) of each year, is a semi-annual event celebrating fashion, arts and culture where Canadian and international fashion collections are shown to buyers, the press, and the general public. It is the largest fashion week held in Canada and the second largest fashion week in North America, following the well known New York Fashion Week. [1]

Contents

The event is currently held within Toronto's exclusive luxury retail and brand neighbourhood, Yorkville, along Hazelton Avenue and Yorkville Avenue.

Toronto Fashion Week draws considerable media attention, nationally and internationally. In 2012, it attracted 40,000 guests over 5 days, showcased over 100 designers, and left over 877 million media impressions worldwide. [1] It has helped propel Canadian designers and fashion brands, such as Joe Fresh, to international recognition. [1]

Origin

Toronto Fashion Week was founded in 1999 by the Fashion Design Council of Canada under designers Robin Kay and Pat McDonagh. [2] [3] The goal for the event was to prepare Canadian designers for the international stage, bringing together media, industry, buyers and consumers to give Toronto international recognition. The City of Toronto government and Holt Renfrew were initial sponsors. [1] [2]

The event was small initially. Its first show was held at the Windsor Arms Hotel and showcased six designers and attracted approximately 200 audience members. [1]

Ownership history

Between 1999 and 2012, Toronto Fashion Week was owned by Robin Kay and the Fashion Design Council of Canada. Its first title sponsor was Beauty by L'Oréal Paris in 2002; from 2002 to 2008, the event was thus called L'Oréal Fashion Week. [3] Its title changed to LG Fashion Week in 2008, after LG (Life's Good) Electronics Canada became the event's top sponsor, in conjunction with L'Oréal. [3] In early 2012, the event was again renamed to World MasterCard Fashion Week after taking on World MasterCard as a new title sponsor. [3]

On August 8, 2012, it was reported that Robin Kay and the Fashion Design Council of Canada sold the Toronto Fashion Week brand to IMG, the same organisation responsible for operating New York Fashion Week. [3] In February 2016, after World MasterCard and L'Oréal withdrew as sponsors, the event's title returned to Toronto Fashion Week. [4]

On July 7, 2016, IMG, citing lack of local commercial funding, announced it was closing down Toronto Fashion Week, prompting national media speculation about the demise of the event reflecting global changes in the fashion industry. [2] In December 2016, Peter Freed announced the purchase of Toronto Fashion Week from IMG. Freed, President of Freed Developments, spearheaded the ownership group, composed of several of the country's top executives in real estate, media and finance. The founding sponsors, aside from Freed Developments, included The Hazelton Hotel, Hill & Gertner Capital Corporation and Yorkville Village. [5] Under the new ownership, Toronto Fashion Week has been revived, although the event has been contracted from a bi-annual 7-day event to a bi-annual 3-day event.

Other notable events

2004

Italian fashion label Missoni celebrated its 50-year anniversary by showcasing a retrospective at the event. Toronto was chosen to commemorate a partnership with Milan and to endorse trade relations in the area of fashion, after the two cities signed a formal international alliance agreement to strengthen economic and cultural links in 2003. [1]

2011

American reality television show America's Next Top Model featured Toronto Fashion Week after show creator Tyra Banks sent models to the event for the Mercedes-Benz Start Up Challenge, a national fashion competition launched by Mercedes-Benz and IMG, then owner of Toronto Fashion Week, to discover Canada's newest design talent. [6]

America's Next Top Model also promoted the line 'Attitude', which had been launched at Toronto Fashion Week in February 2011 by Jay Manuel, Creative Director of America's Next Top Model and host of Canada's Next Top Model, on behalf of Sears Canada. [6]

2017

Model Rachel Romu attracted national media attention when she became the first model to walk the Toronto Fashion Week runway with a mobility aid, presenting designer Hayley Elsaesser's fashion collection while using a cane. [7]

Management

As of 2020, Carolyn Quinn was TFW's Executive Director. [8] Suzanne Cohon is currently Toronto Fashion Week's Fashion, Arts and Cultural Ambassador.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fashion week</span> Fashion industry event

A fashion week is a week-long fashion industry event where fashion designers, brands, or "houses" display their latest collections in runway fashion shows to buyers and the media which influences upcoming fashion trends for the current and approaching seasons.

<i>Americas Next Top Model</i> season 2 Season of television series

The second cycle of America's Next Top Model, premiered on January 13, 2004, and was hosted by model Tyra Banks. The show aimed to find the next top fashion model. The cycle's catchphrase was "They are all gorgeous, but only one has what it takes."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian Fashion Week</span> Australian fashion industry event

Australian Fashion Week, formerly Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia (MBFWA) and as of 2021 Afterpay Australian Fashion Week (AAFW), is an annual fashion industry event, or fashion week, showcasing the latest seasonal collections from Australian designers. Run by American company by IMG since 2005, the event has been held at the multi-arts center Carriageworks in Redfern.

<i>Canadas Next Top Model</i> season 1 Season of television series

Cycle one of Canada's Next Top Model, the Canadian adaptation of Tyra Banks' America's Next Top Model, aired on Citytv from May to July 2006. The show was hosted by Canadian model and actress Tricia Helfer, who also served the role of head judge with a judging panel composed of columnist and designer Jeanne Beker, former model Stacey McKenzie, and make-up artist Paul Venoit. The creative director of America's Next Top Model, Jay Manuel also made guest appearances in the cycle, and later went on to host the show for its next two seasons. The cycle's catchphrase was "Now it's our turn."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York Fashion Week</span> Fashion event in New York

New York Fashion Week (NYFW), held in February and September of each year, is a semi-annual series of events in Manhattan typically spanning seven to nine days when international fashion collections are shown to buyers, the press, and the general public. It is one of four major fashion weeks in the world, collectively known as the "Big Four," along with those in Paris, London, and Milan. The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) created the modern notion of a centralized "New York Fashion Week" in 1993, although cities like London were already using their city's name in conjunction with the words fashion week in the 1980s. NYFW is based on a much older series of events called "Press Week," founded in 1943. On a global scale, most business and sales-oriented shows and some couture shows take place in New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Angeles Fashion Week</span> Fashion industry event

Fashion Week in Los Angeles occurs biannually. Multiple show producers hold events throughout the Greater Los Angeles area each March and October. Traditionally, the City of Los Angeles identified the third weekend of those respective months as the beginning of its Fashion Week. However, new independent event producers have been transitioning Fashion Week related activities to coincide closer in time with the LA Fashion Market Week.

<i>Americas Next Top Model</i> season 10 Season of television series

The tenth cycle of America's Next Top Model was the fourth season of the series to be aired on The CW network. The promotional catchphrase of the cycle is "New Faces, New Attitude, New York". The promotional song was "Feedback" by Janet Jackson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dean and Dan Caten</span> Canadian fashion designer brothers (born 1964)

Dean and Dan Caten are Canadian fashion designers, radio personalities, and businessmen. They are identical twin brothers and the founders and owners of Dsquared², an Italian luxury fashion house based in Milan.

Fatima Siad is a Somali fashion model. Raised in Boston, Massachusetts, she was the last eliminated on America's Next Top Model, Cycle 10.

Project Runway Canada Season 1 is the first season of Project Runway Canada, a reality competition show for fashion designers that is part of the Project Runway franchise. It aired in late 2007 on the Slice channel, which had relaunched earlier that year. The season received critical acclaim, and won the 2008 Gemini Award for Best Reality Program or Series. Project Runway Canada gave Slice one of its most successful series since the launch of its new branding.

The second season of Project Runway Canada, Global's reality competition show for fashion designers, was the first season to air on the Global network, since the show stopped airing on Slice. The season premiered on January 27, 2009.

Project Runway Latin America is a Latin American reality television series on Glitz* which focuses on fashion design and is hosted by model Rebecca de Alba. The contestants compete with each other to create the best clothes and are usually restricted in time, materials and theme. Their designs are judged, and one or more designers are eliminated each week. The show was canceled after its third season.

Thylane Léna-Rose Loubry Blondeau is a French model. Blondeau started modeling at a very young age, and in 2006, was elected "Most Beautiful Girl in The World" by Vogue Enfants. She has modeled for many designers, including Dolce & Gabbana, L'Oréal and Versace.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lakmé Fashion Week</span> Bi-annual fashion week

Lakmé Fashion Week X FDCI is a bi-annual fashion week which takes place at Delhi and Mumbai. Its Summer-Resort show takes place in March at Mumbai while the Winter-Festive show takes place in October at Delhi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xiao Wen Ju</span> Chinese model (born 1989)

Xiao Wen Ju is a Chinese model. She was the first model of Chinese descent to be the face of Marc Jacobs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippine Fashion Week</span>

The Philippine Fashion Week (PhFW) is a biannual week-long fashion show held in Metro Manila, Philippines. Dates are determined for the month of May, for showcasing holiday collections, and for the month of October showcasing spring and summer collections. It is the longest-running fashion event in the country, and the largest fashion event held in Manila, known as the "Olympics" of Philippine fashion. The Philippine Fashion Week was founded by Joey A. Espino Jr and Audie Espino in 1997. They continue to lead the project as executive producers along with the Espino brothers' protégé, Conchitina (Tina) Herrera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sunny Fong</span> Canadian fashion designer

Sunny Fong is a Canadian fashion designer and graduate of Ryerson University, who owns VAWK, a clothing brand. Fong said he developed his love of design from his mother, who made costumes for Las Vegas performers. He lives in Toronto, Ontario.

The Fashion Design Council of Canada (FDCC) is a non-government, not-for-profit organization co-founded in 1999 by Pat McDonagh and Robin Kay. Their mission is to showcase Canadian fashion design nationally and internationally as well as introducing foreign designers to local Canadian markets. The FDCC aims to connect "designers, media, buyers, sponsors, and industry."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dan Liu</span> Hong Kong Canadian fashion designer

Dan Liu Kin Ming also known as; Dan Liu, Liu Tatsuaki is a Hong Kongese and Japanese Canadian fashion designer and producing apparel, accessories and fashions for men and women. He is also the founder and the creative director of TATSUAKI fashion label. He was born in Hong Kong and is currently based in Toronto and Tokyo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sid Neigum</span> Canadian fashion designer (born 1988)

Sid Neigum is a Canadian fashion designer. He lives and works in Toronto, Ontario.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Brands of the Year: Toronto Fashion Week puts Canada on the global catwalk".
  2. 1 2 3 Georgijevic, Anya (October 13, 2016). "Off the Runway". The Globe and Mail . Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "The Evolution of Toronto Fashion Week".
  4. ↑ "Big changes are coming for Toronto Fashion Week".
  5. ↑ "Toronto Fashion Week® Reimagined: September 2017".
  6. 1 2 Naulls, Kevin (March 29, 2012). "Tyra Banks knows absolutely nothing about Canada—it seems that way, anyway". Toronto Life . Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  7. ↑ Syeda, Maha (February 23, 2018). "Meet Rachel Romu, the Model Redefining the Future of Accessibility in Fashion". Fashion . Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  8. ↑ Newman-Bremang, Kathleen (January 15, 2020). "Toronto Fashion Week Is Cancelled. Again". Refinery29 . Retrieved March 8, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.