By Justine Iaboni
Sometimes fashion requires us to think outside the box – or outside the dress, in the case of Dare to Wear Love, a philanthropic fashion initiative revisited by FGI last week. During Toronto Fashion Week, models and celebrities walk the runway wearing extraordinary dresses (and some suits) designed by a wide array of Canadian designers using only six yards of the African Kanga cloth. Designers include David Dixon, Izzy Camilleri, Evan Biddell, FGI co-director Farley Chatto, and Lucian Matis, to name a few.
As we toured the Textile Museum of Canada, where the pieces from previous seasons are on exhibition, and some for sale, until May 6th, Jim Searle, co-founder of Dare to Wear Love, informed us that no two patterns of Kanga cloth are ever the same. The exclusivity of each design paired with one-of-a-kind textiles results in not only something gorgeous to wear to that next event, but a token of Canadian design heritage.
Seeing the pieces up-close allowed me to behold the fine details of each creation – the seamless white wedding gown complete with panniers looked easier said than done; sartorially speaking. The dress, designed by Ines Di Santo, was showcased on the runway by Breakfast Television’s Dina Pugliese.
The Dare to Wear Love initiative is more than just a celebration of African textiles and Canadian fashion design. By purchasing a dress, sponsoring a model or making a donation, all proceeds go to The Stephen Lewis Foundation, which was the main impetus behind Dare to Wear Love’s conception. The Stephen Lewis Foundation works with community-level organizations that act as support systems for children orphaned by HIV/AIDS, and their grandmothers who are often left caring for their orphaned grandchildren. As we gleaned from Tuesday’s presentation, it’s not a matter of being a hero, it’s just a matter of spreading, and wearing, some love.
Special thanks to the Textile Museum of Canada, Smartwater and the Cayman Islands. And don’t miss the next FGI event for another chance to enter the Cayman Islands’ new contest, where you can win island-inspired swimwear by Tosca Delfino.
For details on how to purchase a Dare to Wear Love garment, contact Jim Searle or Chris Tyrell at Hoax Couture. For more photos from the evening, check out our Facebook album.
Justine Iaboni also writes Whatever Eurotrash.
Members in attendance at Tuesday’s Night at the Textile Museum event have a chance to win a gorgeous leather backpack from Peter Kent’s spring handbag collection.
Be sure to add your business card at registration for your chance to win. Winner will be selected at random that evening. Register online for this ‘Members +1′ event at fgitextile.eventbrite.ca. Members are encouraged to bring a non-member guest! Tickets are $20/person and include cocktails, networking and a private tour of the museum’s Dare to Wear Love exhibit featuring works by FGI members and other Canadian designers.
(Don’t forget, door prizes are for members only.)
by Christina Hall
Last month FGI Toronto co-hosted their Trend Edit event with Design Within Reach at the retailer’s spacious contemporary King West showroom. The evening would open up discussion about the similarities between trends and branding in fashion and interior design.
Members of the panel included Sarah Casselman, Senior Editor of Fashion News for FASHION Magazine; Diane Chan, Managing Editor for AZURE Magazine; and Shawn Hewson, founder and Creative Director for Canadian sportswear label Bustle Clothing.
Taste Culinary, Peroni and Smartwater provided hors d’oeuvres and refreshments during the cocktail hour. Guests also enjoyed the latest in spring beauty and accessory trends from Town Shoes, Rue Pigalle, Peter Kent and The Bay, while Cayman Islands took entries for a custom bikini giveaway coming this May. Door prizes were provided by Town Shoes, Kelly Ann NYC, and Peter Kent.
The evening began with a brief overview by Kathleen Teixeira of the trends seen in fashion and interiors for Fall 2012-2013. The panel discussion revealed how trends are impacted when fashion and interior designers attend similar global textile shows where they are presented similar fabric and colour swatches. Designers then infuse their own ideas, and develop inspirations on how the textiles will be used.
They noted the importance of blogs like The Sartorialist, The Selby, and The Coveteur for discovering “street style” as interpreted and created by the public. Mass consumerism, by way of the Internet and fast fashion brands, also plays a role in the speed of consumption for designers and customers alike, with IKEA and Crate & Barrel personifying fast fashions in the realm of interior design. In spite of the advent of companies creating diffusion brands that cater to more specific customer types, Sarah Casselman hinted at a backlash against fast fashion, and a return to exclusivity and tailoring.
The success of crossover brands depends on their success in positioning their brand. Brands must first establish a signature look and brand values. Shawn Hewson highlighted the importance of brands collaborating with another brand that they themselves can identify with and learn skills.
“Any creative will want to explore another medium,” Diane Chan concluded, but that in order to be successful, brands must already have created a distinguishable brand identity before crossing into another field. It reinforced what Sarah Casselman stated earlier in the evening, “Collaborations are here to stay.”
Many of you will remember that last year FGI and Cayman Islands partnered on a contest to win an all-expenses paid vacation to the Cayman Islands. We randomly selected finalists from attendees at our April event, and continued at the May, October and November events. The winner – Judi Barr – was picked as the grand prize winner at our November Trend Edit featuring Stylesight. Judi and her husband Joel recently spent seven luxurious nights at the Westin Causarina Resort and Spa, located on the gorgeous Seven Mile beach.
“We hit all the highlights – shopping in Georgetown, waterfront dining, swimming with the stingrays, snorkeling (right off our resort beach!) and long walks on the endless and amazing Seven Mile beach.”
Sounds dreamy! Thank you to our sponsor and the representatives in the Cayman Islands who were so gracious to offer this special trip. And congratulations again Judi, we are thrilled to hear you had a memorable vacation!
Members! Join FGI for our first ‘Members +1′ event (Tuesday, April 17th; 6pm-8pm) at the Textile Museum of Canada. FGI Members are invited with guest to enjoy cocktails, networking among an elite crowd of business professionals and a private tour of the latest Dare to Wear Love exhibit. Registration is $20/person and open at fgitextile.eventbrite.ca.
Over the years, the Dare to Wear Love (DTWL) event at Toronto Fashion Week has brought Canadian designers together in a runway show to raise awareness and funds for the Stephen Lewis Foundation. Designers use only six yards of African fabrics to create outfits that dazzle and delight.
See dresses by FGI members Farley Chatto, David Dixon, Linda Lundstrom, Pat McDonagh, Lucian Matis and many more!
The intent of DTWL is to raise awareness for the plight of the millions of people, especially grandmothers and orphans, who are living with the effects of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa.
FGI-Trend-Edit-program-FINAL
We are looking forward to seeing you at the Trend Edit tonight at Design Within Reach. Click the above link to download tonight’s program.
Cocktails begin at 6pm and the panel discussion will begin at 7pm. Online registration will be open until 1:00 today, and walk-up registration is available at the door by cash or credit card. Don’t miss out on a scintillating panel discussion, gift bags and door prizes.
If you can’t attend, please follow along on Twitter, @fgitoronto or #trendedit.
FGI Toronto is pleased to join forces with Design Within Reach for our upcoming Trend Edit on Wednesday, March 21st. For the first time ever, FGI Toronto will explore similarities and differences in how trends influence fashion, interiors and design.
Online registration is open at fgitrend.eventbrite.ca. Student tickets are not available at this time. Please check back later for updates!
The March trend event has been rescheduled to Wednesday, March 21. This evening will be co-hosted by Design Within Reach (435 King St West). Please plan to join us at 6pm for cocktails and networking with FGI members as well as fashion and interiors professionals, followed by a panel discussion.
This event will examine at the similarities and differences in how trends impact both the fashion and interiors markets with a discussion featuring top editors from FASHION and Azure magazine.
Registration to open soon!
Crissi and Elaine Giamos of Town Shoes with Branded! author Lori Schafer
Fashion Group returned to the beautiful SAS Institute on February 7th for a follow up to our New Rules of Retail event, this time featuring Branded!author Lori Schafer discussing social media and mobile marketing realities from her book.
This industry is moving at warp speed, and many retailers have yet to figure out how to capitalize on the opportunities to engage the customer in a meaningful way through social and mobile marketing. But there are many who are doing it right, resulting in huge surges in traffic, customer interaction and sales. Lori’s insights pointed out how far most retailers in Canada have to go in order to even play in this ever-evolving field.
Check out the event photos on our Facebook page.
Guests enjoyed bites from Taste Culinary during the cocktail/networking hour. Town Shoes provided door prizes. If you are interested in providing gift bag items or door prizes for our next event on March 21, please contact lee [at] fgitoronto [dot] org.
A special thanks to our friends at SAS and all of the volunteers who helped make this event a success!
Members who have not yet renewed their membership must do so by February 29th in order to be included in FGI’s global Membership Directory for 2012.
Please fill out this renewal form and return with payment. Questions? Contact your membership chair Michel Cote at michel@fgitoronto.org.
