Canada is attempting to make its mark on the fashion industry and it’s evident that we have some great homegrown talent. While most established designers amalgamate in fashion capitals such as New York, Paris or London, Canada is rising up to challenge the fashion market. The Canadian Arts and Fashion Awards (CAFA) honors Canadians who have made an impact within the fashion arena and seeks to support the growth of designers.
The conceptualization of CAFA began in 2011 but came into fruition in 2013. The team within CAFA consists of industry professionals that have a strong understanding on the pulse of fashion within Canada and the impact of fashion and arts worldwide.
On February 1st, 2014 in Toronto, CAFA celebrated individuals that have been a significant cornerstone in moving fashion forward across Canada. Coco Rocha won model of the year while Jeanne Beker scored the 2014 Vanguard Award Honoree title. A much-deserved accomplishment for Beker considering she was one of the most recognized Canadian faces on Fashion Television. Winner for menswear designer of the year included Travis Taddeo and Jeremy Laing who apprenticed for Alexander McQueen took the winning spot for womenswear of the year for 2014.
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It’s exciting to see an organization looking to recognize and support designers within Canada. We’ve all seen the rise of the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) and their influence on the direction of fashion. The CFDA has been an essential factor in growing new talent and recognizing established designers that we all see in the pages of fashion magazine. The CFDA in America was bolstered during the recession and New York’s lack of resources in supporting emerging designers.
Fashion powerhouses such as Anna Wintour, Diane Von Furstenberg and Jenna Lyons now sit on the board for the CFDA and once a year, a very well deserving emerging designer will have a chance to be mentored by fashion’s best. The series have also been created into a television series called the Fashion Fund. Winners of the Fashion Fund in past years have included the likes of Proenza Schouler, Alexander Wang and Joseph Altuzarra. The CFDA have given out more than $3.8 million to 30 designers since 2004.
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While CAFA is slowly growing and envisioning it in comparison to the CFDA may be premature, it wasn’t too long ago that board members of the CFDA thought that what they might have been able to achieve seem so far away. It’s definitely a step forward for Canada and the need to support and recognize talent in the fashion industry should not go unnoticed.
Amy Yew is a contributing columnist at Vancouver Courier and a fashion and style writer. She is also a Lucky Magazine community contributor. Tell us what you think and submit any questions you have to [email protected]. You can also tweet your thoughts @AmyYew.
