I’m really excited about the Dare to Wear Love show on October 23th at LG Fashion Week. It’s one of my highlights.
Do you dare? For the first time ever, Hoax Couture and the Fashion Design Council of Canada (FDCC) are partnering with the Stephen Lewis Foundation (SLF) to produce a fashion-forward, cause-driven and meaningful closing night show with Canada’s top designers at LG Fashion Week beauty by L’Oréal Paris. The goal is to leverage the power of the Canadian fashion and entertainment communities to raise awareness and funds for the SLF as it works to support communities that are affected by the AIDS pandemic in Africa.
Starting at 9 p.m. on Friday, October 23, a star-studded audience will experience the Dare to Wear Love show, full of beautiful fashion, dance and music inspired by Africa. The multi-faceted collaboration is the largest public dare of the SLF’s new fundraising initiative A Dare to Remember. Recently launched, the nationwide initiative challenges Canadians to take on dares of all kinds to raise awareness and funds for the grassroots organizations in Africa that are on the frontlines of the AIDS pandemic.
“The fashion and entertainment communities in Canada will provide a unique voice for the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s new initiative with the Dare to Wear Love show,” said Jim Searle of Hoax Couture. “This show integrates high fashion and a truly important cause, and with the designers using gorgeous African fabric to create the garments, it promises to be a captivating evening.”
More than 25 top designers, including Lida Baday, Brian Bailey, Brose, Pam Chorley, Wayne Clark, Comrags, David Dixon, Evan Biddell, Farley Chatto, Greta Constantine, Izzy Camilleri, Linda Lundström, Lucian Matis, Ross Mayer, Jason Meyers, Price Roman, and many more, have committed to Hoax Couture’s dare to create luxe gowns made of rich, eye-catching fabrics sourced from African communities who work with the SLF. Each designer will be asked to have their own family, friends and supporters sponsor this dare with the goal of raising $50,000 for the SLF. Jim Searle and Chris Tyrell of Hoax Couture will also personally ask the fashion community to get involved by making a donation to this cause at http://www.daretowearlove.com .
I was send a digital package that contained some images of the prints that the designers will be using.
It also included some sketches from 4 of the 25 designers. I can’t wait to see these in person and what the others come up with.
Dare to Wear Love Ines Di Santo sketch
Dare to Wear Love Hoax Couture sketch
Dare to Wear Love Comrags Sketch
The creations that the designers present will be auctioned off at a later time. The money will be donated to the Stephen Lewis Foundation.
It was the end of an era, the final Gay Bash was held on June 28, 2009. Gay Bash was the party where everyone from the House of Helder got together and danced, drank and ate. It was always fun seeing what the kids were up to style-wise and catching some impromptu dance routines. The last installment was no different. Here are some pictures of the festivities.
Fashion House is a condo building that is located around Brand and King Street West. It has housed a couple fashion parties in the past. They asked 11 Canadian designers to create interiors for the floors of the building.
Celebrate the best in Canadian fashion in the heart of Toronto’s Fashion District. Eleven of Canada’s premier fashion designers have added their personal touches to the floors of Fashion House and will be on hand to toast Toronto’s first, award-winning fashion / condo project. This is your chance to mix, mingle and immerse yourself in all that is made-to-measure and ready to dwell. Fashion House – impeccable style from the inside, out.
The party was a mix of designers, media, Holt Renfrew staff, unit owners and developer friends. The Holt Renfrew connection is through the Unit Holder contest. If you buy a unit you have a chance to win a $100,000 shopping spree at Holt Renfrew. That’s some serious coin to go through.
Beckerman
Bustle
Joeffer Caoc
Jenny Bird
Greta
Andy Thê-Anh
I loved Andy Thê-Anh board. The dress is made from wood. It’s beautiful.
Jay Godfrey
Jeremy Laing
I’m very intrigued by Jeremy’s print choice.
Smythe
Dean Davidson
Mikhael Kale
I also have a couple people snaps
The Beckermans and Jay Godfrey
Natalie and Me
I felt that Dean Davidson, Jay Godfrey, Jenny Bird and Greta Constantine boards were the most clear. Many of the others were very conceptual and I couldn’t get my head around how it would translate. I felt all the boards needed some labeling. It was hard to figure out whose was who and it was only after talking to some of the designers I figured it out.
The best part of the night was when Yasmine Warsame introduced herself and her son to me. I was in total shock! She’s amazing.
Check out the slideshow, I have some more photos of the designer boards.
I want – I got is 54 years old today. It blows my mind that I’m still doing this. It’s a good thing of course and I’m still enjoying myself.
I thought you’d get a kick out of my first ever post which explains the concept of the site. It’s amazing to see what has happened in the 4 years since the concept I threw together without thinking has conceived.
Lot’s of things have changed since I wrote that. In 2006, I started writing for blogTO and that got me entrenched in the Toronto fashion scene. During that time I want – I got’s popularity was rising. In spring 2009, I resigned from blogTO to make I want – I got my number one priority. My writing for blogTO had been dwindling over the last year. Working fulltime and dealing with I want – I got resulted in a lot of priority changes. I knew it was time to move on.
So, I’m hoping for continued success with I want – I got over the rest of 2009. You can check out my review of 2008. 2009 has been interesting so far with speaking at PodCamp and the upcoming FashionCamp, the Anita Dress and my upcoming window display at Holt Renfrew stores. June 26th people, take a look at your closest Holts – more info to come.
EDIT: Ya, I can’t count apparently, it’s only been 4 years. I feel like such a complete moron. I’m surprised no one noticed. BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Here is your chance to meet the designers and order select merchandise from the Fall 2009 – 2010 collections that will not be available in stores across Canada.
Montreal Holt Renfrew – June 10, 2009 on 2nd Floor from 12 – 5pm.
Bloor Street Holt Renfrew – June 12 and 13, 2009 on 2nd Floor from 12 – 5pm.
