Fashion Art Toronto returns for fall and winter 2022 show

Over 30 Canadian designers showcased multi-art garments on the runway

By: Teresa Valenton

The multi-arts event, Fashion Art Toronto returns for a four-day event at Parkdale Hall. Located at 1605 Queen St. W., fashion enthusiasts came together to celebrate Toronto’s fashion scene. From Nov. 10 to 13, runway shows featuring over 30 Canadian designers were shown. Established in 2005, Fashion Art Toronto is the longest-running fashion week in the city. 

These photographs include works from notable designers such as Katerina Sfaelos, GG, Karoline Mazzarella, Fashion Kills, Summer Zhang, House of Étoile and Fugnitto. Each collection showcased various works that further examined new identities and innovations. Combining unconventional statement pieces with multi-sensory accessories, attendees were given an unforgettable experience.

Check out some of the incredible runway designs in this CC exclusive photo essay:

All photos taken by Teresa Valenton for CanCulture Magazine.

Ugg boots for an ugh season

Uggs are this season’s new go-to shoe for many. CanCulture can help you style them.

By: Sakina Chaudary

(Thibault Penin/Unsplash)

Uggs are back in a big way. From celebrities like Kaia Gerber, Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid sporting them, to finding them all over social media, they’re shaping up to be this season’s go-to shoe and it’s not hard to see why.

Australian surfer Brian Smith moved to Southern California and started UGG in 1978. His favourite material was sheepskin, so he created the classic boot. In the mid-'80s, Uggs became a staple in SoCal beach culture through surf shops spanning from San Diego to Santa Cruz. These shoes have since been seen on everyone, from fashion elites to everyday people across the globe.

If you have ever worn Uggs, you will know they are extremely comfortable, warm and come in a variety of signature styles and colours to accompany any and all of your ensemble needs.

Uggs are perfect for Canadian weather. They are made of soft sheepskin and have a warm, enduring design, great for those mild or even frigidly cold days. They make your feet feel like they are wrapped in a warm blanket while walking on a cloud. Not to mention, they’re easy to slip on when you are in a rush! Many people style them in cute and comfortable ways, such as wearing a pair of Uggs with a matching sweatsuit and a puffer vest or hoodie. 

The most popular styles right now are Ugg slippers and boots. They can be styled in a range of ways, from pairing them with a go-to athleisure outfit to a formal one with a wool coat and a sweater. 

In particular, the Classic Mini II Boot or the Classic Ultra Mini in chestnut or black can be seen all over social media and out and about. These boots can be styled with leggings and a crewneck for a comfortable, athleisure feel. See how some celebrities and Canadian bloggers styled them below.

Another Ugg shoe that is currently trending is the Tasman mule. They can be worn indoors as slippers or out, with their comfortable fit and breathable open back. See how Gigi Hadid and some wonderful Canadian bloggers styled them below. 

The Ugg fluffy slipper can be worn for a casual, comfortable and fun look!  These fun shoes have a hard sole, and according to the shoe designers, they can be worn both indoors as slippers and outdoors as sandals. See inspiration on ways to style them below.

Uggs can be pretty pricey but the quality makes them worth the investment. There are also tons of dupes you can find that will give you that signature look and feel. Check out these Classic Mini II Boots dupes, including this pair from Amazon and these from Bearpaw. Hudson’s Bay and Amazon sell a great Ugg mule dupe, and the common Ugg fluffy slipper dupe can be seen on many sites and storefronts, like on Amazon or at your local Winners.

You won’t go wrong sporting this cute and comfortable shoe this season! 

Back in style: The Y2K aesthetic that is back and bigger than ever

How vintage styles from the early 2000s have come back into society’s contemporary dressing culture and icons of the past stay living as trendsetters.

By: Yvonne Le

(Abby Grant/CanCulture)

Trends come and go and come back once more again. We constantly recycle garments that were popularized in past mainstream fashion, extending and reviving their life cycle that usually fades out the way clothes do in our current contemporary dressing culture. When we look back at major Y2K fashion, the low waist jeans, thick strappy sandals, baby tees and rhinestones are just the start of it. But what is it about the Y2K aesthetic that allows it to have such a strong presence today?

Y2K fashion has made a huge resurgence with vintage clothing consumption being a catalyst for this. The 2000s were an era full of evolving hip hop and pop culture that significantly influenced the dressing culture of the time. The cultivation of sneaker culture, denim and true personal style with major subcultures emerged during the 2000s. Scene culture is one of the major subcultures that have an influence on e-girl trends today and is returning to social media platforms.

Instagram Influencer Ines Silva in E-girl make-up in 2019 (@irislovesunicorns/Instagram)

If we fast forward into the dominance of fast fashion on the internet from the early Forever 21 YouTube hauls, we see the contrast of the thrift bundles that became quite popular in the late 2010s. Consumers are buying from Depop sellers more than ever as the application harboured around 6.5 million users in the month of May 2021 according to Airnow. Internet Girl became a popular example of thrift sellers who sell clothes with the aesthetics of the 1990s and 2000s. She dubs her bundles “IGIRL BUNDLES.” The height of popularity for upcycled garments has also grown exponentially. In Canada, Vancouver-based upcycle retailer Frankie Collective has reached over 300k Instagram followers.

Amidst the growth of online shopping, information about the clothes we purchase became very accessible for generation Z, a demographic that has grown up impacted by the overconsumption of clothes in the wave of climate change. These concerns have allowed many to turn to alternative ways of shopping and with the height of thrifting, reselling and environmental consciousness, it is inevitable that garments from the 2000s come right back in the life cycle of clothes. 

When thinking about our current situation of the pandemic, popular trend analyst @Thealgorythm on TikTok has covered current trends during quarantine and what the young generation is wearing. The subversive dressing culture has become popular but also in style, no surprise, is Y2K vintage!

Sewing and the artisanal crafting of garments were amongst the many hobbies that arose during the pandemic, with many sewing patterns being from the early 21st century. It has allowed many people time to reflect on their lives through self-expression. This has allowed an imagined community in many niches to form and reminisce on their aesthetics through a lens of escapism. We see cottagecore and dark academia but also pop icons resurge onto different platforms. When time during the pandemic seems frozen, people naturally turn to the past to relive many memories.

Embed from Getty Images

It’s hard not to refer to the past especially when many renowned designers look at archival designs for new collections. @Thealgorythm explains repurposing styles of the past as the “New Vintage.” Luxury fashion brand Marine Serre becomes an example of this through their use of second-hand, deadstock and recycled materials in their current collections.

In Raf Simons’ 2020 Prada SS22 collection debut, for the first time in a virtual fashion week, Simons and Miuccia Prada looked back to their iconic looks with Prada’s past silhouettes of nylon and Simon’s signature graphic prints. 

"Fashion always hopes for the new, everybody wants to be new,” Simons told the Fashion Network. “But when you have a brand for a few decades, what's important is to refresh your own body of work.” 

The ambassadors of these fashion houses also play a part in the ways trends amass big followings. Varying from celebrities to influencers, pop culture stands as a strong factor for the rise of Y2K fashion. We see Emma Chamberlain, a content creator and Louis Vuitton ambassador, as the trendsetter for the young teenage girls who await her seasonal outfits and seek to replicate them in their own way. As a YouTuber and content creator, her huge growth on the platform is well known to the generation Z online community. She is just one of the many influencers who have impacted this generation’s dressing culture.

When fast fashion retailers have begun to sell newly manufactured vintage designs, you know Y2K has really come back. It’s quite a paradox when the old becomes the new and trendy once again!

It is safe to say that there isn’t one main reason why Y2K fashion has come back with our easy access to consume media. In our current environment of rapid change, people will always look back to the past and grab something to feel for much longer. 

Spring in Canada: Fashion trends to stay on top of this upcoming season

By Mia Maaytah

Although this winter seems to be endless, spring is approaching and Toronto designers have been busy cultivating new fashion trends for the city.

In the past, spring has been an opportunity to softly reintroduce colour back into our closets and a time to pair lightweight material with classic, dainty jewelry. However, this year the trends seem to be roaring into existence with bright red and green pieces, mixed with eccentric patterning and bold accessories.

This year, bold is an understatement, as all shapes, colours, patterns and types of fabrics are skillfully crafted together.

Major designers such as Coach, Marc Jacobs and Kate Spade New York have hit the runway featuring designs that incorporate fusions of primary colours and classic patterns like stripes and polka dots.

Photo courtesy of coach on Instagram

Feature image courtesy of Rex Leung and Ryan Feng via marcjacobs on Instagram

Photo courtesy of katespadeny on Instagram

Not all runway attire is exactly suitable for the constant hustle and bustle of the working crowd in Toronto. Sara Duke, a Toronto-based independent fashion designer and Ryerson University graduate, just released her new collection of pieces that encompass both style and functionality.

Made with all Canadian material, Duke says she strives to create clothes that are not only rich in quality, but are also suitable for day-to-day use in their comfort and versatility.

Photo courtesy of sarasaraduke on Instagram

“Overall, spring this year is a lot darker. There is a lot of primary colours being used,” said Duke “Everything is sort of darker and duller and grittier as far as colours go, plus, stripes. Stripes are a big deal.”

Duke’s designs feature timeless T-shirts, dresses and pants that are handcrafted and targeted toward a working woman. Her use of dark blues and baby pinks fit the trendy theme of the blending of contrasting colour palettes. Her neat use of stripes adds a classic aspect to her spring 2019 collection.

Photo courtesy of sarasaraduke on Instagram

Although Duke remains trendy with her creations, she said she does not rely on pieces made by major designers as an outline. Instead, she uses fashion forecasting brought to her by fabric contractors.

“When I build a collection, I look at what did really well from the collections before that. I look at what shapes and styles did really well,” she said.

“I don’t really pay attention to runway stuff. I pay attention to my customer, because this is clothing that needs to be practical enough to be worn in public.”

Numerous other Canadian designers share Duke’s vision. They aim to satisfy their customers by staying updated with the global fashion trends while ensuring practicality.

Kollar Clothing, a Canadian fashion line for men, recently showcased their spring collection. It offers a rugged, yet classy approach for the upcoming season.

Photo courtesy of kollarclothing on Instagram

Kollar Clothing’s denim jackets and pants are paired with sleek button-up shirts and black leather jackets. The brand’s newest line follows the ominous theme of dark hues, accented with touches of pastel purple on a patterned, collared T-shirt.

Andrew Coimbra, a clothing line based in Toronto, reverses the trend of a primarily deep colour palette, as their Spring 2019 collection is alive with colour and vibrancy.

Photo courtesy of andrewcoimbra on Instagram

This collection features both casual and elegant styles. It offers felt blazers and simple white T-shirts. The blend of bright colours and busy patterns, accented with pops of black and navy blue, make the line fresh and unique.

As comfort is a concern for many practical brands, some Canadian artists do not miss an opportunity to dazzle their clientele with dressier pieces. Greta Constantine, a women’s clothing label founded by Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong, released a new collection for the upcoming season featuring fairytale-like designs for fancier occasions.

Photo courtesy of Peter Tamlin via gretaconstantine on Instagram

This collection’s pieces range from dresses, to jumpsuits, to matching two-pieces. Pickersgill and Wong followed this season’s stripe trend just like Duke, in a couple of designs. Their Spring 2019 line features cheetah print and primarily metallic fabrics. The collection is unique and bold, in comparison to other Canadian designers’ newest lines.