Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto - MAY 31 to June 3, 2018

This is the last of my posts for Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto. I want to commend everyone for a stellar first Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto! Thanks to the IFWTO Team/Founding Collective: Heather Haynes, Producer/Curatorial Advisor, Kerry Swanson, Development/Curatorial Advisor and Sage Paul, Artistic Director/Founder and the Programming and Production Team, an effectively widespread Media campaign, ongoing support from Sponsors an Partners, great shared information from Designers and so many other participants, gorgeous posters and a thorough, visually stunning program brochure, the Runway Shows were sold out, the Craft sessions fully subscribed, the seminars well attended and the Designer Showroom and Market Place very busy. Huge thanks to Damien Nelson, Flip Publicity, Publicist, for his prompt responses to my enquiries from Vancouver. More thanks to all of the wonderful Designers, but especially to Vancouver Designers; Evan Ducharme, Dorothy Grant and Denise Brillon that I had to see here, and to Marilyn R. Wilson, who knows about, writes about and talks about the vital importance of supporting Creatives in our midst. 

"IFWTO is committed to exploring the deep connections between mainstream fashion indigenous art and traditional practice through presentations for broad audiences and industries." Through this fantastic, hugely collaborative plan, the first Indigenous Fashion Week has provided a gold carpet model of absolute attention to people's heritage, first languages, cultural practices, history, and stories. Strong statements of resilience, power, pride, and unique, slow fashion luxury, were highlighted by the models, the performer who sang and danced them down the runway, each of the 4 evenings, by awed audiences who cheered and stood up for everyone. Met so many proud families, friends and supporters, and yes, many first timers to IFWTO. Congratulations!

Kerry Swanson - Development Director / Curatorial Advisor

Sage Paul - Artistic Director / Founder

Heather Haynes - Producer / Curatorial Advisor