HISTORY OF FASHION ART TORONTO
Highlighting Canadian Fashion through a diverse, inclusive and supportive community.

Fashion Art Toronto (FAT) is an annual multidisciplinary fashion event that showcases cutting-edge and avant-garde design in Toronto, Canada. The event celebrates the intersection of fashion and art, highlighting emerging and established designers who push the boundaries of creativity and challenge traditional notions of style and what clothing can mean.

Fashion Art Toronto was founded in 2005, by Vanja Vasic, a fashion designer and visionary, with the goal of providing an inclusive, accessible and diverse platform for creatives to express themselves through fashion.

For 18 years Fashion Art Toronto has been the leading fashion event in Canada to prioritize THE inclusion of models and participants from diverse backgrounds, persons of colour, diverse body types, persons with disabilities and the LGBTQ2+ community. Fashion Art Toronto continues to celebrate its longstanding commitment to community, creativity, inclusion and alternative lifestyles.

Since its inception, Fashion Art Toronto has grown into one of the most anticipated and influential fashion events in Canada. It has gained recognition for its unconventional approach to fashion and its commitment to supporting emerging talent.

Fashion Art Toronto has become known for its emphasis on creativity, innovation, and inclusivity. The event showcases collections that challenge societal norms, experiment with materials and techniques, and explore themes such as sustainability, gender identity, cultural heritage, and social justice.

Over the years, Fashion Art Toronto has collaborated with numerous partners, including galleries, museums, fashion institutions, and community organizations. It has attracted local and international designers and artists, fostering a sense of global connectivity and cultural exchange. FAT has gained recognition within the fashion industry and has been featured in various media outlets, including Vogue, Elle Canada, and Fashion Magazine. It has become a key event for industry professionals, fashion enthusiasts, and art lovers to discover emerging talent and witness the future of fashion.

FORMAT OF THE EVENT

The event takes place over several days, featuring runway shows, exhibitions, installations, performances, and panel discussions. It provides a platform for emerging designers to showcase their work alongside established designers, fostering mentorship and collaboration within the creative community.

Fashion Art Toronto continues to evolve and adapt, reflecting the changing landscape of fashion and art. It remains committed to showcasing innovative and boundary-pushing work, while also providing a space for dialogue and critical engagement with contemporary issues.

Today, Fashion Art Toronto serves as a vital hub for the convergence of fashion and art in Canada, fostering creativity, diversity, and experimentation within the industry. It continues to inspire and challenge the conventional notions of what fashion can be, pushing boundaries and redefining the relationship between fashion, art, and society.

FASHION ART TORONTO HAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE CANADIAN FASHION INDUSTRY AND PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN SHAPING THE FUTURE OF CANADIAN FASHION

 PROMOTING EMERGING TALENT

FAT has been instrumental in promoting emerging designers and artists who might not have had the opportunity to showcase their work in traditional fashion events. By providing a platform for these individuals, FAT has helped to discover and nurture new talent within the Canadian fashion industry.

CELEBRATING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVITY

FAT has championed diversity and inclusivity by featuring designers from diverse backgrounds and showcasing fashion that challenges traditional beauty standards. The event has provided a stage for underrepresented voices and marginalized communities, highlighting their contributions to the Canadian fashion industry. This commitment to diversity has helped to create a more inclusive and representative fashion scene in Canada. Fashion Art Toronto has supported and nurtured now well-known models such as Winnie Harlow, Myles Sexton and Monika Mayers. The event was the first of its kind in Canada to welcome and encourage trans models, gender fluidity, plus size models and diverse bodies and people with disabilities.

ENCOURAGING EXPERIMENTAL FASHION

One of the hallmarks of FAT is its commitment to showcasing avant-garde and experimental fashion. By challenging conventional notions of what constitutes fashion, FAT has encouraged designers to think outside the box and push boundaries, resulting in innovative and unique creations. This emphasis on experimentation has helped to diversify and enrich the Canadian fashion landscape.


FOSTERING CREATIVITY AND COLLABORATION

FAT has fostered a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach to fashion by incorporating various art forms, including visual arts, performance art, music, and multimedia. By bringing together artists from different disciplines, FAT has created a platform for cross-pollination of ideas, inspiring collaborations between fashion designers and other artists. This collaborative spirit has contributed to the evolution and growth of the Canadian fashion industry.

CULTIVATING AN ALTERNATIVE FASHION SCENE

FAT has played a crucial role in cultivating an alternative fashion scene in Toronto and Canada as a whole. By providing a platform for unconventional and non-mainstream fashion, FAT has nurtured a community of designers and fashion enthusiasts who embrace alternative aesthetics and subcultures. This has contributed to the diversification of the Canadian fashion industry and expanded its creative boundaries.

REDEFINING THE RUNWAY IN PANDEMIC TIMES

In an effort to promote Canadian Fashion and the city of Toronto as well as to boost the creative community in a challenging time, Fashion art Toronto re-imagined the presentation of runway shows to create the first ever-live virtual fashion week in the world in 2020! Three seasons of virtual fashion shows were presented between 2020 to 2021, where Fashion Art Toronto produced 50 virtual runway presentations at 25 iconic Toronto landmarks including Ontario Science Centre, Union Station, 
Ripley’s Aquarium, Ontario Place, R.C Harris Water Treatment Plant, The Bentway, ROM, Toronto Botanical Gardens, WOODBINE RACE TRACK, VALUE VILLAGE REUSE & RECYCLING CENTRE and others.

FASHION ART TORONTO IN THE COMMUNITY

Fashion Art Toronto is committed to community involvement and engagement. We partner with like minded organizations to present and promote Canadian artists and designers through shows, talks and workshops. We have partnerships with ROM, Artist Project, the Bentway, Bata Shoe Museum, Black Designers of Canada and CANIFFF. Recently we collaborated with TIFF to showcase a free public art exhibit and fashion show in celebration of their “Make It Fashion Film Series”