Toronto Fashion Week, The Poor

Jessica Carroll: They've just announced the schedule for Toronto MasterCard Fashion Week... So what?

An image from Thomas Tait's SS12 collection at #TFW

Milan Fashion Week just ended (Dolce & Gabbana? Totally surprised!), and there's only one style.com-worthy fashion week left, which is arguably the most important, and undeniably the most opulent: Paris (with Chanel and Louis Vuitton, not to mention Ann Demeulemeester and Celine). 

Oh, and there's also Toronto's own "World MasterCard Fashion Week" (a phrase I was told to refrain from using in any form, but so be it) that runs from March 12 to March 16. Its, um, intrepid calendar has just been announced by the FDCC, with all of the usual suspects. There's an official #TFW launch party at 6pm on March 12th, but we all know everyone's going to be getting ready to go to the Holts presentation at 8pm, with Jeremy Laing... and others. Chloe comme Paris and minimalist Sid Neigum show their collections on day 2, Joe Fresh (er, Joe Mimran) unravels his colourful collection on day 3, and then Rad Hourani and Rad Hourani for the next two days! Oh, and Caitlin Power seems cool too.

But where's the love? Where's Amanda Lew Kee? She showed in New York. Where's Thomas Tait? He showed in London. 

It seems like Toronto's fashion week is a mere stepping stone for designers to get to bigger and better fashion weeks, or that--and I mean no disrespect--it's for designers who haven't and probably will never reach a global audience. But I suppose this is the conundrum of any small (but talented) urban centre who's never seen global recognition. But now that Toronto's set to become a major financial capital, is it possible that Toronto's fashion week could become more culturally viable in the future? Will we see local talents change because they can go to the Room and touch Margiela any day they want? Perhaps. But not this year.

Nonetheless, despite my open animosity, I'll see you at the Holts presentation, where I'll be the one with the top knot and a half-mickey of Russian Prince watching ladies in six inch heels stumble. 

____