Toronto Fashion Incubator Announces Lineup

Compelling ideas. Passionate designers. Groundbreaking talent. After much anticipation, the Toronto Fashion Incubator (TFI) has announced the lineup of emerging design talent that will showcase their spring/summer 2014 collections at the TFI Press & Buyers Brunch at World MasterCard Fashion Week (WMCFW). The curated trade show of promising designers and innovative fashion brands will be held in The Studio at David Pecaut Square onsite at WMCFW on October 23rd and October 24th from 12:00pm to 2:00pm.

Bringing global design to the WMCFW tents and as a part of the Toronto-Chicago Sister Cities program, ready-to-wear womenswear designer Lagi Nadeau from the Chicago Fashion Incubator (CFI) will be participating in this season's TFI Press & Buyers Brunch. This marks the first of an international exchange program recently established by the TFI. In cooperation, TFI New Labels 2013 winner Sarah Stevenson will participate in the Emerging Designer show at Chicago Fashion Week on October 16th 2013, taking place at Millennium Park in Chicago.

"The Press & Buyers Brunch offers a diverse layer to World MasterCard Fashion Week at which media and retailers can discover bright new talent they may have otherwise not been exposed to," said Susan Langdon, Executive Director, TFI. "This season's participating designers are particularly eager to showcase their collections and the TFI is honoured to be hosting the event in conjunction with IMG."

Showcasing designers include: womenswear brands Aime by Monica Mei, Alysha Alex, Bernice & Barclay, Diane Kroe, Geneviève Lima The Label, Hilary MacMillan, Chicago Fashion Incubator designer Lagi Nadeau, Laura Siegel, Mayana Genevière, Matière Noire, Moose & Beaver Apparel, Setara Singh, SKINNY SWEATS and New Labels 2013 finalists SEVENTHIRTYONE; jewellery brands ARMED, DAWSON-REPANOVICI, Laborde and Slashpile Designs; travel accessories brand Ebby Rane; menswear brand Killigrew; and outerwear and accessories brand Jameson Kane.

The TFI worked with an expert panel of judges to select the most inspiring design talent to exhibit at the TFI Press & Buyers Brunch. Over thirty hopeful applicants submitted press kits that were assessed on trendiness, newsworthiness, cohesiveness within the collection, cohesive branding, overall press kit presentation and marketability.

ABOUT TFI
The Toronto Fashion Incubator (TFI) is an award-winning and highly-acclaimed non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and nurturing Canadian fashion designers and entrepreneurs. Established in 1987 as the world's first official "fashion incubator," the TFI model has been adopted by cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, London, Melbourne, Auckland, Amsterdam and Milan. Housed in an 8,000 sq. ft. heritage building at Exhibition Place in Toronto, the TFI provides critical support to creative entrepreneurs to develop the business and professional skills they need to thrive and survive. Start-up and advanced community programs include educational seminars on the business of fashion, one-on-one mentoring with industry professionals, exclusive promotional and sales opportunities, and valuable sales, marketing and trend resources.

Toronto Fashion Incubator: 285 Manitoba Drive, Exhibition Place Toronto, Ontario M6K 3C3
Canada 416 971 7117 tfi@fashionincubator.com www.fashionincubator.com #TFIPBB