Giving Back is Always in Style

ReSuit, a proprietary algorithm designed to seamlessly connect designers with their ideal audience, recently announced that the Toronto Fashion Incubator (TFI) is the beneficiary of its first "Designer Side Kick" Give-Back program. For each TFI member who signs with ReSuit in 2024, a 20% donation will be made to TFI.

"Giving back is always in style," says Susan Langdon, Executive Director, TFI. "We are extremely grateful to ReSuit founder, Nada Shepherd, for giving back to our non-profit organization which is where her fashion entrepreneurship journey began."

"Partnering with the Toronto Fashion Incubator through our 'Designer Side Kick' Give-Back program is a full-circle moment for me,” said Nada.

KEEP CALM

Applications are now open for Canadian citizens residing in the UK to attend a Royal Garden Party!

Applicants will be drawn from a diverse range of individuals and organizations. They should be recognized in their field, in public or voluntary service, or in community work. Applicants and their guests must be over the age of 18 and have valid Canadian passports.

Don't miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Click here for details and submit your application before February 26, 2024, 4:00 pm GMT (11:00 am ET). 

Sustainable Knit Textiles from Portugal

The AEP Chamber of Commerce (Associacao Empresarial de Portugal) is organizing a trade mission to Canada from Portugal for the textile and apparel sectors. The group of suppliers and manufacturers will be in Montreal from March 4 to 6, 2024, and in Toronto from March 7 to 8, 2024. 

Featured companies include LS Lurdes Sampaio which produces sustainable knitted textiles and Polipique which produces knits made from filaments derived from pineapple, banana, fennel, and sugar cane.

Designers are invited to view samples and meet with the delegation by contacting Wilson Teixeira at wilson@wdm-marketing.com. 

Get Ready to Export

Selling and shipping to a new market outside of Canada is an exciting phase and a milestone in a startup’s journey. However, there are a lot of twists, turns, and legal regulations that can make exporting overwhelming.

As part of its Startup Global 2024 program, Startup Canada is hosting a series of informative webinars to get your business export-ready. Each webinar will provide you with the opportunity to connect with industry leaders and organizations and build foundational relationships for entering new markets. 

Register here for a free webinar on March 7, 2024, from 1:00 to 2:00 pm ET. 

You're Invited to a Birthday Bash!

Get ready to mark a milestone in Toronto's history! The City of Toronto's Celebrate Toronto 190th Anniversary festival will take place on March 9, 2024, at Nathan Phillips Square from 3:00 to 10:00 pm ET. This event is free and open to the public.

Dance through the night with local bands and DJs, shop and support local fashion at the 'Toronto Made Market', savour the flavours of the city at diverse food stalls, offering delicious dishes and treats, and toast to 190 years of Toronto at the 19+ licensed bar area - a cozy and inviting space to enjoy a selection of local craft beers and spirits. As night falls, get ready for the sky to burst into a symphony of lights with a dazzling fireworks show at 9:00 pm.

No registration is needed.

NEW DATE!

How to Get Featured in the Press

Mark your calendar for March 12, 2024, when the Toronto Fashion Incubator presents an engaging and insightful webinar featuring Annika Lautens. Annika is the Fashion News Director at FASHION Magazine, St. Joseph Communications, and is a graduate of TMU's Fashion Communications program. She has also worked with ELLE Canada, WedLuxe, and Amsterdam's Garment Magazine. This event is perfect for fashion designers and brands who want to gain DIY tips on how to get covered by the media, what type of assets you need to provide, and how to make your pitch. The online event runs from 7:00 to 8:00 pm ET.

Click here for tickets

FREE for TFI members with a PROMO CODE

(TFI members: email us to get your code)

Call for Designers

Unleash your designs at the Academy StylLounge taking place April 27 to 28, 2024, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, at 401 Richmond St. W., in Toronto.

StylLounge, in partnership with the Reel Asian Film Festival and CAFTCAD (Canadian Alliance of Film & Television Costume Arts & Design Awards), invites talented fashion and accessories designers to showcase their unique creations to over 4,000 guests and nominees attending the Canadian Screen Awards airing on CBC and CBC Gem on Friday, May 31, 2024. Gain exposure at this extraordinary platform and spark exciting collaborations with celebrities and award nominees. Whether you're an established name or an emerging talent, StylLounge can connect you with high-profile individuals and events.

RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards

For more than three decades, the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards have recognized and celebrated the strides of Canada’s most accomplished, influential, and impactful women. It's the leading women’s awards program in the nation, elevating this group’s important contributions from economic growth to social change across sectors and industries. 

Nominations are now open. The nomination deadline is March 22, 2024, and the application deadline is May 3, 2024.

Click here for more information and details.

Dressed to Kilt April 6, 2024

Time to wear your best tartan! Scotland’s largest and most prestigious charity fashion show, Dressed to Kilt, is officially happening on April 6, 2024, at the Liberty Grand in Toronto.

This year’s theme is “Dress for Adventure – From Caledonia to Canada”, paying tribute to outdoor fashion and the countryside. Get ready for an evening of fun and fashion at this charitable event in support of the Royal Canadian Legion.

Tickets are almost SOLD OUT! Click here to get yours.

Photo: From Dressed to Kilt 2024 designer, Sara Tiara Headwear

Win Cash for Your Business

Applications to enter The Startup Global Pitch Competition are now available.

If you're an early-stage entrepreneur looking to export your products and/or services outside of Canada, here is your chance to win a cash prize ranging from $3,000 to $30,000!

Eligibility criteria and application details can be found here.

Predict What People Will Buy

The next generation of trend forecasting has arrived - Predictive AI can quantify and predict what people will buy, making researching trends faster, easier, and more efficient.

Developed in 2013, Heuritech is a platform that offers AI-powered insights by analyzing more than 3 million social images a day, detecting 2,000 fashion attributes, from macro prints, colours, and fabrics to granular shapes and attributes. It reviews the latest fashion weeks and provides unbiased data indicating which colours, prints, styles and fabrics are trending higher or lower. Check out the free Fall 2024 New York Men's Fashion Week report here or the Spring 2024 Women's Fashion Week report here.

Free Exposure Opportunity

Attention fashion designers and brands!

If you're a TFI member, you qualify to get free exposure to a blended audience of industry insiders and fashion-loving consumers.

Apply before the 10th of every month for a chance to be featured on the TFI website for one month at no cost!

Click here to enter and good luck!

Fashioning a Royal Blanket

Ontario-based textile firm, Sykes & Ainley, had the honour of designing the coronation blanket for HRH King Charles III.

Designed in Canada and woven in the United Kingdom, this collector's item blanket is made with 100% Merino wool from Australia and features the Canadian maple leaf alongside the floral emblems of every province and territory. Only 100 blankets are being produced and a portion of the sale from each item will be donated to The Canadian Wool Council, a Canadian non-profit organization devoted to supporting Canadian wool growers and educating Canadians on the wonders of natural fibres.

Click here for more information.