Participating Designers

Albert Yuen: "As a child I always dreamt to be a designer when I am grown up.
When I came to Canada, I studied Fine Arts in the University of Waterloo. After graduate, I moved to Toronto to study Apparel design at the Ryerson Polytechnic University.
After graduate from Ryerson, I start to work as a designer assistant in a leather company. At the same time, I also create unique pillows and join in the “One of a Kind Show” to promote my collections.
Also, I have been the finalist for a few fashion competitions and have chance to show my creations before the judges. Through these competitions, I can explore my fancy ideas about fashion, and sharpen my design skills, too.
Recently, I have won the most promising designer award of the “Art of Fashion” competition. And in May 2012, I have participated in the “American Next Top Model” trade show."

I’MONIQ’s goal is to be the brand that women turn to for the new and different. Our signature technique of knotting and braiding of materials is a new and fresh take on costume jewelry. Creating bold necklaces, bracelets, and earrings, I’MONIQ cleverly combines a variety of mixed metals, stones, crystals and vibrant colored silks.

Born and raised in Belgrade, now living in Toronto, I've been sewing, crafting, and making jewelry and scarves for as long as I can remember. Daughter of two creative individuals, I guess it was my destiny... I'm easily inspired and am constantly toying with new design ideas and craft techniques.

In 2009, Toronto born owner and designer Melissa De Luca developed the brand Fredrick Prince. Bored with typical mass produced jewelry found in stores across the globe, she developed a line merging classy and timeless with fresh and modern.

Her education and work experience in the wholesale and buying market provided the designer with enough knowledge to start a new venture and successfully become an entrepreneur. "It was the perfect marriage of business smarts and artistic expression."

Fredrick Prince reflects a collection of jewelry that is versatile and transitional from season to season. The response to Fredrick Prince is emerging, with retailers who are recognizing the brand and requesting pieces to fill their store fronts. With so many outlets of communication such as retail, online store, facebook and twitter- more people are noticing and falling in love with a Fredrick Prince original.

Natasha Sakhuja is an Indian-Canadian self-taught designer and trained illustrator with an immense passion for fashion design, fashion illustration and sewing. She believes in showcasing fashion as an art show - the way fashion would always be, with great attention to detailing. Her fashion inspiration is the late Alexander McQueen her signature look is the white dress.

Canadian born jewellery designer Kristen Laborde has created a collection that reflects women’s desire for individuality and capitalizes on their daring to be different.
She specializes in one-of a-kind creative pieces that combine various eclectic elements that reflect the season’s fashion trends.
Kristen loves to travel and draws inspiration from diverse ethnic backgrounds to shape her eclectic style through use of semi precious stones, metals and beads. She has scoured the globe searching for small gem and metal dealers in places such as

Italy,
Chile, Spain, London, Hong Kong, South Africa, Berlin and more. Kristen, who's recently moved back to Toronto from living in London, England, returned inspired which has influenced this season’s architectural lines while integrating quirky combination of stones and metal that work brilliantly together.
Her approach in her designs is to create a one of a kind multi-functional piece that suits today’s woman’s needs and budgets.

“I like to create a strong piece that can be worn more than one way so that it can change with the mood of my customer. Our energy levels change many times throughout the day which influences our moods. The ideal wardrobe is to have clothing and accessories that can change along with us."

Maryam Ahadi, fashion designer, stylist and textile designer is the sole principle of Chaken International Fashion Design, founded in 1985. During her years of hands-on experience, Maryam has established a unique image in the art of fashion and has developed an impressive reputation in the industry over the past three decades.
Maryam says: “today’s fashion is about comfort, simplicity, and genuineness yet it must be vigorous and dynamic”. She is an expert in diverse areas of fashion; her practical women’s daywear, glamorous eveningwear and stylish outerwear include a large collection for all women in every age group.

‘All That I Am’... T-shirts that embrace your inner infinity.

Weaving together fragments of text and images that include the infinity symbol, phoenix, wings and astrolabes, these t-shirts explore the concept of defining ourselves as infinite possibility.

Your brand...dedicated to you and all that you are

Alysha Alexandroff-Appleton, BDes, founded creAAAtive in January 2011. Alysha is a recent award-winning graduate of OCADU, majoring in Jewellery and Metalsmithing. Alysha’s work has appeared in a number of publications, both locally and internationally, and she has been featured in galleries, exhibitions and shows in Toronto, Canada.

Bio Seaweed Gel is an emerging Canadian-based beauty brand, specializing in nail care and aesthetics. UNITY All-In-One Colour Gel Polish is the industry’s first gel polish that combines top, base, colour and nail strengthener into one bottle. Used in both the salons and at home, enjoy 2+ weeks of stunning, high shine
colour with no chips. UNITY dries instantly under UV/LED light and we offer over 80 vibrant colour choices. The best part? Bio Seaweed Gel is the healthiest gel polish choice, with zero dehydrated, weakened or stained nails! Our formula promotes the growth and shine of your natural nails

The Aime name derives from the French world for love. The pronunciation of Aime is a phonetic play of designer Monica Mei’s initials and has been a moniker since her childhood. The label is an extension of her personality and corresponds with her philosophy to "Love yourself. Love others. Love luxury."

Monica Mei graduated from Ryerson University’s School of Fashion obtaining a Bachelor of Design degree in 2007. In her graduating year, she won the coveted Ryerson University-wide Standard Broadcasting Corporation’s $25,000 Business Plan Competition for her designer label, Aime. In 2009, she was a top 5 finalist for the Fashion Design Council of Canada’s Designer Development Fund (Canada’s version of the CFDA/Vogue Fund). Flare magazine chose Monica Mei of Aime to be on "The A-list Canadian designers you need to know" upon her debut collection.

Andrea Golberg's love of design has always been a strong influence in shaping her personality and values, and she is constantly striving towards a further enlightened reality.
Complex simplicity is a philosophy that is burgeoning designer employs not only in her work, but in her day-to-day life.

Andi G Belts strives to create conversation pieces that add to your current
wardrobe, and signals to the rest of the world that you are inspired by, and curious about your

surroundings.

Perspective. Confidence. Reality

April Martin grew up on Manitoulin Island Ontario and now lives and works in Montreal Quebec. She is currently completing a BFA at Concordia University in Sculpture and Printmaking and next year is going to Finland to be baffled by the unending light, and yes the darkness too. My stock is mainly made up of metal
hair barrettes, brooches, and earrings. My newest and most exciting item are necklaces made from pennies flattened on train tracks, and etched in intaglio. Each necklace is unique and with double sided

imagery. The inspiration for the drawings comes from astrology, sacred geometry and pagan gods and goddesses. They hang on a beautiful and dainty copper coloured chain.

Hat making has been a passion of mine since the late 20th century. Each hat is a new beginning bringing forth different thoughts, experiences and ideas. Even if they share the same fabric or pattern, rarely are any two alike. I enjoy what I do and hope you will too.

Renée Byrne’s year love affair with jewellery and design was the foundation for opening Twists and Facets. She works with a variety of materials to create one of a kind, extravagant pieces. Renée aims to maintain her boutique image while growing her loyal customer base, into the retail market.

CBE is a Toronto based company producing a line of high-end, unisex clothing with a focus on experimentation and a love for collaboration. CBE is committed to sustainable and ethical production all within its hometown city of Toronto. All CBE products are exclusively made in a 50 km-radius of their studio downtown.

In 2008, CBE first hit the Toronto fashion scene and has expanded every year since. With a growing collection of items - from their signature hooded sweatshirt designs to their self designed t-shirt cuts and well-received pet hoody line. CBE stands out from the rest with a strong sense of artistic risk, a well-thought-out design and a conscious soul in each step of business.