What to know
- Toronto fashion is going global, not disappearing. As staples like Toronto Fashion Week and The Fashion Incubator shut down, Fashion Art Toronto’s new Bridge to Berlin program is positioning local designers on an international stage.
- Bridge to Berlin links Toronto to Berlin Fashion Week. The three-year cultural and economic exchange lets FAT participate in Berlin Fashion Week, starting with a 2025 phase focused on European buyers and sustainability, with plans to bring Canadian designers to Berlin in 2027.
- Sustainability and Canadian talent are front and centre. The program prioritizes designers working in ethical and responsible fashion and is still accepting applications until March, aiming to boost global visibility and export opportunities for both emerging and established creators.
Canadian fashion’s got a new flight path. Fashion Art Toronto (FAT) is connecting Toronto’s fashion scene globally through the Bridge to Berlin program.
When thinking about fashion, everyone’s minds turn to New York, Paris, Milan or London Fashion Week, but where does Toronto stand?
Many major Toronto fashion outlets have permanently shut their doors: after 16 years, Toronto Fashion Week (TFW) pulled the plug, and on Jan. 30, The Fashion Incubator (TFI) closed, effective immediately, after 39 years.
While prominent events in Toronto’s fashion industry have discontinued, FAT is showing that Toronto Fashion Week is here to stay and is even creating an international fashion presence through the Bridge to Berlin program.
Director of Marketing and Content Tess Morgan says the partnership aims to “nurture Canadian talent and build bridges internationally and locally.”
The three-year cultural and economic exchange partnership will allow FAT to participate in Berlin Fashion Week.
Each phase builds Berlin ties. This year’s first phase targets European buyers and sustainability.
Bridge to Berlin prioritizes designers working in sustainability, ethical production, and responsible fashion, and is still accepting applications until March for emerging and established designers.
Fashion Art Toronto posted on Instagram a statement that reads in part, “Connecting Canadian fashion to the global stage.”
Fashion enthusiasts showed their excitement in the comments. One user commented, “Fabulous initiative.”
Another commented on the significance of this partnership for the industry, “Woow! [This is] really great news for the fashion industry in our city. Thanks, FAT, for making this happen! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼,” and “Congratulations Vanja! This is huge and such optimistic news for the industry 🔥,” another user commented.
Morgan shared, “Oh my goodness, everyone is so excited. And I think that’s really refreshing because there are a lot of losses that the Canadian fashion scene has seen.”
She continues that since people don’t know much about Canada’s fashion scene, FAT doesn’t need to “fit into one aesthetic or a predetermined expectation of what Canadian fashion is. We get to kind of set the tone, and we get to carve that out, and we get to surprise and delight [international audiences] with the amazing talent we have here.”
The initiative aims to bring Canadian designers to Berlin Fashion Week in 2027 and boost global visibility and export opportunities.
Bridge to Berlin is backed by Creative Exports Canada. In a press release, The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages, said, “Our government is strengthening the economy and diversifying into more markets to create new opportunities for Canada’s creative industries. By supporting Fashion Art Toronto and helping homegrown designers export globally, we are supporting Canadian talent shine abroad while building a strong, resilient country.”
Fashion Art Toronto has championed diversity on the runway for 20 years as a multicultural city. She hopes this initiative allows FAT to spotlight talent and expand opportunities. “We’re learning how to elevate Canadian talent and help designers grow their business without choosing between a 9-5 and their label.”
Despite the disappearance of fashion staples like TFW and TFI, Morgan reminds Torontonians of some wins in Toronto’s fashion industry, such as the return of Project Runway Canada and Canada’s Drag Race.
