Twenty creators have made the cut for the annual Canadian Arts and Fashion Awards (CAFA), and seven of them are at the heart of the arts scene right here in Toronto.
On April 23, CAFA, in partnership with Tip Top, will celebrate 20 emerging artists, including 7 Toronto creatives, at its NewGen event in Montreal.
From stylists to beauty artists to photographers and all sorts of creatives, meet the seven Toronto creatives redefining this new generation of arts and fashion.
Michael Usling
- Creative art: Creative/artistic director
One of the featured honourees at CAFA is Michael Usling, an interdisciplinary artist and designer specializing in sculpture, installation, multimedia and performance. In 2020, he founded the art and design studio edte, where he produces limited-edition functional and sustainable art objects. He had a booth at the most recent edition of Fashion Art Toronto, featuring his handmade “sculpture handbags” crafted from recycled fabrics.
Jay Kim Valentine
- Creative art: Fashion stylist
Slay the runway – or the day – with Jay Kim Valentine’s help as a fashion stylist. Valentine is a Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) graduate from the fashion communication program and is now a Toronto-based fashion stylist, contributing to apparel development, editorial visuals, and collaborative fashion projects.
Khera Alexander
- Creative art: Makeup artist and hair stylist
If you want “Snatchural glam that lasts,” as per her Instagram bio, Khera Alexander is the MUA and hairstylist you need. Growing up as a competitive dancer, she learned to do her own hair and makeup, which sparked her interest in the beauty and hair industries. Now, she’s one of the honourees of the CAFA’s NewGen.
Zohair Keswani
- Creative art: Makeup artist
Take a look at “the artist behind the lens,” per his Instagram post. Zohair (Zo) Keswani is a Toronto-based makeup artist specializing in beauty, editorial, and fashion makeup. Recently, he also adopted photography and styling. He’s done makeup for Porter Airlines, Hot Docs and Tylenol, among others. He’s also assisted with Sally Hansen, Fashion Art Toronto and Canada Shore.
Alyssa Lancaster
- Creative art: Photographer/videographer
Toronto-based creative Alyssa Lancaster is honoured for her unique approach to content creation across photography and videography. She portrays a part of her soul through every image and is passionate about diversity and body positivity. She’s worked with clients such as the Fairmont Hotel, NYFW and Dan Dwir.
Janessa Yuen
- Creative art: Makeup artist
Janessa Yuen is honoured by CAFA for her work as an innovative makeup artist. Her love for this art grew from watching drag performers during COVID. She has a multitude of skills, including stage, bridal, and special effects makeup, and her work has been featured at major Toronto fashion events such as Fashion Art Toronto.
Rosa Lynch
- Creative art: Digital beauty creator/makeup artist
Rosa Lynch, or Cherokee-Rose, is a digital beauty creator and makeup artist, honoured for her passion and artistic skills. She focuses on breaking social boundaries, learning French and Spanish to an intermediate level to better accommodate clients, and has been educating herself about Indigenous, Black, and other cultural histories. She hopes to foster a sense of comfort and community in the beauty industry, respecting and caring for her clients’ needs. She focuses on fashion, bridal, retail, special fx, film and photography.
