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Get along garmentos

It’s easy to imagine rivalries in Toronto’s fashion biz.

Take this week for example, with Alternative Fashion Week (FAT) opening tonight and the Toronto Fashion Incubator’s New Labels gala going head-to-head with FAT’s finale on Saturday evening. I’m sure someone will try to find a juicy story in that match up.

But both FAT and the TFI’s successes in building events focused on guiding the city’s designers through the tricky launch phase of their careers come from staying above the Toronto fashion politics fray. I doubt anyone looking for dirt would be able to score a juicy quote from either organization’s higher ups.

They even share designers. Loungey label Diepo is part of both events, showing at FAT on Thursday and on the New Labels catwalk at the Carlu two days later. No word on whether its designers Justine Diener and Kristin Poon will score the shows with kumbaya.

As part of an Alternative Fashion Week guide in tomorrow’s issue, we asked some of our designer picks to show FAT some love and explain why the event works for their label?

Evan Biddell, who is partnering with The Refinery‘s Cher Thornton on a reworked collection of trench coats and leather jackets, decided to participate after seeing designer Cristina Sabaiduc’s presentation of floral dresses made with magnets and metal shavings last year.

“I think it’s important for us to have both sides of the spectrum showcased,” he said. “Fashion week focuses on the business of fashion, whereas Alternative fashion week is a much more creative platform. (FAT Executive Director) Vanja Vasic knows what’s up.”

Vasic’s commitment to keeping an artistic message front and centre is what’s carried her event to the five-year mark with its credibility entirely in tact. Despite its finicky prize package, the TFI New Labels event gives its finalist designers invaluable experience inside the city’s fashion machine including access to key media, buyer and industry resources.

If the two events are fighting over anything, it’s our affection.[rssbreak]

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