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Toronto Fashion Week: Shining star Sid Neigum takes home two big cash prizes, but is it enough?

With big-name labels like Jeremy Laing and Lida Biday shuttering in recent months, being a young designer in Canada seems like a shakier career choice than ever. Lack of government, retailer and, crucially, consumer support make the financial realities of fashion design extremely daunting.

Some extra hope was offered up this Toronto Fashion Week in the form of new cash prizes for emerging designers from Merecedes-Benz Start Up (MSBU) and Disney.

MSBU has been around a few years, but this is the first time the automotive company – which ranks on the list of Forbes’ list of the world’s most valuable brands – has ponied up any dough. This year’s winning designer receives a bursary of $30,000, along with a fully produced Toronto Fashion Week show next season, a spread in Fashion Magazine and access to mentorship.

Disney partnered with MSBU to ask finalists to design a Minnie Mouse-inspired garment, with the winning design taking home $2,500. A proposition that could’ve easily gone very, very wrong, but managed to work thanks to the skill and vision of our young design talents.

I won’t keep you waiting any longer: Sid Neigum was the absolute standout at both competitions, and walked away with both cash prizes. He refuses to design boring clothes in hopes of increasing sales, and shows a great degree of technical skill with mathematical pattern design and intricate laser cuts.

“This could be very bad for my relationship,” joked Neigum about winning both honours. His long-time girlfriend is Chloé Gordon of Beaufille, another praise-worthy emerging label and MSBU finalist.

“But my label really, really needs the money,” he sighed.

While winning a grand total of $32,500 may sound like a lot, it goes quickly in the world of fashion design. Professional grade sewing machines sell for hundreds of dollars, runway slots for thousands and travel costs to trade shows and buyer meetings receive no government support. Canadian retailers rarely “buy” homegrown collections anymore- they put them on consignment.

Online (American) retailer Gilt offers a series of Canadian flash sales this week, including Sid Neigum, Biko, Laura Siegel, Soia & Kyo and Beaufille. A step in the right direction, even if their wares aren’t being sold a full price. Canadian retailers should take note.

The message continues to be the same season after season, but to stop shouting it from the rooftops would be to admit defeat. Our homegrown designers need more support if stars like Sid Neigum are going to continue to shine bright.

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