Celebrating style, change and philanthropy in Toronto

The Canadian Arts & Fashion Awards

The Canadian Arts & Fashion Awards, referred to as CAFA, were back for their eighth annual awards gala on Oct. 15, at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto. CAFA’s core mission to support and celebrate the Canadian fashion industry has not changed, but with a slew of new sponsors and a cultural shift toward inclusivity, this year’s event felt fresh and forward looking. The flashy sit-down dinner and awards ceremony hybrid emphasized the strides being made and the continued need for a more inclusive and sustainable fashion industry in Canada.

An exciting new addition to this year’s proceedings were two Change Maker awards, given to designer, artist and activist Sage Paul, executive and artistic director of Indigenous Fashion Arts, and George Sully, fashion designer and founder of Black Designers of Canada index, which, like Paul’s showcase of Indigenous talent, aims to bring the work of Black designers to the forefront.

“It’s not just about inviting us to the table. It’s acknowledging the fact that we helped build the legs on which it stands,” said Sully during his acceptance speech. In an Instagram post following the event, Paul noted that the Indigenous representation was like nothing she had seen at a mainstream event, writing “this year’s CAFA was a sign of the times.”

Across from me at dinner was Caroline Vreeland, singer and great-granddaughter of fashion oracle Diana Vreeland. Vreeland was on-hand to award Jennifer Zuccarini, founder and CEO of lingerie label Fleur du Mal, with the International Canadian Designer Award. Seated nearby was the winner of the Digital Fashion Creator Award, Myles Sexton, a gender non-binary style-setter who uses their digital platform for HIV/AIDS and sobriety advocacy work.

Later, the Fashion Impact Award in recognition of significant social and philanthropic contributions went to Canadian design legend Izzy Camilleri, who shifted her focus from runway-ready frocks to fashion for wheelchair users and people with limited mobility. Model Grace Mahary, who was a host of the event alongside French-Canadian actress Karine Vanasse, gave Camilleri the award, using the moment to thank her publicly for the clothes she made for her father, who uses a wheelchair.

Also out celebrating the best and brightest Canadian style makers: Hudson’s Bay’s Tyler Franch, who presented designer Emefa Kuadey with the Bay Fashion Fund, an initiative that aims to mentor and support emerging BIPOC designers; Sander Meijers, country manager of payment platform Adyen, which served as a key sponsor; National Ballet of Canada principal dancer Siphesihle November; and of course CAFA president Vicky Milner.

Alain Pamphile and George Sully.Supplied

Marie-Ève Lecavalier, of Lecavalier, winner of Womenswear Designer of the Year, and host Karine Vanasse.Supplied

Izzy Camilleri accepts the Fashion Impact Award.ERNESTO DiSTEFANO/Supplied

Myles Sexton and Jenny Bird.ERNESTO DiSTEFANO/Supplied

Sandi and Jim Treliving, with Jenny Bird.ERNESTO DiSTEFANO/Supplied

Riley Kucheran and Justin Wu.ERNESTO DiSTEFANO/Supplied

Willow Allen, Awar Odhiang and Shayna McNeill.ERNESTO DiSTEFANO/Supplied

Janice Fricker and Siphesihle November.ERNESTO DiSTEFANO/Supplied

Kerry Swanson, Sage Paul and Victoria Kakuktinniq.Supplied

Hold’em For Life Charity Challenge

A few nights before the CAFA soiree, the very same ballroom at the Royal York was the backdrop for the 16th edition of the Hold’em For Life Charity Challenge. The annual event serves as the real estate industry’s most important black tie fundraiser, and the amounts raised by this set are impressive. The evening kicked off with a cocktail reception, followed not by dinner, but rather a ballroom filled with poker tables, making for an evening of fun and friendly competition all for a good cause. This year, under co-chairs Gavin Cheung, president of CentreCourt, and Bob Blazevski, president of DiamondCorp, the event raised north of $3.2-million for cancer research at Sinai Health and Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, adding to the more than $40-million raised by the event since its inception.