Last night in Toronto, the Canadian fashion crowd came together to celebrate the 11th annual Canadian Arts and Fashion Awards, held inside the historic Fairmont Royal York Hotel downtown. The special evening, hosted by drag superstar Brooke Lynn Hytes, celebrated innovators in the global fashion industry and included special honorees such as supermodel Linda Evangelista, who was honored by her friend and designer Erdem Moralıoğlu awarded the Pioneer Award.
On the red carpet before the festivities, guests are encouraged to wear local Canadian brands. Nominees for “Walking” include models Heather Diamond Strongarm (who just walked in the Dolce & Gabbana spring show), Lauren Chan, Ashley Callingbull and more. Once the awards ceremony began, awards were handed out in various categories, including Hair and Makeup Artist of the Year, Digital Creator of the Year, and Menswear and Womenswear Designer of the Year (these titles went to Beaufille Womenswear Designer and Spencer Badu Menswear). Mathieu Simoneau received the Model of the Year award, while Ben Barry, chair of the Fashion Department at Parsons School of Design, received the Changemaker Award for his work in increasing curricula centered around inclusion and diversity in fashion.
Linda Evangelista and Erdem MoralıoğluPhoto: George Pimentel Photography
At the same time, the Central Academy of Fine Arts also announced a new special award this year. By 2025, the inaugural Aboriginal Fashion Awards will shine a spotlight on Aboriginal designers or artists creating innovative work in Canada.
However, at this year’s party, Evangelista’s appearance was full of energy and excitement – after all, she is one of the greatest supermodels of our time. The Canadian superhero accepted her award and paid tribute to her home country. “[Growing up] In St. Catharines, my family rarely made the trip around the lake to Toronto. This is the big city. So tonight, being here with my family, is very special,” said Evangelista, who wore an Erdem dress on stage. “For me, fashion has always been a place where dreams, ambitions and inspiration flourish. The beauty of fashion is that there is no right or wrong way to create it. Fashion allows each of us to choose not only how we see ourselves, but how we feel about ourselves.” Show yourself to the world.
