New cultural exchange with Berlin to help Canadian fashion designers make inroads in Europe | Canada Voices

Canadian fashion designers looking to build their export businesses and break into the European market may find support through a new initiative called Bridge to Berlin.

Part of a three-year cultural and economic exchange funded by the Canadian government’s Creative Export Canada Program, the initiative is intended to help independent, sustainably minded fashion labels improve their export readiness and gain international visibility.

“It came from this desire to really build interest in Canadian fashion globally,” said Vanja Vasic, the founder and creative director of Fashion Art Toronto, which is leading the initiative. “We looked at some of our closest relationships and markets that would be interesting, and Berlin came up as a city that was very much similar to our ecosystem that we built at FAT, so it was kind of a natural fit to start.”

Designers who are accepted into the program will participate in Berlin Fashion Week this summer, showing their collections on the runway or in a showroom, and have the opportunity to meet buyers, stylists and media. “Ultimately, we want to bring as many designers as we possibly can in different ways to Berlin,” Vasic said. “Part of this will be educating and working with them so that they can become export ready by 2027.”

The timing of the initiative, which officially kicked off last April with a market-research and relationship-building phase, isn’t exactly coincidental as Canada seeks to diversify away from U.S. trade.

“Part of this program for us is that desire to create new relationships internationally and not necessarily be dependent on our neighbours to the south,” Vasic said. “Of course, there are the issues with tariffs and a lot of shipping instability and unpredictable pricing.” Emerging brands in particular, she added, are looking for some certainty.

It’s no wonder that many designers, such as Ross Mayer, whose namesake men’s wear brand Mayer previously relied on the U.S. market for almost 70 per cent of its sales, are actively seeking out new opportunities.

“It’s the duties and tariffs that came along and just a whole change in trade policy, et cetera, that really hindered and thwarted business for many people like myself,” Mayer said. “So we’re exploring other markets of course, and that’s why this Bridge to Berlin initiative has got so much appeal.”

The Toronto designer already ships garments to individual customers in Europe, but hopes to connect with retailers there through the exchange program.

Even for fashion labels that haven’t been directly affected by tariffs, there’s a growing urgency to explore new markets and diversify revenue streams.

“It’s just so volatile, you really don’t know what to expect from day to day, even hour to hour at some points,” said designer Emefa Kuadey, whose women’s fashion label Israella Kobla is based in Toronto. “For me it’s really about diversifying where we’re exporting to.”

Kuadey travelled to Hong Kong last year to showcase her collection at the Centrestage fashion showcase through another Canadian government program, and she believes that meeting buyers in Berlin can only benefit her business.

“You can go to a Paris Fashion Week or you can go to a New York Fashion Week, and I’ve done showrooms in those places, but you end up being a really small fish in a huge pond,” she said. Berlin’s fashion week, by contrast, is smaller and more intimate, yet it’s also starting to get more attention on the international stage.

“I think as a smaller brand, it’s more effective to be in a city where … there’s more opportunity to be featured and get that brand awareness.”