It’s officially, unofficially Toronto’s fashion week, and this year it’s bigger and better than ever thanks to a new addition to the scene, courtesy of the city’s only fashion club, Rchive. The organization is launching Toronto Fashion Week (TOFW) F/W24 this weekend — and the fashion show will take over Billy Bishop Airport.
The three-day event will feature a mix of Toronto’s best designers as well as international newcomers launching their latest collections on the runway against the backdrop of hangars, jet engines and airplanes. This comes after Rchive’ spring/summer showcase earlier this year, which took place in an abandoned subway station.
Why Billy Bishop? Rchive explained in a statement, “Toronto has always been a city of creators and innovators, and we wanted an environment that reflects this — an immersive experience that not only celebrates the collections but also Toronto’s vibrant spirit.”
Launching TOFW the same week that Fashion Art Toronto is hosting its fall showcase points to the reemergence of a real Toronto Fashion Week, years after the actual Toronto Fashion Week (TFW) closed its doors.
TFW began in 1999 and ran bi-annually, before the organizers decided to indefinitely “pause production” of the event in 2020. Since then, Fashion Art Toronto, a more experimental, forward-thinking event focused on art and film as well as fashion, has become the city’s de facto fashion week.
But now, with Rchive in the picture, perhaps the city can dream of an expansive fashion week to eventually rival the most established ones around the world, from New York Fashion Week to Milan Fashion Week. According to Rchive’s founders, that’s the goal.
Rchive co-founder Sadaf Emami previously told Streets of Toronto that “one stage isn’t enough. People should be able to go from one show to another, from one area to another. It brings the city to life.”
Day one of TOFW will feature five fashion shows — Rhapsody, Frequency Worldwide, Macel Studio, Loco One and Alexander Nicholson. Day two includes Starmony, Mufaro Mukoki, Afterlife Studios Intl, Utopi and Rchive Redux. Day three will focus on emerging designers, dubbed The Next Generation — including designers 13th Floor, Classhé, Stoxx Inc, Organised Chaos and Arctic Garden.
“Toronto has always been a city of creators and innovators, and we wanted an environment that reflects this — an immersive experience that not only celebrates the collections but also Toronto’s vibrant spirit.”
