Toronto stylist launches innovative new fashion show for anyone and everyone, Canada Reviews

A new Toronto fashion show is taking place this weekend at Avant Garde Gallery in midtown, featuring seven designers and live entertainment. 

Hosted by creative director and stylist Josianne Manzoangani, who was recently nominated by the The Black Fashion & Beauty Gala as 2024 fashion stylist of the year, the second annual For The Love of Fashion event aims to give a platform to local creatives who have been unable to showcase their work on a runway, whether because of financial reasons or a lack of confidence. 

“Working in the fashion industry, I’ve noticed that people usually leave the city for fashion events. But the amount of talent here is immense and I know we can grow the community if we give more designers a chance,” she says.

Rchive fashion house founders Ion (Jai) Sobaliu and Sadaf Emami expressed the same sentiment this past spring when they launched their own schedule of spring fashion week shows during the same weekend as Fashion Art Toronto. They will also be hosting overlapping Rchive shows this fall from Nov. 15-17, while Fashion Art Toronto takes place Nov. 14-17.

“The prices in Toronto are going up, but we don’t need to diminish the art and fashion culture here because of that, and I think that’s why more of these small fashion shows are popping up,” says Manzoangani.

Manzoangani began working as a stylist three years ago, after studying project management at George Brown College. She always loved art and thought of fashion as an equal means of self expression, but it hadn’t been her intention to work in the industry until she happened to meet a photographer who needed a stylist to help him with a shoot. Her friends encouraged her to take the gig despite her lack of experience.

After a few weeks, the photographer emailed her to let her know the photos had been published. “So my first gig ended up being my first published work,” she says.

More and more gigs rolled in from there and she decided to stick with it, extending her role to creative direction and launching JM Creative Productions. Her services include personal styling and production, including developing concepts for photoshoots, and sourcing the necessary team of makeup artists, hair stylists and photographers.

Last fall, she got the idea to host her first fashion show, inspired by a desire to create a show that was accessible to fashion lovers working outside of the industry, including her friends and family. She planned it in only two weeks, featuring four designers and 75 guests at a salon in Leslieville. 

It was so well received that for weeks following, people repeatedly asked her when she would be hosting another one — and the answer is now. 

With a new team, including assistant stylist Andrea Quimado, event planner Mnadieevents, hair and makeup artist Izza Adil and runway coordinator Delarem, she’ll host 100-150 guests and seven designers at Avant Garde, an open concept, three-floor gallery in midtown. VIP tickets are $45, and regular tickets are $30. The designers include ReidStitched, Bipunu, Yves, Drippy Supply, Raggedy+Richards, Ashnita M and Purest8.

“Every designer that I reached out to had some kind of amazing story, and when I shared this opportunity with them, they wanted to give themselves a chance,” says Manzoangani proudly. “It’s very community-oriented. A lot of the models are inviting their friends and family, and a lot of the designers who are showing– it’s their first fashion show, and they’re getting support from their local community.” 

Performances will be scheduled between the designers’ sets, including dance by YYZ Company, vocals by Juliet Rodney and Saxophone by Joseph Leo Callender. “I wanted it to feel more like an experience, and have people experience emotions throughout the different sets,” Manzoangani says. 

Going forward JM Creative Productions will also offer a third service hosting fashion shows, which she hopes will contribute to more accessible fashion events in the city.

“Fashion should be accessible to everyone,” she says. “When I look at the range of who’s purchasing tickets for this show, I’m seeing people who are working in factories and other industries outside of fashion. There’s a huge array of different individuals and that’s exactly what I wanted.”