2023 Designers and brands
QZ Shen
QZ Shen is a fashion label based in Beijing, China. The designer brand was co-founded by transboundary designer Stefen Shen and director Louis Yin. The designs are simple, structuralist, easy to wear, and dispels gender. QZ Shen has won the Love Design Award from PETA Asia and has collaborated with companies like FAW Volkswagon Golf.
The Wifey Collection
The Wifey Collection features African inspired pieces and embroidered Kaftans. Nadia started The Wifey Collection because as a Muslimah she wanted to be modestly dressed and stylish, but found such clothing hard to find. Located in downtown Toronto, The Wifey Collection offers luxury apparel for believing women. Fashion without compromising faith. Handmade, hand embroidered, modest, and chic.
SEGAN
“Segan is the great designer that doesn’t exist. Our brand is a riff on the fashion culture of today. Escape the clutter, and join our cult. Our focus is only on plastic-free vegan materials, not because it’s the trend these days, but because it’s the right choice for our planet and every living creature on it.” See the Vancouver-based brand’s plastic-free, circular, all natural, low-carbon accessories on the catwalk.
Voes & Co
VOES is a premium Vegan lifestyle company that exists to promote kind, compassionate, conscious living, through ethically sourced, sustainable, 100% vegan - plant based - designer fashion, footwear and accessories. The brand’s intention is to contribute to creating a world based on love, kindness, and compassion for the planet, animals, and all living beings through creativity and designer fashion. VOES is a Vancouver based brand.
Diane Kroe
Diane Kroe has been successful in the Canadian fashion industry for over 20 years. She has won “Best Mom Entrepreneur” on Slice TV for her travel line, and her downtown Toronto retail location has won “Best Designer Boutique” for 8 consecutive years by The North Toronto Post. Diane Kroe joins us again this year to unveil more from her multi-way wear and travel refined fashion.
Jeane & Jax
Jeane & Jax is a Montreal based brand founded by Silvia Gallo. The brand was founded with the desire to make a positive impact and shift the future of fashion. Jeane & Jax is redefining luxury by designing trendy, high-end products using sustainable materials. Get ready to see the reveal of their spring 2024 collection made from MIRUM®. Jeane & Jax is PETA-Approved Vegan and was voted the Best Fashion & Beauty Brand at the NYC Vegan Women Summit in May 2023.
Menta
The essentials line by Menta is made from using premium TENCEL Modal. From Austria, TENCEL is another industry leader in sustainability, and it shows when you touch any piece of MENTA clothing. It is as soft as silk but is actually derived from beach wood fibres. Soft, flowy, breathable, and most importantly durable and meant to last. MENTA’s core values include holding the highest standards and best practices in sustainability. All products are designed by the founder, Luke, and made locally in Toronto and Hamilton.
Kandy Intimates
Based in Hamilton, Kandy Intimates is an inclusive intimates brand with the tagline “Made for every body, for everybody”. The brand was established in 2020, in memento of Kandy, owner Nicole’s oldest daughter who passed away. Kandy Intimates is passionate as a brand and with every single piece that is being showcased. Kandy’s main focus is to make you feel good and look good. You will definitely find items that will make you want to dress up or even love yourself more.
RT Atelier
RT Atelier focuses on the sustainability concept of fine art through the lenses of her own and taking a dive into the world of natural dyes and colours, and multipurpose eco-friendly designs. Local designer, Rafaya Turshin, believes everything good has a story of its own on the planet. She is also invested in the concept of reviving the Lost Heritage of Bangladesh- Ultrafine Organic Handwoven Muslin and creatively associating it to her fascination for colours the beautiful planet has placed her vision upon. Her creative concepts focus on hybrid photography and combining other interdisciplinary to photography. Her known works' explores interrelationship between Fashion, Photography, and Architecture. She allows her work to express a message as well as make the audience feel visually at the colours and concept.
Jummobi
Juliana Chakma L, is an Indigenous woman from South East Asia. She is an Interior Decorator, Designer & a Stager by profession.
Juliana’s upbringing in a humble family instilled in her a deep sense of compassion towards all living beings. Through her compassion towards this planet she founded Jummobi with a profound mission and vision, a company that reflects her values and interests in cruelty-free makeup, sustainable products, and giving back to the communities and to the planet.
Through her brand she represents all the indigenous women of SouthEast Asia. The word “Jummobi ”signifies the woman of the hills”.
Belonging to an Indigenous community she felt that it was very important to share the beautiful patterns, arts and history with the rest of the world while safeguarding the indigenous heritage and cultures at the same time.
Her dream is to contribute to society by giving the underprivileged access to opportunities and resources to a better life.
Juliana Chakma aims to honor her family's legacy, especially that of her grandfather, by helping as many animals as possible through the foundation established by her brand, Jummobi. This commitment reflects her deep-rooted compassion for animals and her desire to make a positive impact on the planet.