Internationally celebrated designer Jean Paul Gaultier to join Canada's top designers showing at reimagined Toronto Fashion Week

MEDIA NOTABLE DEREK BLASBERG AND FRANCESCO CARROZZINI TO ATTEND 3-DAY FESTIVAL AS SPECIAL GUESTS

TORONTO, July 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - This morning Toronto Fashion Week announced its incredible line-up of international and national headliners participating in the reimagined festival taking place September 5, 6 and 7 in Toronto's marquee fashion and retail neighbourhood, Yorkville. Kicking off Toronto Fashion Week on September 5, world renowned designer, Jean Paul Gaultier will lead an 'In Conversation' panel discussion with special guest host Derek Blasberg, fashion writer and host of 'CNN Style' on CNN International.

Mr. Gaultier, is one of the world's most recognized designers. He began his career in Paris in 1970 and started his own fashion house in 1976. He has achieved insurmountable critical and commercial success. Throughout his career, Mr. Gaultier has worked in dance, music and cinema his costumes for Madonna's Blonde Ambition Tour, including the legendary "cone bra," have left an indelible imprint on popular culture. Mr. Gaultier will put his stamp on Toronto Fashion Week this September when he shares his insight and thoughts during an exclusive "In Conversation" presentation.

Mr. Blasberg will be joining Toronto Fashion Week's incredible line-up as a special guest host and moderator of TFW's speaker series. TFW's speaker series will welcome international fashion notables to discuss the influence of fashion to their related industries. A New York Times bestselling author, Mr. Blasberg has collaborated with some of the industry's most iconic image-makers and international celebrities. He is Vanity Fair's "Our Man on The Street" and the host of "CNN Style."

Toronto Fashion Week will also be hosting an exclusive screening of Franca: Chaos and Creation that will be attended by the film's director, Francesco Carrozzini. Mr. Carrozzini provides viewers with an intimate, behind-the-scenes glimpse of his mother, Franca Sozzani, the legendary editor-in-chief of Italian Vogue in the film, delving into her creative process as well as her vulnerabilities both past and present. 

Designer Shows:

Throughout the three day period, a curated selection of Canada's most prominent designers will be showing in September 2017 including; Pink Tartan, UNTTLD, Lucian Matis and Bustle to name a few. More designers will be announced in the coming weeks.  While some designers will be showing looks from next season on the runway, some will also be debuting see-now-buy-now pieces.

Arts, Culture and Programming:

Arts programming will feature a world class art and fashion exhibition presented by Yorkville Village around surrealist master Salvador Dali's transcendent influence on the world of fashion. Titled: Dali X Yorkville Village, the exhibition will be open to the public inside the shopping centre from September 07- 30^th and will showcase Dali's iconic sculptures together as well as select couture pieces that have been influenced by his work. This exhibit will mark the first time the legendary couture pieces have been shown in North America.   

Additionally, Toronto Fashion Week® has partnered with David Drebin as its official Artistic Collaborator. Drebin, New York City-based and internationally renowned photographer and multidisciplinary artist, is known for creating epic, dreamy and sensual pieces which often contain intriguing or hidden messages. Drebin's work will be seen throughout Toronto Fashion Week messaging and on display around The City of Toronto.

TFW's Executive Director Carolyn Quinn and Suzanne Cohon, TFW's Fashion, Arts & Culture Ambassador together with Cary Leitzes, Founder of Leitzes & Co. out of New York, have developed an exciting and robust schedule of programming to align with the international guests.   In addition to this curated program, Quinn and Cohon have tapped Canada's top designer and fashion talent to show at the festival inclusive of exclusive shows as well as ticketed events open to the public.

The full schedule of events will be available in late August. To receive updates on Toronto Fashion Week®, please sign up for the e-newsletter at https://torontofashionweek.to/ or follow:

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ABOUT TORONTO FASHION WEEK® 

Toronto Fashion Week®, the festival of fashion, art, music and culture. Located in the most multicultural and diverse city in North America, Toronto Fashion Week® will occur twice a year drawing on national and international designers, entertainers, media and the community to create a touchpoint where fashion is celebrated. The environment that Toronto Fashion Week® provides will become a catalyst for media engagement and coverage, retail activity and global connectivity – broadening designers' reach into international markets through the integration of digital media.

In December, 2016, Peter Freed, Freed Developments announced the purchase of Toronto Fashion Week® from IMG Canada Limited. Freed has worked with Carolyn Quinn, Executive Director and Suzanne Cohon, Fashion, Arts and Cultural Ambassador as well as an ownership group comprised of several of the country's top executives in real estate, media and finance to reinvent the festival. The founding sponsors, in addition to Freed Developments, include The Hazelton Hotel, Hill & Gertner and Yorkville Village.

SOURCE Toronto Fashion Week