Follow Your Dream - Start Your Own Fashion Business!

A message from the Toronto Fashion Incubator:

Don't let the recession get you down! Now is the time to follow your dream and start your own business! Join us for this two-part series developed for new fashion entrepreneurs

Part 1: The Business of Getting Started

Are you passionate about owning a creative and exciting fashion business? Do you have what it takes to be successful? This intro for beginners is just for you!

Find out about: The ins and outs of the fashion industry, Financing options, Government regulations, Developing a collection, and Low-cost marketing ideas.


Part 2: DIY Business Plan in 5 Easy Steps

It's easier than you think. A business plan is an invaluable tool that helps you to plan, organize and clarify your business goals. It's a necessary document when applying for financial assistance.

Come to this seminar to learn about:Starting with what you know,Pricing your products, Setting realistic sales goals, Establishing a budget, Understanding the financials

Part 1: Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Part 2: Wednesday, February 18, 2009

5:30pm- Doors Open for Coffee & Networking
6:00pm- Seminar Presentation

Toronto Fashion Incubator
285 Manitoba Drive, Pod 3, Exhibition Place, Toronto

Cost: Buy one seminar or both!
TFI Members: $35.00 + GST per seminar or get both parts for $60.00+ GST
Non-Members: $50.00 + GST per seminar or get both parts for $85.00+ GST

Available NOW online at www.fashionincubator.com/shop

Suggested Supplemental Reading: Visit TFI Shop to read about our guidebooks "How to Start a Fashion Business" and "How to Prepare a Business Plan for Your Fashion Business". If you have already purchased TFI's guidebooks join us for this insightful two-part seminar to have any questions answered.

Don't Miss This Event: LFW Opening Night Party

On Monday, October 20th, 2008, The Drake Hotel will be celebrating young Canadian fashion. The party begins at 10pm in the Lounge where guests can enjoy music featuring a special TFI guest DJ and the chance to celebrate Canadian fashion with fashion designers, industry guests, and celebrities.

That "guest DJ" is ME! Come see me "spin" (er, OK... put CDs in the player) and play some of your favourite fashion tunes!!! The "dead air" will be on purpose - I swear! ;)

I am "playing" at 10:30pm.

No cover, cash bar. The Drake will be open to public. Get there early to avoid disappointment!

For location and more information about The Drake Hotel, please visit http://www.thedrakehotel.ca

For more information on the Toronto Fashion Incubator, visit http://www.fashionincubator.com.

Hope to see you there!!!

What would you play?

TFI New Labels® Seminar

This season L’Oreal Fashion Week is Fabulous! In addition to the 40+ runway shows, the Toronto Fashion Incubator will be presenting its annual TFI New Labels® seminar in the Fashion Environment tent, Nathan Phillips Square, at 2:00pm Friday, October 24^th 2008. Guest speakers include designer David Dixon, National Post fashion writer Nathalie Atkinson and 2008 TFI New Labels® winner Eugenia Leavitt.


Tickets for the TFI New Labels® seminar are available for $25.00 +GST and can be purchased online. For tickets and event information, click here.

TFI Rocks!

I've been meaning to post this fantastic video on the Toronto Fashion Incubator (TFI) for a while now. It was shown before the last TFI New Labels Show in April.

Don't Miss This Seminar: Promostyl Trendforecasting Seminar Fall/Winter 2009/2010

TFI's Promostyl seminar will inspire and help you to develop an innovative collection that's right on trend with what retailers and customers are looking to buy.

Come and gain insight on the influences, colours, fabrics and silhouettes for F/W 2009/2010. International trend research and design company, Promostyl, presents its semi-annual visual presentation exclusively for TFI members.

Tuesday, July 8th, 2008
6:30pm Doors open for Coffee & Networking
7:00pm Presentation: ONE SEMINAR ONLY!
8:00pm Join us for a discussion at the TFI Members Meeting
Location:Metro Hall, 55 John St. (at Wellington), Toronto

Your e-mailed receipt as proof of payment & TFI membership card

TFI Members ONLY: $35.00 + GST = $36.75
Browse through a range of Promostyl books on hand for tonight ONLY on accessories, menswear, fabrics, colours and more!

The TFI Members Meeting will take place after the seminar. Join us for an insightful discusion at no additional cost!

Register securely online at www.fashionincubator.com/shop or call TFI Admin at 416-971-7117

REGISTER NOW to reserve your seat at one of TFI's most popular presentations.
SPACE IS LIMITED! Tickets will NOT be sold at the door.

SPONSORED BY: CITY OF TORONTO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT and PROMOSTYL

Join TFI today! Visit www.fashionincubator.com to become and Outreach Member!

And The Winner is...

Eugenia Designs won the TFI New Labels Competition last night at the opening of the ELLE Show. Congratulations!

Eugenia (centre) with models in her designs.

Shameless Promotion: TFI News

The non-profit organization for fashion entrepreneurs, Toronto Fashion Incubator (TFI) has a great industry newsletter, TFI News, which is now in it's 16th year. I've contributed in the past, but this issue was my first as Managing Editor. (Subscribe and get all the insider info, fashion show reviews and upcoming events directly in your inbox.)

In case you haven't noticed, I do mention the TFI quite a bit in here. (I'm a huge supporter.) I took a course at the TFI with one of their resident members when they were located on Adelaide Street West - that was in the mid-nineties. Then I worked there full-time for a year in the early naughties and have been involved with them ever since.

Don't forget the TFI New Labels Gala is coming up April 24th! Get tickets here. (Shameless, aren't I?)

Up and Coming Canadian Designers

CBC's Steve and Chris recently featured a segment profiling some of Canada's up and coming fashion designers. Their guest was none other than Susan Langdon, the executive director of the non-profit organization which helps fashion entrepreneurs start their business, the Toronto Fashion Incubator (TFI).

Susan Langdon is tirelessly devoted to supporting our emerging design talent and is the go to resource for any new fashion designer. We love you, Susan!

Watch the clip here.

TFI New Labels Fundraising Gala

ELLE Canada is hosting its first fashion and beauty event in Canada at the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto from April 24 - 27th. The opening night gala event is going to be the main draw, where attendees find out live who wins the ELLE Canada New Labels Award at the TFI New labels Fundraising Gala.

Tickets for the VIP dinner are $250 or just come for the fashion show and silent auction for $50, which includes wine from Vin de Pays d'Oc and hors d'oeuvres. Everyone who attends gets an ELLE Canada gift bag featuring a bunch of goodies from P&G Beauty. Net proceeds from the event will benefit the non-profit organization, Toronto Fashion Incubator.

Come out and support Canadian fashion! (And get a wee bit tipsy...)

Tickets are now available at www.elleshow.ca! Illustration by Danielle Meder Graphic. Design by Beehive Design.

Spring/Summer 2009 Trend Forecast

Ever wondered how designers figure out what colours, fabrics, silhouettes, inspirations are gonna be "in" next season? (Take for example, the whole African inspired feel of a lot of collections and the "art-as-clothing" kinda trends for Spring.)

Most designers - and all major design companies - put hundreds of thousands of dollars into trend forecasting services each season to be sure they are in line with what is going on. Which does end up explaining how many major lines produce lines with similar running themes. Of course, other things influence what determines what becomes mainstream trendy: hollywood, music, world events, etc.

It is a fascinating process. Hundreds of "trend scouts" trek all around the world's major cities, keeping track what's new on the streets, what is happening culturally, politically and socially. All this info is reported back to the trend services located in major cities like Paris, London and Milan who then process and sort through all that information and produce trend books, sorting everything by story and theme. (That's just the simplified version of it.)

Don't have $250,000 a year to subscribe to one of the services? Well, the Toronto Fashion Incubator has their Spring/Summer 2009 Trend Seminar presented by Promostyl coming up on Wednesday, January 30th, 2008 at 5:00pm and 7:00pm.

To buy tickets, you have to be a member of TFI, but seeing as membership is only $130 for a year, and the seminar is only $25 - I just saved you $249,845!

Join TFI and get your ticket fast - i hear there are only about 10 or so left!!!

TFI's New Label Semi-Finalists Announced

I'm gonna be a lazy blogger and post the text from TFI News. It's open to the public, tickets will be on sale sometime this month through the link noted below.

Six new designers from across Canada have been chosen to participate in the Toronto Fashion Incubator’s 2008 New Labels® Fashion Design Competition. The semi-finalists include Adrienne Butikofer (Toronto), Eugenia Leavitt from Eugenia Designs (Montreal), Krista OzolinsLara Presber (Calgary), Ashley Rowe of miss rowe (Toronto) and Oriol Swaan for Gino Gaudet (Saskatoon). from Plush (Toronto),

For the first time in its history 60% of the New Labels® submissions were from designers based outside of Toronto. “It’s an interesting development,” says Susan Langdon, TFI’s executive director. “We’re thrilled that there is so much national interest in TFI and our annual design competition.”

Over the next four months, the six-pack will compete for a chance to strut their stuff on the New Labels® catwalk taking place April 24, 2008 during opening night of the ELLE Canada gala benefit in support of the Toronto Fashion Incubator. Only the runway finalists will have a chance to win a prize package valued at $25,000 from ELLE Canada and be named Canada’s next New Label.

VIP and general admission tickets to the ELLE Canada gala benefit taking place at the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto go on sale in early January 2008 at www.ellecanada.com.

TFI New Labels Fashion Design Competition

For those designers who are watching Project Runway Canada and cringing at the "reality" aspects of the show - don't worry, the originating design competition, TFI New Labels® Fashion Design Competition is looking for emerging Canadian designers - without the Made-For-TV drama.

The TFI (Toronto Fashion Incubator) is a non-profit organization which is dedicated to supporting young and emerging designers. Over the past twenty years the TFI can boast to having contributed to the careers of many of Canada's top designers, including PRC judge, Brian Bailey, Joeffer Caoc, Farley Chatto, Comrags, David Dixon, Pina Ferlisi, Foxy Originals, Colette Harmon, Juma, Todd Lynn, Arthur Mendonça, Mercy and Siphay Southidara.

The winner receives a prize package valued at $25,000 from ELLE Canada magazine. Submission Deadline is December 10, 2007. Download the application here. Pass on the word to any of your talented design pals.

Last year's event celebrated the TFI's 20th anniversary with a gala event at the historical Carlu in Toronto. Check out the event here.