Toronto Men's Fashion Week (TOM*)

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Toronto Men's Fashion Week (TOM*) is a semi-annual fashion week that is owned and produced by Canada Fashion Group.[1] The event is held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and is showcased in February-March for the Fall/Winter season, and again in August for Spring/Summer. [1]

History

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Established in 2014, Toronto Men's Fashion Week aimed to promote and increase support for Canadian menswear. During the time of launch, TOM* was the 8th Men's Fashion Week in the world.[2]

Significance

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The main purpose of a fashion week is to give designers an opportunity to showcase their latest collections. In turn, the events often influence or dictate the trends of that season, a process which is further facilitated by buyers, the media, and industry professionals.[3] In comparison to the purpose of other fashion weeks, the goal of TOM* was unique because of its aim to advance all aspects of Toronto's fashion industry. Toronto Men's Fashion Week was designed to highlight the work of local talent, while simultaneously providing an outlet for menswear designers to put their collections on display for the enhancement of their careers. The creation of a Toronto Fashion Week focused on menswear meant a greater support for men-focused products, which was thought to help stimulate an economic impact on the city through increased spending. This fashion week helps raise awareness and promotes a more significant image for the niche market of menswear in Canada.[4] TOM* has received attention from international audiences as it has been featured in Vogue Italia[5] and supported by GQ for promotional events.[6]

TOM* also operates in support of MensFashion4Hope Celebrity Walk-a-thon, a charitable measure that works to raise funds for the Kol Hope Foundation for Children.[7] Through the Kol Hope Fund at SickKids, proceeds from are donated to the SickKids Hospital. The mission of the Kol Hope Foundation for Children is to provide support and improve the quality of life for all children born with disabilities and chromosomal disorders.[8]

Launch of Toronto Women's Fashion Week (TW)

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In 2016, two months after the cancellation of Toronto Fashion Week, it was announced that TOM* was set to launch a women's fashion event in February 2017.[9] The event was named Toronto Women's Fashion Week (TW) and it is also owned by Canada Fashion Group. It begins directly after TOM* and is designed to support Canadian talent through womenswear collections.[10]

Predecessor: "Toronto Fashion Week"

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Before Toronto Women's Fashion Week, Toronto Fashion Week was the second-largest semi-annual fashion event in North America.[9] The event underwent various name changes due to fluctuations in title sponsors, where it was previously known as LG Fashion Week and then World Mastercard Fashion Week. IMG World owned Toronto Fashion Week from 2012 all the way to its cancellation in 2016. [11] It was reported that the fashion week was cancelled due to a lack of support and local funding. [12]

Labels

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Labels at Fall/Winter 2017 TOM*
Helmer Pascal Labelle North Aware Shelli Oh
TFL COUTURE Curtis Oland HENDRIXROE Xian
Zane Barlas Hip and Bone Kenneth Barlis Kollar Clothing 

[13]

TOM* Magazine

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Toronto Men's Fashion Week Inc. publishes and produces a magazine titled TOM* Magazine. The publication was also launched in 2014 with an editorial direction that focuses on current trends, interviews with industry professionals, promoting designers, and appealing to an international audience.[14]

References

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  1. ^ a b "TOM* | Toronto Men's Fashion Week | Fall/Winter 2016 Volunteers". TOM* Toronto Men’s Fashion Week TOMFW. Retrieved 2017-03-20.
  2. ^ "Official Toronto Men's Fashion Week (#TOM*) Launches in August 2014". www.newswire.ca. Retrieved 2017-03-21.
  3. ^ "Fashion History Lesson: The Evolution of Runway Shows". Fashionista. Retrieved 2017-03-21.
  4. ^ "Official Toronto Men's Fashion Week (#TOM*) Launches in August 2014". www.newswire.ca. Retrieved 2017-03-21.
  5. ^ "Toronto Men's Fashion Week - Vogue.it" (in Italian). Retrieved 2017-03-21.
  6. ^ "TOM* | Toronto Men's Fashion Week | GQ Party". TOM* Toronto Men’s Fashion Week TOMFW. Retrieved 2017-03-21.
  7. ^ "MF4H | TOM* Toronto Men's Fashion Week TOMFW". TOM* Toronto Men’s Fashion Week TOMFW. Retrieved 2017-03-21.
  8. ^ "MensFashion4Hope". Kol Hope Foundation for Children.
  9. ^ a b "Toronto Men's Fashion Week to debut new women's showcase in 2017". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2017-03-20.
  10. ^ "TW-FW | CFG". tw-fw.com. Retrieved 2017-03-21.
  11. ^ "Toronto Fashion Week will no longer be run by Robin Kay and the FDCC". Toronto Life. 2012-08-09. Retrieved 2017-03-21.
  12. ^ "Lack of funding pulls plug on Toronto Fashion Week". CBC News. Retrieved 2017-03-21.
  13. ^ "TOM* | Toronto Men's Fashion Week | Spring / Summer 2016 Designers". TOM* Toronto Men’s Fashion Week TOMFW. Retrieved 2017-03-21.
  14. ^ "TOM* MAGAZINE – TOM* Magazine". www.tom-magazine.com. Retrieved 2017-03-21.