Most Promising Designer 2012 Winner - Ryan Joelson!

Building on the theme of RAW, Ryan Joelson has created a collection that is both inspiring and moving. It is his attention to detail and pure love of fashion that resulted in him being named the Most Promising Designer at this year's Art of Fashion competition!

Making his collection even more remarkable, Ryan is currently a fashion student at Ryerson University. This resulted in him having to work within a "tight student budget" to create Rough-hewn. He utilized inexpensive materials, such as polyester, and worked them into luxurious garments that women would love to wear.

Employing unusual items like soldering irons, Ryan designed each piece with care. Applying heat and using various dyes and pigments, he worked his magic on everything from ball gowns to cocktail dresses. These garments would be right at home on the Oscar red carpet. 

From the petal effect to the ombre dyes, Ryan has created a beautiful collection that will stand the test of time. We cannot wait to see what is next for this very talented designer!

Congratulations, Ryan, on your much-deserved win!

Why not come see some of Ryan's winning designs in person? You can do so at Metro Hall in downtown Toronto from October 19-26, as part of Toronto Fashion Week celebrations.

Jasmin is a freelance writer currently based in Kingston, ON. 

Anouk Moran - 2012 Most Promising Designer/Runner-Up

Anouk Moran created a collection with such force and lasting power that the judges at this year's Art of Fashion RAW competition simply could not remove it from their minds. It is because of this that the board of directors took the unprecedented  step of creating a third prize just for Anouk - the 2012 Most Promising Designer/Runner-Up!

Anouk's collection, The Resplendent Warrior, celebrates all that an artist must go through in order to create a delicate masterpiece. The overpowering emotions of the senses must be harnessed in order to unleash the creativity of the artist's soul. A seemingly impenetrable armour, formed by necessity to protect ones heart and feelings, gives way to a soft interior that lays bare the true person underneath it all.

To achieve her vision, Anouk paired sharp, masculine tailoring with a soft femininity and romantic flair. The way the garments sit on the body is exacting and precise, a testament to the attention to detail that Anouk put into her beautiful creations.

Please join us in congratulating Anouk Moran! We invite you to view a sample of Anouk's collection, along with pieces from all of the competing designers, at Metro Hall in downtown Toronto from October 19-26.

Jasmin is a freelance writer currently based in Kingston, ON. 

Amy Yuen - The People's Choice

With her stunning collection that focused on the elements of our earth - aptly titled Six Elements - Amy Yuen captured the attention of a huge crowd gathered at the Art of Fashion RAW competition on September 29. After all of the online votes were tallied, Amy and her outstanding collection were crowned the People's Choice winner for 2012!

It is easy to see why this collection inspired and moved so many people. Each design captured what makes our earth so unique and special, from water to fire, wood to metal. The clean lines and structures of her designs made way for an unexpected, body-conscious femininity.

Amy utilized a variety of fabrics to explore the concept of raw. One dress features a metallic overlay with a wool base to capture the effect that energy has on our world, while another joins linen with gross grain tape for a perfectly flawed effect.

Check out some of the photos of Amy Yuen's beautiful work below. Congratulations, Amy!

Jasmin is a freelance writer currently based in Kingston, ON. 

Art of Fashion RAW 2012 - All the Winners!

On September 29th, Art of Fashion held a one-of-a-kind design competition as  part of the annual Nuit Blanche festivities. This year, our theme was RAW - working with and celebrating all the materials that make fashion what it is. 

The competition was fierce and all the judges felt so strongly about the designs that we added a third prize this year for the runner up! “We have never experienced a race as close as this year’s RAW fashion design competition,” says Michelle Planche, Founder and President of Art of Fashion. “Before announcing the title we went back to our sponsors and board to create a third package because our judges and team felt so strongly about the skill and potential for our competing designers,” she says.

Without further ado, here are your winners for Art of Fashion RAW 2012!

- Amy Yuen and her collection SIX ELEMENTS win the People’s Choice award as voted by event attendees and new online ballot system.

                                     
- After much deliberation from the judges in a neck-and-neck race Ryan Joelson and his collection ROUGH HEWN is crowned Canada’s Most Promising Designer.

 - The near tie score prompted the Art of Fashion board of directors to create an additional prize package and title to award Anouk Moran and her collection THE RESPLENDENT WARRIOR the Most Promising Designer Runner Up.

All three winning designers will receive a prize package that includes a professional photo shoot and look book design from photographers Light & Hevvy and Andrew Hiorth; models from NAM Models and Orange Model Management; hair and makeup by Hair on the Avenue; graphic design by Katie Jansen and supported with a public relations and social media launch by KeeshanPR and Pink Atom Productions .

Other prizing includes a $1000 grant; tickets and memberships by industry organizations Fashion Group International, Creativ Festival, Paradigm Events, Design Exchange and Art of Fashion; design and retail with Black Daffodil and Global Warming; and fashion business mentoring with Carrie Hayes Collection and Pencil.

Want to see these winning collections in person? You can see a sample of the competition collection live in an exhibit at Metro Hall from Friday, October 19th through Friday October 26th, coinciding with Toronto Fashion Week. Guests can see the interactive display in the Rotunda at Metro Hall, at the corners of King and John, and Wellington and John Street, downtown Toronto.

Check back this week as we delve into each winning collection and show you why these young designers will soon be taking Canada by storm!

To see lots of great photos from the Art of Fashion RAW competition, check out our Facebook page.

Jasmin is a freelance writer currently based in Kingston, ON.