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.