On this episode of Off The Rack, we discuss how fashion differs from coast to coast and in between! Our guests include Shayne Stephens, Lolitta Dandoy and Amanda May Daly.Winnipeg born, Toronto-based Shayne Stephens is one of Canada’s leading men’s fashion authorities. Over the past decade, the award-winning journalist turned luxury marketer has held senior leadership positions at Holt Renfrew, Saks Fifth Avenue and LOUIS XIII Cognac, where he is currently the Canadian Private Client Director. The former host of ET Canada’s Style Scout, Shayne also consults for brands - Vacheron Constantin, Dior, Versace, Omega, etc, - on regional marketing strategy and has recently gone back to his roots, now writing columns and features on men’s fashion and lifestyle for the Toronto Star/The Kit.Amanda May Daly is a Creative Director working in the mediums of Fashion, Film and Photography. Amanda is of Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) and Western European ancestry, her family is from Mattagami First Nation on Turtle Island. Amanda currently lives in Vancouver, where she primarily works in the film industry as a costumer and as an international celebrity stylist. Amanda is passionate about celebrating Indigenous talent in the fashion industry and believes in the values of matriarchy and mentorship, collaboration and conscious growth. In 2009, her work with Canadian designer Mark Fast sparked a revolutionary worldwide conversation around body diversity after casting three plus-sized models at a key show at London Fashion Week. She spent 3 years at the label focusing on brand development, marketing, and art direction before leaving to launch NoirLuxe, a creative marketing consultancy.

On this episode of Off The Rack, we discuss how fashion differs from in different regions of the world and how that diversity impacts Canada with immigration, trend sharing and social media. Our guests include Shelli Oh, Farhan Haque and Catherine Addai.Born and raised in Toronto with Bangladeshi roots, Farhan Haque, a dynamic fashion designer, draws inspiration from his upbringing in dance and theater. MR.HAQUE the brand embodies a "villainess look," emphasizing the transformative power of clothing to instill confidence and strength.In 2021, amidst a global pandemic, Mr. Haque burst onto the fashion scene, driven by a hunger for the world to experience his unique perspective. His designs transcend mere fashion,serving as a medium for empowerment, telling stories that resonate beyond the runway. MR.HAQUE is a celebration of powerful women, reflecting Mr. Haque's life experiences andinfluential figures. As his career advances, his dedication to crafting narratives through clothing continues to define his evolving journey in the fashion industry.Catherine Addai is the founder and owner of Toronto based women’s clothing company KAELA KAY, a brand she started in 2013 out of the basement of her home. The premise of the brand is to offer bold, creative, and colourful clothing for today’s modern woman with a focus on using prints from her native Ghana, West Africa. Over the years, Catherine has grown her brand into a thriving business with 5 employees, a physical brick-and-mortar location, and a lucrative partnership with The Hudson’s Bay – all while raising her family. She is a wife and mother to 3 young children. Over the years Catherine’s designs have graced many runways including New York Fashion Week, African Fashion Week Toronto, Fashion Arts Toronto and many magazines including FASHION and ELLE. Catherine has appeared on TV segments as well on Cityline and Today’s Shopping Choice (TSC).Catherine has won several awards including The Woman’s Wear Designer of the Year awarded by The African Fashion Industry Awards and the Peoples Choice Award Designer of The Year awarded by By Blacks. She has also worked with many significant corporations over the years to share her entrepreneurial journey in keynotes, podcast, and conversations.Born and raised in Toronto with Bangladeshi roots, Farhan Haque, a dynamic fashion designer,draws inspiration from his upbringing in dance and theater. MR.HAQUE the brand embodies a"villainess look," emphasizing the transformative power of clothing to instill confidence andstrength. In 2021, amidst a global pandemic, Mr. Haque burst onto the fashion scene, driven by a hunger for the world to experience his unique perspective. His designs transcend mere fashion,serving as a medium for empowerment, telling stories that resonate beyond the runway.MR.HAQUE is a celebration of powerful women, reflecting Mr. Haque's life experiences andinfluential figures. As his career advances, his dedication to crafting narratives through clothingcontinues to define his evolving journey in the fashion industry.

On this episode of Off The Rack, we discuss the history of Canadian fashion with an in-depth look at the fashion collection at the Royal Ontario Museum. Dr. Alexandra Palmer has retired from the Royal Ontario Museum since this recording but has left a long lasting legacy!Dr. Alexandra Palmer is a design historian specializing in the history of textiles and fashion. She has authored three award-winning publications, contributed to international museum catalogues, and is an editor for scholarly books and journals. She has curated over 20 exhibitions at the Royal Ontario Museum where she is the Nora E. Vaughan Senior Curator, Global Fashion & Textiles, responsible for the collection of 44,000 European and North American textiles, fashions and accessories. As Associate Professor (status only), Art History at the University of Toronto, she teaches about the impact of textiles and fashion on the climate crisis. In 2023 Dr. Palmer was appointed Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques, in recognition of her contribution to French culture.She is the Nora E. Vaughan Senior Curator, Global Fashion & Textiles, responsible for the collection of 44,000 European and North American textiles, fashions and accessories at the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto. As Associate Professor (status only), Art History at the University of Toronto, she teaches about the impact of textiles and fashion during the Anthropocene. In 2023 France named her Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques for her contribution to French culture.Palmer has written three award-winning publications: Christian Dior: History and Modernity, 1947– 1957 (2018) Millia Davenport Publication Award 2019 and ICOM Costume 60th Anniversary Award 2022; Christian Dior: A New Look, A New Enterprise 1947 – 57, (2009, revised 2019, French translation forthcoming), Millia Davenport Publication Award 2010, and Couture & Commerce: The Transatlantic Fashion Trade in the 1950s (2001), Clio Award for Ontario History.

On this episode of Off The Rack, we explore Canadian sustainable designers' work. We discuss the hurdles and successes in this label, touch on greenwashing and why being eco-friendly was important to these brands. We are joined by Carmin Garofalo, CEO of Passen, Shaun Mascarenhas, founder of Demascare and Marissa Freed of Freed and Freed.In his role as Chief Executive Officer of Passen, Carmin is responsible for overseeing allaspects of the company's operations, including sales, marketing, finance, and production.He works closely with the executive team to develop and implement strategic initiatives, identifygrowth opportunities, and drive profitability. With his extensive experience in the apparelindustry, Carmin brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the position.He has a proven track record of successfully leading both private and public corporations, andhis strategic vision and leadership skills make him well-suited to guide Passen to new heights.Carmin's focus is on driving innovation and staying ahead of industry trends, ensuring thatPassen remains competitive in a rapidly changing market.He also prioritizes cultivating a strong company culture and fostering a collaborative workenvironment, believing that a motivated and engaged team is essential for achieving success.Under Carmin's leadership, Passen is positioned to thrive and continue its growth trajectory. Hisstrategic direction, combined with his deep industry knowledge, will undoubtedly contribute tothe company's long-term success in the apparel industry.Bangalore-born Shaun Mascarenhas, who now makes Toronto home, brings a wealth of education and experience to his Demascare line of mesmerizing women’s/gender-neutral demi-couture. His BFA from Savannah College of Art and Design plus Fashion Merchandising degree from FIT NY give Shaun the strong foundation and combination of knowledge and expertise. Boosted with stints at J. Mendel, Oscar de la Renta, and Romona Keveza, he honed his skills, giving him the confidence to produce his unquestionably glamorous, stunningly draped, and impeccably curated couture creations.”Shaun was the winner of Cashmere Canada 2022, a breast cancer fundraising initiative that features looks by Canadian designers crafted from luxuriously soft sheets of Cashmere UltraLuxe Bathroom Tissue.Demascare is an emerging luxury brand that combines the art of fashion with the design of architecture to create women's/gender-neutral clothing that reflects my unique point of view.From a family deeply rooted in in the industry, Marissa Freed has lived and breathed fashion since birth. Her family's connection to the business traces back to her great grandfather, who founded FREED’s parent company, Freed & Freed International, in 1921. Marissa studied at the International Fashion Academy of Design, where she pursued a program in Fashion Marketing and Merchandising. Building on this foundation, she went on to earn her undergraduate degree in Fashion Marketing and continued on to complete an MBA. In 2009, Marissa infused her experience and education into her family’s business at Freed & Freed, where she eventually became the fourth-generation President. In 2020, Marissa jumped headfirst into launching FREED, where she was able to combine her passion for innovation with a commitment to addressing environmental concerns in the fashion industry. FREED aims to provide functional luxury outerwear that seamlessly blends fashion-forward aesthetics with a conscientious approach to the urgent environmental challenges we face, contributing to a positive impact on our planet.

Welcome to Off The Rack, a podcast about the Canadian Fashion Landscape. On this first episode we speak with Angela DeMontigny.Angela DeMontigny is an award winning designer, artist, entrepreneur and mentor of Cree/Métis heritage, who has been a pioneer of the Indigenous Luxury movement for over 2 decades and based in Hamilton, ON. Through the creation of her beautiful, authentic Indigenous fashion, accessories, lifestyle & wellness products (LODGE Soy Candles) under her label ‘DeMontigny’, she has not only been a trailblazer for Indigenous fashion nationally and internationally, but an example of reclaiming her identity as an indigenous woman by utilizing her gifts as a designer and entrepreneur. Also an accomplished artist, Angela was awarded a major public art commission in 2020 for her groundbreaking ‘All Our Relations’ sculpture that was installed on Hamilton’s waterfront on Sept. 30, 2023 - the National day for Truth and Reconciliation - which brought together the Indigenous and Hamilton community to honour residential school survivors, the children who never made it home and to celebrate reconciliation in action. She is ecstatic to have been able to co-create a much needed, public art legacy for the City which will also be a designated space for the urban Indigenous community to gather. Future plans are to create an education component and programming for youth. https://hamiltoncitymagazine.ca/waterfront-art-is-a-soaring-thoughtful-ode-to-indigenous-ways-of-thinking/Thank you to IndeedLabs for the use of your space.