The 11th annual Canadian Arts & Fashion Awards (CAFA) were held this past weekend at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto with host Brook Lynn Hytes of Canada’s Drag Race. Highlights included Erdem Moralioglu presenting Linda Evangelista with this year’s Vanguard Award, and the announcement of a new Indigenous Fashion Award, to be launched next year.
A celebration of the Canadian fashion industry’s achievements and trailblazers, the CAFA Awards are typically a visual delight too — and this year was no exception. After all, this is a coming together of fashion professionals and creatives who push the envelope with all things style.
Here are 11 of the best-dressed guests from the 2024 CAFA red carpet.
Zhanna Red
Model and content creator Zhanna Red was a standout in a dress and attached cape by Toronto-based fashion label Greta Constantine. After debating between two similar pink and black gowns, she picked this one because “it just felt so feminine and strong.”
Victoria San Gabriel
Pictured on the red carpet with her best friend, fashion designer Jontay Kahm — who won the award for emerging talent in fashion design — Victoria San Gabriel wore a mesmerizing custom red feather gown by Kahm.
“It’s an unreleased dress — it’s called Infrared,” she said. “It’s kind of like a counterpart to his other purple feather gown, called Ultraviolet, and it’s essentially inspired by Indigenous regalia.”
Cathy Cao
Digital creator Cao wore a dramatic bustle skirt and corset by emerging Toronto fashion label Wuthering Delight and jewelry by Vitaly. Bulgun Bulia Puteeva styled the unconventional, eye-catching look.
Deidre Marinelli
Marinelli, publisher of Fashion magazine, wore Charles Lu with an envelope clutch and pops of silver jewelry. The textures and contrast of the tight bodysuit and gloves with draped fabric added visual interest to the all-black look.
Sonia Mangat
Entertainment reporter Sonia Mangat caught our eye in an asymmetrical peach tulle gown. “I am wearing Virgil Abloh’s Off-White, one of his last collections before he passed away,” she said. “I know it’s not a Canadian designer, but he is somebody that I think all designers are inspired by.”
John Deng
Vancouver-based model John Deng, nominated for the Fresh Face of the Year Award, wore head-to-toe black paired with statement silver jewelry from Montreal-based L.L.Y. Atelier.
He describes his self-styled outfit — a smart ensemble including an Indochino blazer, Aritzia pants, and top and shoes from Zara — as “a ‘fit I made off from just an inspo I saw on Pinterest.”
Renée Tse
The Toronto-based fashion market editor wore entirely Canadian labels to CAFA, including Kara Yoo jewelry, Ai handbag and a dreamy white dress, by Beijing-born Vancouver-based designer Ou Ma.
Tse said she wanted to support Asian Canadian designers and was going for a “very fluffy princess kind of fairy look” — a departure from what she normally wears.
Caroline Vreeland
The Montreal-based singer wore a floor-length crushed velvet corset and skirt by Canadian label Desatita by Mohit. The dramatic, exaggerated shape of the lace-up corset makes this ensemble stand out.
Janice Fricker
Fricker, a creative designer, wore a stunning strapless dress by Canadian designer Charles Lu, and he also styled her accessories.
“We just put everything together and created some magic,” she said. “The inspiration is kind of spunky, funky, chic, sexy — really stepping out of the ordinary.”
Liv Judd
All-black looks were popular on Saturday evening, and Toronto-based content creator (and my friend) Liv Judd looked fabulous in a custom leather gown and gloves by Montreal-based LaMarque. Judd was nominated for the Digital Fashion Creator of the Year Award.
Sarain Fox
Fox — a multi-hyphenate storyteller, activist and artist — created her own dress by adding Only Child Handicrafts and Blu Hummingbird beadwork to a Canada Goose puffer. And she styled the look with earrings by Elias Jade Not Afraid.
“I’ve been working with [Canada] Goose for many years now and I love when fashion meets function,” Fox said. “I like the idea of something that can take you through survival in the North and then also be a delicate moment in fashion — kind of like the definition of who I am as an Indigenous person.”