Photo courtesy of George Pimentel

CAFA 2019 Nominees: The Full List of Canada’s Fashion MVPs

Categories include Womenswear Designer, Image Maker, Fresh Face and Makeup Artist of the Year.

Date March 7, 2019

This morning, over pastries and coffee at the newly-opened Artscape Daniels Launchpad in Toronto, the Canadian Arts and Fashion Awards announced their nominees for 2019. Overlooking icy Lake Ontario, the newly-opened creative entrepreneurship hub was the perfect spot to reveal the slate of talented designers, models, stylists, photographers and more who are shaping Canada’s fashion landscape.

The crowd munched on bagels and mini muffins as Vicky Milner, president of CAFA, kicked off the morning by announcing that this year marked the first time the awards body had opened up 16 of its categories for self-nominations. “It gives more people a chance,” she said, and helps the fashion community discover and learn about new and exciting talent in the country. The recipient of this year’s Suzanne Rogers Designer Grant for International Development will be revealed on the night of the awards ceremony—May 30, 2019—but in the meantime, read on for the full list of nominees in all categories.

The Womenswear Designer of the Year Award will be presented to an outstanding Canadian womenswear designer who has made a significant creative impact in the Canadian fashion industry.

Ellie Mae Studios
Greta Constantine
LINE
Sid Neigum
UNTTLD

The Menswear Designer of the Year Award will be presented to an outstanding Canadian menswear designer who has made a significant creative impact in the Canadian fashion industry.

Christopher Bates
Frank & Oak
Raised by Wolves
18 Waits

The Swarovski Award for Emerging Talent, Fashion will be presented to an innovative Canadian designer who is emerging as a true creative force in Canadian fashion.

École de Pensée
Kathryn Bowen
Marie-Ève Lecavalier
Nonie
Andrew Coimbra

The Swarovski Award for Emerging Talent, Accessories will be presented to an innovative Canadian designer who is emerging as a true creative force in Canadian fashion accessory design.

Corey Moranis
Warren Steven Scott
Angela Mitchell
Jessica Bedard
JY Gao

The Accessory Designer of the Year Award will be presented to an outstanding Canadian fashion accessory designer who has made a significant creative impact in the Canadian fashion industry.

Pyrrha
Mejuri
Dean Davidson
Matt and Nat
Biko

The Joe Fresh Fashion Innovation Award will be presented to a company that is innovating how we experience, consume or interact with fashion through technology.

Mejuri
Focal by North
Tiary
Typesift

The H&M Sustainability Award will be presented to a Canadian designer or brand joining the change towards a sustainable fashion industry.

Eliza Faulkner
Preloved
KOTN
Frank & Oak

The Simons Fashion Design Student Award will be presented to an exceptional fashion design student who has recently graduated from a fashion design program.

Cynthia Leung
Marie-Eve Aubry
Marysol Kim
Meron Kebebe
Justine Woods

The Image Maker of the Year Award will be presented to an outstanding Canadian fashion photographer or filmmaker who has made a significant impact within the Canadian fashion industry.

Carlyle Routh
D. Picard
Greg Swales
Max Abadian
Owen Bruce

The Stylist of the Year Award will be presented to an outstanding Canadian fashion stylist who has made a significant impact within the Canadian fashion industry.

Cary Tauben
Corey Ng
Juliana Schiavinatto
Nadia Pizzimenti
Randy Smith

The Fresh Face of the Year Award will be presented to an emerging Canadian model who the industry recognizes as one of Canada’s newest and brightest fresh faces.

Alyssah Paccoud
Cami You-Ten
Krow Kian
Mathieu Simoneau
Sara Kemper

The Model of the Year Award will be presented to an outstanding Canadian model who has made a significant impact within the Canadian fashion industry.

Hannah Donker
Judith Maria Bradley
Mae Lapres
Rachel Roberts
Tasha Tilberg

The Fashion Impact Award will be presented to a Canadian designer or brand that has made a significant social or philanthropic impact in the Canadian and/or international community.

Sarah Jay (who served as guest editor of our Sustainability Issue last November)
Brave Soles
Wuxly
Matt & Nat
Ron White Shoes
With Love Darling

The Digital Fashion Influencer of the Year Award will be presented to a Canadian fashion blogger or website that demonstrates creativity, excellence, and range in online fashion critique, reporting, and photography.

Fecal Matter
Grece Ghanem
Julia Mateian
Kayla Seah
Dani Roche

The Outerwear Brand of the Year Award will be be presented to an outstanding Canadian outerwear brand who has made a significant impact in the Canadian fashion industry.

Kanuk
Mackage
Moose Knuckles
Nobis
Sentaler

The Makeup Artist of the Year Award will be presented to an innovative Canadian makeup artist who is emerging as a true creative force in the fashion industry.

Grace Lee
Hung Vanngo
Leslie-Ann Thomson
Nicolas Blanchet
Simone Otis

The Hair Artist of the Year Award will be presented to an innovative Canadian hair artist who is emerging as a true creative force in the fashion industry.

Andrew Ly
David D’Amours
Harry Josh
Kirsten Klontz
Matthew Collins

In addition, CAFA will be awarding three special honourees: acclaimed photographer Douglas Kirkland, who has shot everyone from Marilyn Monroe to Orson Welles to Diana Ross, will receive the Outstanding Achievement Award; Aurora James, founder of ethical shoe brand Brother Vellies based in New York, will receive the International Canadian Designer of the Year Award; and Thierry-Maxime Loriot, curator of the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts’ Thierry Mugler: Couturissime exhibit, will win the Vanguard Award.

Care to look back on last year’s awards? See all the highlights below.