Linda Evangelista Is the Moment at the 2024 CAFAs
A tear-jerking speech by the supermodel. A superb hosting job by drag star Brooke Lynn Hytes. Endless A+ ensembles. This year, Canada’s biggest night in fashion had it all.
When Linda Evangelista tells you she’s in the mood to celebrate, you know it’s going to be a good night. The chameleon-like supermodel and fashion industry figurehead has dominated the zeitgeist for decades, reaching the rare point of first-name-only recognition and commanding a room like no other. So, when she glided onto the red carpet at the 2024 Canadian Arts and Fashion Awards (CAFAs) at seven o’clock on Saturday, October 19, the energy of the space understandably changed.
To attend the 2024 CAFA awards, Linda Evangelista wore a shimmering skirt suit embellished with silver floral motifs by Montreal-born designer Erdem Moralıoğlu. Her bob cascaded in effortlessly tousled curls, her famous feline eyes sparkled and her skin exuded the kind of magazine-cover dewiness that feels only fitting for a super of her stature. One of the most ubiquitous faces in fashion, her powerful presence was enough to make a crowd of mingling industry insiders stop in star-struck delight. As she got her photo taken and prepared to enter the grand dining hall, she told FASHION her mood for the night ahead: “I’m having a good time.” And at this point, she’s earned it.
The ‘90s legend was honoured with the esteemed Vanguard Award celebrating her lasting influence. Gracing more than 700 magazine covers and countless campaigns, runways and editorials, her impact far-extends her image alone. She is an advocate for AIDS/HIV research, breast cancer awareness and in recent years — after a traumatic experience with CoolSculpting left her physically and mentally altered — a much-needed champion of body positivity and self-love.
The CAFAs have long been known as a joyful celebration of home-grown talent. But this year, the event’s ethos of recognition had even more layers. It highlighted how clothes can change with you during more malleable phases like pregnancy. How wearable art is a form of reprieve during the hardest challenges life throws at you. How, as exemplified by Linda Evangelista at the 2024 CAFA awards, fashion is a way of finding home and dreaming big. Read on for the highlights of the evening.
Brooke Lynn Hytes kept the costume changes coming
How many outfits are too many? According to drag icon and FASHION September 2024 cover star Brooke Lynn Hytes, the limit does not exist. Hosting the 2024 CAFAs for the second year in a row, Hytes kept the crowd hyped and hungry for more with each new on-stage interlude. Her looks included a runway-worthy ensemble from Amazon, a mini tube dress made of stitched-together denim waistbands, and a sparkly silver gown with a plunging neckline to close out the show. It’s called glamour, honey!
Attention was called to domestic abuse
The evening took a serious turn when the spotlight turned to domestic abuse. Entrepreneur Cait Alexander bravely shared her own experience with the crowd, calling to attention the unsettling statistic that the most dangerous place for a woman to be is her own home. This portion of the night highlighted two organizations that aim to help those struggling with domestic abuse: Shelter Movers and End Violence Everywhere (EVE).
Following this, Tia Kureshi won the Fashion Design Student Award, and shared her own story about fleeing domestic violence. Her win was an emblem of overcoming unimaginable obstacles.
Linda Evangelista gave an inspiring 2024 CAFA speech
What does fashion mean to someone who has long been the face of the industry? “Fashion is more than a beautiful photoshoot or a runway show,” Linda Evangelista said when accepting her 2024 CAFA award to a standing ovation. “The beauty of fashion is that there is no right or wrong way of creating it. Instead, fashion allows each of us to choose how we not only see ourselves, but how we present ourselves to the world.”
“In fashion, dreams are never observed or unattainable,” she added. With hundreds of accolades under her belt, the star is no stranger to being recognized for her career contributions. But this win felt a little different. “To be honoured by my fellow Canadians is an achievement far beyond any dream I had as a girl coming from St. Catharines.” The crowd was left looking misty-eyed and feeling nostalgic.
A well-deserved win for Fashion Art Toronto
Inspired by the international fashion scene and motivated to make the industry more inclusive, Vanja Vasic founded Fashion Art Toronto (FAT) — Toronto’s longest-running fashion week — nearly 20 years ago. The event has become a staple of the Toronto style scene, showcasing up-and-coming talent and giving fashion enthusiasts an outlet to shine. Fittingly, Vanja Vasic and FAT were given the Fashion Impact Award, further cementing the organization’s role in nurturing local artists.
Feeling inspired? Tickets for FAT 2024 are on sale now.
The takeaway? Dare to dream big
This year, the 2024 Changemaker Award was given to inclusive fashion advocate Ben Barry, who is the Dean of Fashion at Parsons School of Design in New York City and was previously the Chair of Fashion at Toronto Metropolitan University. The award was presented to him in part by Alexa Jovanovic, founder of Aille Design, a braille beaded clothing brand. In her speech, Jovanic explained that when others discouraged her from starting a clothing label for blind people, Barry offered wholehearted support. Today, her adaptive fashion brand is thriving.
Earlier in the evening, a pregnant Amber Watkins accepted the Stylist of the Year Award, sharing a heartfelt story about dragging a hockey bag of stylist supplies around the TTC in her early career. She went on to dedicate her win to all those who are having children while navigating this industry. Later, makeup artist Mei Pang won the Digital Fashion Creator of the Year Award and proclaimed that it “pays off to be a little weird.”
The theme was clear: Good things come to those who try.
The fashion was perfectly over-the-top
From Spender Badu’s tasselled textured jacket to Ashley Callingbull’s sheer hooded frock, the fashion is deserving of its own dedicated recap. Scroll through for some of the best looks of the night.
Photography by George Pimentel
Natalie Michie is the Fashion & Features Editor at FASHION Magazine. With a pop culture obsession, she is passionate about exploring the relationship between fashion, internet trends and social issues. She has written for Elle Canada, CBC, Chatelaine and Toronto Life. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and over-analyzing movies on TikTok.
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