Passion For Fashion provides youth with the opportunity to explore the world of entreprenuership in the fashion industry.
In partnership with the Toronto Fashion Incubator (TFI) the program offers workshops on starting your own fashion business, developing a line, sales and marketing, and how to do presentations. Youth may qualify for one-on-one mentorship with top industry professionals and learn from the industry guest speaker series.
Passion for Fashion participants receive materials and the opportunity to enter the Fashionista’s Den Competition to win $1,000 cash, a one-year membership to TFI and 50 hours of business advisory and fashion mentorship for free!
For more information email fashion@yes.on.ca or call 416-504-5516 ext. 268
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WORKSHOP SCHEDULE
Our series of 6 workshops run 5 times each over the course of a four-month period from August to November 2012. To be eligible to enter the Fashionista’s Den, meet with mentors, and attend seminars with industry professionals, you must register for and complete four of six workshops. All workshops take place at the YES Head Office at 555 Richmond Street West, Suite 711 in Toronto.
BUSINESS 101: Operations & Setup
Instructor: Richard Healy
This section will focus on how to structure and operate your business. How to organize and register your business in Canada, operating practices, organizational structure and future planning. Manufacturing and production processes will be reviewed as will quality and inventory management. Aspects of distribution, wholesale and retail as well as online will be discussed.
BUSINESS 102: Pricing
Instructor: Richard Healy
This section will cover pricing by identifying fixed and variable costs. Break-even analysis will include concepts of cost of goods, overheads, and profit. Pricing strategy will be examined to maximize opportunity in new and emerging markets.
BUSINESS 103: Marketing & Financial Management
Instructor: Richard Healy
This section will deal with preparing a basic business plan. Elements of the plan including market research, target market identification, branding and positioning will be covered. In addition Cash Flow forecasting, basic accounting concepts will be discussed. Regulatory requirements when operating a business – HST rules will be discussed. Finally, we will discuss basic principles when dealing with Banks and operating business accounts and applying for credit.
FASHION 101: The Business of Fashion
Instructor: Kendra Francis/Annie Lam
What are the ins and outs of a fashion business and what are the roles of their support teams? This workshop will walk you through the fashion entrepreneur’s journey from “idea” to “store.” It will look at both the creative process and the manufacturing process of creating a cohesive collection. Participants will also learn the importance of look books and line sheets, the role of buyers and sales reps, the annual fashion calendar, and the struggles emerging fashion businesses face and how to overcome them. As well, you will be introduced to the magnitude of careers available in the fashion industry and how each of these positions connect to help build and support the industry.
FASHION 102: Public Relations & Publicity
Instructor: Melanie Bozzo/Gail McInnes
This workshop investigates the activities involved in taking a fashion line from the runway into customer’s closets. We will discuss the contents of a press kit, how to build your media list, address areas where you can reach the public directly, and how celebrity and influencer dressing and gifting can benefit a brand. We will also discuss how to approach various types of media, the lead times of when to pitch your event or product and how to use any garnered media attention to gain clients and customers.
FASHION 103: Branding & Presentation
Instructor: Ryan Thomas
This last fashion workshop will teach participants how to effectively present their fashion business through online and promotional materials. Topics include branding, social media, and how to create an effective pitch. Through this course, participants will start to develop their presentation for the Fashionista’s Den Competition.
THE FASHIONISTA’S DEN COMPETITION
Inspired by the hit CBC television show, The Dragon’s Den, The Fashionista’s Den will give participants the opportunity to pitch their fashion business idea to a panel of expert judges. The winner of the Passion For Fashion Award will be announced at the Passion for Fashion Awards in Spring 2013 and will receive $1,000 cash, a one-year free TFI Outreach membership and 50 hours of business advisory and fashion mentorship — a prize package valued at over $45,000. The Eveleen Dollery Award winner will receive $1,000 cash.
HOW TO QUALIFY:
- Register for all six A Passion For Fashion workshops
- Complete all six A Passion For Fashion workshops (only those who complete four of six workshops are eligible to enter The Fashionista’s Den.)
- Submit your application via email to the A Passion For Fashion Coordinator with your bio, resume, business plan, and fashion presentation board by the deadline in March 2013 – exact date TBA
- Applications will be available in November 2013.
- Finalists will be selected and announced March/April 2013.
- Those finalists will be given the opportunity to pitch their fashion business idea to a panel of expert judges.
- The winner will be announced at The Passion for Fashion Awards in Spring 2013 .
- The Passion For Fashion Award winner will receive $1,000 cash, a one-year free TFI Outreach membership and 50 hours of business advisory and fashion mentorship — a prize package valued at over $45,000!
- The Eveleen Dollery Award winner will receive $1,000 cash, and a runner-up will receive $500 cash.
COSMO TV
CosmoTV’s Oh So Cosmo: Love it or Leave it with ELLE Magazine’s Joe Zee featuring Emily Woudenberg, Kallvis Gents and Diana Baba from Passion for Fashion 2011.
SWAY MAGAZINE: Passion For Fashion makes the connection
“YES and TFI’s Passion for Fashion is one of the few programs to combine who you know to what you know to offer up an edge in a high-demand field. Alumni can boast a knowledge of business, marketing and fashion that most pay thousands for. They also attain a network of contacts that money can’t buy. Passion for Fashion makes it clear to each member that they are the future of the industry, in turn many of their graduates have moved on to create their own mark in retail, design, and publishing, including yours truly.” - Karen Welcome Read More
FAJO MAGAZINE: Passion For Fashion Awards 2012
“In a ceremony, including award presentations by renowned fashion designer David Dixon, 12 finalists from the Fashionista’s Den Competition were narrowed down to three winners.” – Julia Eskins Read More.
THE GENTEEL: Mentorship Track
“On Monday, Passion For Fashion, a local program that supports youth interested in this field of work, held a mentor “meet and greet” night. (I was following along on Twitter, and you can see for yourself just how valuable and important resources like this makes people feel, and the true need for involvement from industry professionals.)” - Paul Aguirre Livingstone Read More
INDUSTRY GUEST SPEAKERS & MENTORS
We have a wide network of industry professionals who donate their time as mentors and guest speakers.
Previous industry experts have included Tarek Al-Azbat (owner/creative director, Nella Bella), Michelle Baboolall (owner/buyer, Homegrown Boutique), Donna Bishop (editor-in-chief, Bamboo Magazine), Paidemoyo Chideya (owner/designer, DeMOYO), Anita Clarke (founder/editor-in-chief, I Want I Got), Carly-Anne Fairlie (owner, Fairlie Agency), Sabrina Fiorelli (associate lawyer, Cassels Brock Blackwell), Juan Carlos Gaona (sales director, Philip Sparks), Bryn Huzzey (Vichy/L’Oreal), Jessica Jensen (owner/designer, Jessica Jensen Inc.), Jeremy Laing (Fashion Designer), Annie Lam (Fashion Stylist), Breeyn McCarney (Fashion Designer), Kevin Nualls (Toronto Life), Odessa Paloma Parker (Plaid Magazine), Nadine Parsons (Jessica Jensen Inc.), Natasha Penzo McIntosh (Public Relations Expert), Luis Rajiv (Fashion and Visual Stylist), Angela Smith (fashion producer, ET Canada), Renee Sylvestre-Williams (Forbes.com), Lisa Tant (FLARE Magazine), Ryan Thomas (Playground Inc.), Christopher Turner (Sympatico’s Fashionist), and more.
Passion For Fashion Awards 2012
presented by
On Monday, April 2, 2012, the third annual Passion For Fashion Awards took place at the Toronto Fashion Incubator (TFI). Twelve finalists competed in the Fashionista’s Den Competition on Monday, March 26, 2012.
The finalists also included: Candice Faust, Kallvis Gents, Violetta Holl, Andy Jones, Natalia Kelenc, Sin-Young Gloria Kim, Sage Paul, Pranavi Suthagar, and Nadine Woods. Renowned fashion designer David Dixon presented the Eveleen Dollery Awards.
Passion For Fashion Award Prize: $1,000 cash prize, a TFI Outreach Membership, and 50 hours of business and fashion industry mentorship; Eveleen Dollery Award Prize: $1,000 cash; Eveleen Dollery Award Runner-Up Prize: $500 cash.
WINNERS
Passion For Fashion Award 2012
Emily Woudenberg
Eveleen Dollery Award
Dylan Uscher
Eveleen Dollery Award Runner Up
Consuelo McAlister