Expressions in Fabrics-FAT 25

Min
Jun 1, 2025
4 min read

Updated: Jun 1, 2025

There’s a special kind of magic when fashion meets art, and this May, at T3 Bayside, I found myself immersed in one of Canada’s boldest celebrations of creativity: Fashion Art Toronto (FAT) Spring/Summer 2025.

Toronto is a city that lives and breathes style across all four seasons. From cozy knits and structured layers in winter to flowy florals and bold streetwear in summer, each season unlocks a new canvas for self-expression through clothes, attire, and accessories. This rhythm of change offers endless opportunities for fashion enthusiasts to explore, evolve, and experiment.

But it’s not just about the weather and the seasons. Toronto is one of the most multicultural cities in the world and it shows in its fashion. From traditional African prints and South Asian embroidery to East Asian silhouettes and Indigenous beadwork, you see it all, not just on runways, but on the streets, in cafés, and in everyday life. Toronto City is a living, walking fashion week year-round.

What truly sets Toronto apart is its global soul. The fashion scene here is a vibrant blend of styles influenced by American ease, Canadian practicality, European elegance, and the deep-rooted storytelling of Indigenous traditions. You can see it all, on the runways and on the streets. From oversized denim jackets and sneaker culture to tailored coats inspired by Parisian chic, and hand-beaded moccasins with vibrant Indigenous prints. Toronto doesn’t follow trends; it creates its own. It is absolutely spectacular to witness the variety of expressions in fashion on the streets of Toronto.

FAT encapsulates this beautifully. Now in its 20th year, the event continues to elevate voices that use fashion as a language of identity and imagination. Fashion Art Toronto (FAT) is more than just a runway event, it’s a bold, inclusive platform that celebrates the intersection of fashion, art, and culture. Founded by Vanja Vasic, the visionary force behind the organization, FAT has grown into one of Canada’s most progressive and experimental fashion weeks. Every year, it transforms traditional notions of fashion by highlighting diverse designers, artists, and performers who challenge norms and reimagine self-expression. Under Vasic’s leadership, FAT has become a space where emerging and established creatives come together to tell powerful stories through fabric, performance, and visual art, making it a cornerstone of Toronto’s cultural calendar.

This year’s FAT experience was unforgettable, featuring several Canadian designers and artists, each with a unique story stitched into their collections. The venue buzzed with energy, blending fashion with live art, music, digital installations, and artisan pop-ups displaying wearable art. It was more than a show, it was a cultural movement.

I especially liked the creations and collections of designer Lesley Hampton. The dresses were gorgeous, a blend of cultural and urban spirit that clearly displayed her talent and artistic vision.

Lesley Hampton’s Spring/Summer 2025 collection was a visual poem, a powerful narrative woven through textures, sound, and spirit. The models’ jewelry, hairstyles, and the music in the show added to the theme and carried the audience into a trance. There was a strong sense of inclusivity throughout the fashion show, which is also the spirit of the city.

The casting was equally powerful, featuring models of all genders and body types. The diversity in the casting of the fashion show was spectacular and praiseworthy.

🛒 Can’t wait to add her stunning pieces to my wardrobe from the website of this talented designer:

https://lesleyhampton.com

Watching the show from the front row and feeling the display of the designs from such close proximity filled me with ART energy. I left Fashion Art Toronto feeling energized and proud to be in a space that embraces every story, every silhouette, and every soul.

In Toronto, fashion isn’t just worn, it’s lived.

And if you ever visit this incredible city, keep your eyes open, because the streets are filled with fashion influenced by the world:

Canadian warmth and creativity;

American cool and casual;

European sophistication and tailoring;

Indigenous strength and storytelling;

East Asian avant-garde silhouettes, dramatic layering, and vibrant colours that fuse tradition with a futuristic edge;

South Asian rich textiles and intricate embroidery;

Arabic elegance through flowing abayas and detailed embellishments;

and African bold prints, vibrant colors, and culturally rooted patterns, all beautifully woven into the city’s street style.

When it comes to fashion and styling, Toronto’s streets definitely rank really high and look and feel multicultural.

Fashion and styling in a vibrant fashion hub like Toronto make everyday life feel like a celebration of individuality and creativity. For Torontonians, it's not just about what you wear, it's about expressing who you are. In a city bursting with diversity, culture, and artistic energy, fashion becomes a way of living life to the fullest and then some every single moment. Fashion here is a living, breathing cultural mosaic and FAT felt like a mirror of the same.