Toronto’s elite fashion lovers gathered at the sixth annual Dare to Wear Love Charity Fashion Gala at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. The fundraiser and runway show celebrated the talents and commitment of Canada’s fashion design community. This year, the gala surpassed all goals and raised $278,000 towards the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s (SLF) new LGBTQ initiative in Africa.
Founders Jim Searle and Chris Tyrell, designers and founders of Hoax Couture⎯ first started the initiative in 2009 to merge Canadian fashion with global awareness and raise funds towards a great cause, in which SLF perfectly ties in with their overall vision. The organization provides education on HIV prevention, support for families affected by HIV and AIDS, and support for the LGBT community. The foundation is led by the top experts in more than 300 local communities in 15 African countries hit by the hardest global AIDS epidemic.
With this great cause, came endless support. Anyone from everyone was there⎯notable Canadian personalities such as Glen Baxter, Liz Trinnear, former MP Olivia Chow, and city councillor Joe Cressy all made an appearance. Celebrities even walked the runway for fashion power houses such as: Greta Constantine, Stephan Caras, DSquared2, Christopher Bates, Art of Suiting by Hussein Dalla and more. In which, they’ve all contributed to a presentation of 15 unique looks using six yards of African fabric, to showcase the charity’s overall culture.
The night ended on a high note. The co-founders announced that an anonymous donor had generously agreed to match all donations from the evening. Making it yet another remarkable moment between fashion and charitable work.
Here are our two favourite male looks from the fashion show:
A fashion gala always calls for some great fashion. Here’s a few gents in attendance who’s SWAGGER caught our editor’s attention, that maybe we can learn a thing or two from:
View a full gallery of the event on our Facebook page.