Today kicks off the Toronto Fashion Week Fall/Winter Collections. One of the most anticipated shows this week is undoubtedly Mackage, Canada’s luxury, contemporary outerwear brand. We caught up with the co-creative directors, Eran Elfassy and Elisa Dahan, to chat about importance of Toronto Fashion Week and supporting Canadian brands, plus we get the scoop on their latest collection.
29Secrets: How has showing at Toronto Fashion Week benefited your brand?
Elisa: Toronto Fashion Week has always been a great platform to showcase our collection and our innovation to the Canadian market. Toronto is our second home!
What was your reasoning behind showing off-site this season?
Elisa: We wanted to do something different this season, something outside of the box. The theme behind the collection this season is very specific and we wanted to create a runway atmosphere that was indicative of the inspiration behind the FW16 collection. Using an off-site venue allowed us to work with a blank canvas and be creative. We can’t wait for you to see what we’ve been working on!
How important is it for Canadians to shop local brands?
Eran: Canada has a number of amazing designers, so much talent that needs to be supported. As Canadian designers ourselves, we know first-hand how much encouragement and support from the fashion community and beyond is required to grow a brand. Without that support, it’s difficult for Canadian brands to maximize their potential. Financially and creatively, a lot goes into creating a successful brand. We want to see a Canadian fashion scene that doesn’t just stay afloat, but rivals the fashion communities globally. We can start building that scene by shopping local!
You are based in Montreal, but showing in Toronto. How does fashion and your clientele differ in both cities?
Elisa: They have their similarities and their differences, of course. In terms of what differentiates the two cities, Montrealers have more of a European flare to the way they dress. By comparison, Toronto reminds me a lot of New York. However, although each city has their own signature flare, as whole, our clientele country-wide shares the desire to wear outwear that is not only functional, but also fashionable “ an extension of their outfit. Fulfilling that need is important to us.
Mackage is known for being both fashionable and practical (read: warm!). How does your latest collection take on Canada’s freezing temperatures while staying on trend?
Eran: We like to say that Cold never looked this good! Mackage is unique, in the fact that we are truly a brand that exists at the intersection of FASHION and FUNCTION. We use the highest quality raw materials and the very best craftsmanship to tackle the climate while always staying true to our Mackage fit.
What new trends and innovations can we expect from Mackage this season?
Eran: Our commitment to excellence is unwavering. Each year we strive to improve. Many of our down jackets will now have a fill power of 800, allowing for the best warmth to weight ratio available. We introduced a lux light weight down category for FW15 and it was a tremendous success! We have continued to develop new styling combinations in this group.
