Beaufille, Spencer Badu, and Maguire among top winners

The Canadian Arts & Fashion Awards (CAFA) once again brought together the country’s top fashion artists, influencers, and business leaders to honour the industry’s best at its 11th annual awards gala on Saturday.

Held at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto, the event, hosted by Canadian drag artist and TV personality Brooke Lynn Hytes, recognized a range of exceptional talent in the fashion industry, with top honours going to designers, emerging talent, and industry influencers.

Notably, Beaufille took home the coveted Womenswear Designer of the Year Award, while Spencer Badu was awarded Menswear Designer of the Year. Among emerging talent, Jontay Kahm won for fashion and Steff Eleoff for accessories.

In the accessories category, footwear brand Maguire was named Accessory Designer of the Year, while Nobis was recognized as the Outerwear Brand of the Year.

The evening also celebrated those shaping the behind the scenes of fashion. Richard Bernardin won the Image Maker of the Year Award, and Amber Watkins was honoured as Stylist of the Year. Fresh talent was recognized as well, with Dalton Dubois named Fresh Face of the Year and Mathieu Simoneau taking home the Model of the Year Award.

Vanja Vasic, founder of Fashion Art Toronto, received the Fashion Impact Award for her contributions to the industry. Mei Pang was celebrated as the Digital Fashion Creator of the Year, while sustainability leader Kotn was recognized with the Sustainability Award.

In addition to these awards, the gala featured special presentations. Supermodel Linda Evangelista was presented with the 2024 Vanguard Award, honouring her impact on the fashion industry.

Meanwhile, Ben Barry, Dean of Fashion at Parsons School of Design, received the Changemaker Award for his transformative work embedding access, equity, and justice into fashion education. Justice Faith and Nia Faith were equally presented with a Changemaker Award for their work as co-founders of Révolutionnaire and The Rév Shop.

The evening culminated in the presentation of the 2024 Outstanding Achievement Award to Roots, the Canadian outdoor lifestyle brand known for its iconic sweats and leather goods.