#WMCFW: Target Canada's Toronto Fashion Week Show

Most fashion week shows are for the media. The Target runway for World Mastercard Fashion week was meant to appeal to true customers.  The clothing was pulled from current fall and winter offerings now available in the stores.  The catwalk was dressed up like a big red carpet, decorated with home accessories.  Live musicians gave it a party atmosphere as well as the big shower of confetti at the finale.

The clothing itself ranged from back-to-school looks, warm cozy street wear to dressier holiday party looks for men, women and children.  While the diverse range of models was game, I can’t say I was all that impressed with the fashion itself.  While some looks were appealing, a lot of it looked like generic, budget-friendly clothing that catered to Canadian clichés of anoraks, chunky knit accessories and quilted jackets. I would have thought that a splashy Toronto Fashion Week event would have been the perfect opportunity to showcase the big-name designer collaborations that gets the fashion crowd geeked out in the United States.  Are they not offering these designers up North? Why not? Why deprive Canadians the likes of Joseph Altuzarra?  The only collaboration I saw represented here was with TOMS.

The only guest “star” or celebrity appearance in Toronto was “Bullseye” the Target mascot dog.  The cute factor is a crowd pleaser, but does it get people shopping?

Target has been supporting Toronto fashion week in some way for the past few seasons.  Even before they had a retail presence open, they offered up a nicely catered lounge to fashion media during World Mastercard fashion week.  They have been putting a lot of effort in announcing their arrival to Canada, which is why I am surprised they did not showcase more fashion forward looks.  Why show current season clothes if they aren’t going to drive people straight to the stores?  Don’t underestimate the Canadians, they gobble up the top designers the way they do poutine.