Come Party at The Fashion + Design Festival

This year, The Fashion & Design Festival will showcase fashion shows, music, art, unique experiences, and after-parties from August 25 to 28, live at Place des Festivals in downtown Montreal.

WHEN FASHION BECOMES ART

People expecting to see catwalk fashion shows will be amazed with this year’s lineup. Forks in hairdos, mermaids, girls waking up in a bed on the stage. This Montreal festival reinvents fashion shows to turn them into real artistic performances. It’s a little revolution in the fashion world that you just don’t want to miss. This year’s 22 participating local designers stand out for their originality, audacity and energy. Among the most anticipated events are a fashion show with RELUXE, an organization that collects and sells second-hand luxury clothing for the benefit of local women in need (we like) and the first light painting show by Jeff Malo productions will offer a manifesto that emphasizes the foibles of our society.

MUSIC, DANCE AND FASHION, THE INSEPARABLES

The Festival stages will be lit up with more than 10 artists and even more dancers. But our festival musts? The first KIKI BALL of the festival, in collaboration with Ballroom 4 Community, which will feature dancers from the LGBTQ+ community in a competition before judges. And the Futures Divergents special event will feature a dystopian theatrical dance performance that will showcase Indigenous fashion designers, made possible in part by the Government of Canada, in collaboration with Sage Paul and Indigenous Fashion Arts.

DRESS TO EXPRESS

This fashion festival doesn’t want people to dress to impress. They want them to dress to express and feel proud of their interests, personalities, backgrounds, sexual orientations and whatever describes their uniqueness. Photographers from the Fashion + Design Festival will even be on the lookout and circulating to give free drink coupons to festival-goers who have the most striking “DRESS TO EXPRESS” outfits. And, for the first year, the festival will sell its own merch featuring this tagline.

EXPERIENCES AT UNUSUAL VENUES

Some of the unique experiences that will take place include a festive, celebration-themed banquet, an exhibition in a welding workshop and a creation in Centre Eaton entitled [IMPERTINENCE] that highlights the work of hair structure master stylist Stephane Scotto di Cesare, recognized internationally for his drag artist wig creations. There will also be an after-party, obviously, but this time it will mix African culture, haute couture and slam improv. A pop-up area brimming with local designers And lastly, the record for the largest outdoor POP-UP space the festival has ever seen, with more than forty-five homegrown lifestyle brands and designers. Each of them has prepared surprises, ranging from exclusive collectives, news releases, discounts, contests and more. And no matter what you’re looking for—ecological, artisanal, ultra trendy, comfortable, sporty, luxurious, men, women or children products—there is a great offer for everyone, each one good for the local economy. It’s the perfect way to discover the innovative Quebec artisans.