The Canadian Movers and Shakers
in the Fashion Industry
BY STEPHANIE TRENDOCHER, FW Writer

True style makers are fearless in their fashion
choices. From models and designers to editors
and fashion directors, these Canadian style icons
are setting the pulse in the fashion industry.

Joanna Hillman, Senior Fashion Market
Editor at Teen Vogue is a leading lady in the
fashion industry. Raised in Toronto, Hillman
long dreamed of working for Vogue since she was
a small child. She graduated with a Visual Arts
degree from Western University and went on to
land a lucrative gig at Teen Vogue. While she is
often seen donning Marni, Phillip Lim, Marc
Jacobs and Alexander Wang (just a few of her
favourite designers), Hillman acknowledges that
true style is effortless and cannot be created by
wearing an entire designer ensemble.

Suzanne Timmins’ career revolves around
trend forecasting, but the fashion director for
HBC hardly follows trends herself. Timmins
prefers style that is simple and true to the
individual, noting Charlotte Gainsbourg and
Tilda Swinton as her style icons. At 52, she has
learned that there are no boundaries to dressing
your age. After all, if you’re not going to wear it
now when are you going to wear it?

Fashion model, Coco Rocha, is ruling
the runway with her cool, edgy styles. While
modeling and fashion were not her passion
growing up, she has taken the industry by
storm. With the constant slew of thin blonde
look-a-likes marching down the runway, Rocha
stands out with her graceful (she was an Irish
dancer growing up) and confidant appearance.
Just recently she spoke at the CFDA Health
Initiative about the pressure on models to be thin,
recounting her own experiences at fittings and
offered solutions to the issue. Rocha has become
an admirable and positive role model in more
ways than just her style.

Daria Werbowy is another Canadian fashion

Style Makers darling. The 24-yearold

fashion model is more than just a
natural beauty. As one
of the most soughtafter
faces, she brings
a simple glamour to
her style combining
a sporty aesthetic
with a unique street
edge. Most recently
Werbowy teamed up
with Lancome to create
a special makeup
collection that donated
proceeds to Centro
Espacial Vik Muniz,
a children’s charity in
Rio de Janeiro. Despite
being a model whose
lifestyle has non-stop
glamour potential,
Daria managaes to stay
down to earth and true
to her roots.

Flare Magazine’s Fashion Director, Liz
Cabral, has a distinct style all her own. After
graduating from Ryerson University in the
Fashion Marketing program, Cabral interned at
Flare Magazine before landing her dream gig.
And though she is surrounded day in and out
by the must luxurious labels, Cabral sticks to
season-less items that won’t fade out of fashion
too quickly. Favourite designers include Marni,
Jeremy Laing and Prada but she avoids anything
too obvious from the runway. Mixing high and
low pieces is key to her look and helps to update
old pieces.

Finally we get to the Beckermen sisters,
Caillianne, Chloe and Samantha, who are the
designers behind the Beckermen label. Drawing
inspiration from their city surroundings, the
sisters claim that fashion is a mindset. Take one
look at them and you’ll see their look is a mix of
high and low, their own designs and vintage. It’s
no wonder their muse is hipster model Agyness
Deyn. For these sisters, unique style obviously
runs in the family.