The power and process of Costume Design for film and TV does far more than cloth the actors. It gives clues about character, informs the story, involves couture design and so much more. In conversation with 3 leading Costume Designers, Alex Kavanagh, Christine Toye and Leslie Kavanagh, share details of their process, on set stories and examples of when design is not just about clothing.

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Do fashion exhibitions belong within museums? Dr Alexandra Palmer, who oversees the third largest fashion and textile collection in world, discusses the relevancy and importance of fashion in cultural institutions. As a global authority on Christian Dior and curator of ground-breaking exhibits she is critical voice within the fashion industry.

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In conversation with Canadian fashion model Kim Cloutier, and resident style experts including celebrity stylist Joe Zee and ELLE Canada’s Editor-in-Chief, Vanessa Craft, cast of the new design competition series STITCHED. Live from Toronto Fashion week they discuss how media is democratizing fashion, personal career stories and behind the scenes tidbits from this new series.

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The relationship between fashion and the LGBTQplus community has a long history; from coded dressing in the 1800s to increasing gender fluidity with dressing to the AIDS crisis to the immense impact of M.A.C and Fashion Cares. Phillip Ing, now a special consultant to M.A.C Cosmetics after years as an executive, as well as the producer and artistic director of the immensely successful AIDS fundraiser Fashion Cares; and Jim Searle, co-founder and co-designer of the iconic fashion label Hoax Couture who has worked with Phillip on every year of Fashion Cares, discuss the historical roots of fashion and gay culture.

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The fashion industry is often one to lead cultural change. The issue of diversity in the industry as it relates to race, body and gender is a hot topic and Sage Paul, Haley Elsaesser and Adrienne Wu are leaders in the industry and activism inclusivity. This episode of Fashion Talks was recorded in front of a live audience as part of the Urbani_T festival in Toronto, ON.

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It takes approximately 2900 gallons of water to make one pair of traditional cotton jeans. That's equivalent to 10,977one litre water bottles. When the three Taubenfligel siblings began their sustainable denim label Triarchy they set out to change that. Triarchy has grown to be an award winning brand, most recently taking home the Fashion Impact CAFA Award and the H&M Sustainability Award, with retailer and consumer demand on the rise.

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Fashion and royalty have always gone hand in hand. From as far back as Queen Victoria the British Royals have influenced styles, trends and designer acclaim. Since Princess Diana this power gets ever more pronounced as she was, and now Princess Kate and Meghan Markle are, among the most photographed women in the world. Author Shinan Govani and designer Bojana Sentaler discuss the lasting impact the Royals have on fashion. 

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April 2018 marks the 5th year of the deadly collapse of Rana Plaza. A massive garment factory in Bangladesh that shocked the world over with its appalling working conditions. Fashion Revolution is a global movement rooted in demanding transparency for the garment industry around labour conditions, fair wages and environmental impact. Kelly Drenann, founder of Fashion Takes Action, and its creative director and longest collaborator, Sarah Jay, discuss the broad strokes of fashion and sustainability.

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Fashion and Designing for the Future with Gersha Phillips, Costume Designer Star Trek Discovery - from pop culture and historical references to existing Star Fleet heritage to technological advances what does fashion look like in star date 2250.

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Guillermo del Toro's The Shape of Water, a fairy tale of a 1960s janitor and her relationship with a sea-creature captured in the name of science experimentation, earned 13 Academy Award nominations and numerous accolades and awards including: Best Director and Best Score 2017 Golden Globes, BAFTA winner for Best Production Design, Best Original Music, Best Direction, AFI Film of the Year and more. Costume design incorporates intensive research, character development, garment construction and more to bring to life the story on the screen. Costume Designer Luis Sequeira (nominated for Best Costume Designer by dozens of organizations including the Academy Awards

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