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CAFA Profiles

CAFA, CAFA Gala, CAFA Profiles

2024 CAFA HOST – BROOKE LYNN HYTES

Equal parts ballerina, showgirl, and 90’s supermodel, Brooke Lynn Hytes is drag perfection – personified.  A Toronto native, Brooke Lynn Hytes received her dance training at the National Ballet School of Canada and in 2008, she traveled worldwide performing as a principal ballerina with Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo – an all male drag ballet company.

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SSENSE CO_FOUNDERS, Firas Atallah, Bassel Atallah, and Rami Atallah
2022 GALA, CAFA Gala, CAFA Honoree, CAFA Profiles, Outstanding Achievement Award Honoree, SSENSE

SSENSE – 2022 CAFA Outstanding Achievement Award Honoree

CO-FOUNDERS, Firas Atallah, Bassel Atallah, and Rami Atallah. SSENSE is a global technology platform operating at the intersection of culture, community, and commerce. Headquartered in Montreal, it features a mix of established and emerging luxury brands across womenswear, menswear, kidswear, and Everything Else TM.

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CAFA Profiles

VAIKEN – Emerging Fashion Fridays

VAIKEN – Emerging Fashion Fridays Valérie Tolila is a woman on a mission. Back in 2000, Tolila embarked on what would be a 13-year trip through Europe. While living in Istanbul, she decided to take a chance and enrolled in fashion design at LaSalle College International. She graduated with honours in two years and was chosen as the assistant to Vivienne Westwood during Istanbul’s first fashion week. As part of this highly publicized event, she had the opportunity to work with several high-profile designers, including Ferragamo, Roberto Cavalli and Missoni. Honing in on her craft, she was invited to Paris fashion week and attended shows for Balmain and Valentino, amongst others. Following this, she began working under the tutelage of famed Portuguese designer António Augustus who encouraged her to develop a capsule collection. Her passion for creating was cemented and upon returning to Montréal in 2013, Tolila launched her label:…

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