Canada's power players

SIMON HUCKprincipal, Command PR

While most celebrity publicists run themselves ragged trying to contain controversy, every bit of Kardashian-clan drama is buzz-building gold for their gatekeeper, Simon Huck. After several appearances on the family's reality series, the self-proclaimed "PR Prince" even landed his own show. Although it was cancelled after one season, The Spin Crowd solidified the Ottawa native's status as a small-screen-slash-social-media star in his own right.

TOBI LÜTKE founder and CEO, Shopify

Tobi Lütke chanced upon the inspiration for his online-retail platform shortly after moving to Canada from Germany 14 years ago. Dissatisfied with the e-commerce software available for his own online snowboard shop, Lütke shifted his focus and Shopify was born. Ten years later, the Ottawa-based company boasts over 300,000 merchants in more than 150 countries and counts celebrities including Adele and Kanye West as customers.

DANIEL LALONDE president and CEO,
Sandro, Maje and Claudie Pierlot (SMCP)

In his nearly 30-year career, Daniel Lalonde has climbed the corporate ranks through Nestlé Nespresso, LVMH and Ralph Lauren. Since the Cornwall, Ont.-born executive took the helm at SMCP in 2014, the French fashion group has opened more than 100 new stores each year and seen over 30 per cent annual increase in sales. In true Canadian fashion, Lalonde has been known to credit his success to good sense and hard work.

ROSEMIN MANJI founder and managing director, RR&Co

As head of one of the leading luxury management firms in the Middle East, Rosemin Manji hosted Burberry creative director Christopher Bailey on his first trip to Dubai and helped to launch Vogue Arabia. When she's not overseeing the global expansion of brands like Céline, Max Mara and Sotheby's, she can be found starring in campaigns for the likes of Roberto Coin and socializing with such fashion icons as Tom Ford and Christian Louboutin (she even has a red-soled shoe named after her). London, Ont.-born Manji is disarmingly down-to-earth, gravitating to the softer side of power. "Being Canadian teaches you to be humble, tolerant and kind," she says.

KARLA WELCH stylist

One half of celebrity-styling team Kemal & Karla, Karla Welch creates red-carpet looks for stars like Michelle Williams, Karlie Kloss and Hailee Steinfeld. The B.C. native has also been keeping busy dressing long-time client and fellow Canuck Justin Bieber for the Purpose World Tour. "Justin is a true collaborator," she says. "He is fearless with fashion and we have such a good time pushing each other." The tour wardrobe, co-designed by Fear of God's Jerry Lorenzo, was recently picked up by luxury American retailer Barneys. For all of Welch's stateside success, she remains an ardent supporter of homegrown style. "I just started working with one of my favourite Canadian brands, Aldo," she says. "It's so nice to feel connected to a brand I've shopped my whole life."

TOMMY TON photographer and founder, TommyTon.com

Ever since he burst onto the scene with his blog Jak and Jil in 2005, Tommy Ton has paved the way for street style to become an essential part of fashion coverage. After more than a decade of dashing between shows to shoot the world's most stylish men and women, the Oakville, Ont.-born lensman launched his namesake site last year. "I still pinch myself to this day," he says. "I never thought in a million years that I would be able to travel around the world and meet the people I look up to and form bonds and friendships with them." In addition to capturing runway and behind-the-scenes images for designers including Dries Van Noten and Jonathan Anderson, Ton – who has shot editorials for the likes of Vogue Russia and Harper's Bazaar – is also working on his debut book. "I think the only career goal I still hope to achieve is to continue doing what I love and to be happy."

JOANNA HILLMAN style director, Harper's Bazaar

Toronto-born Joanna Hillman kicked off her editorial career as the senior fashion market editor at Teen Vogue more than a decade ago. Now, as the style director at Harper's Bazaar, the perennially red-lipped front-row regular oversees fashion shoots for the magazine. "I think being Canadian has really affected my work ethic and success," she says. "Although I am an American citizen now, I have been on multiple working visas for over 10 years and I always felt I needed to work doubly hard to prove my worth." Still a proud Canadian, Hillman cites a few fellow Canucks among her top designers. "Erdem and Jason Wu have always been favourites of mine," she says. "I also love Tanya Taylor's prints and Thomas Tait is one to watch." Hillman recently revisited her roots for a September-issue spread styled by Linda Evangelista and photographed in the model's Southern Ontario hometown, St. Catharines.

VEJAS KRUSZEWSKI fashion designer, Vejas

Remember the name Vejas Kruszewski, even if you can't pronounce it. At 19 years old, the self-taught designer was recognized in June by an LVMH Prize jury that included Karl Lagerfeld, Marc Jacobs and Nicolas Ghesquière for his "exceptional talent," winning $218,000 and a year-long mentorship with the luxury goods group. "It is incredibly validating to be recognized by such an accomplished jury," says Kruszewski. Working out of his small Spadina Avenue studio, the Torontonian recently teamed up with another influential local to create looks for Drake's Summer Sixteen tour. "Considering the rising relevance of fashion and design within the context of concert tours, it was a great exercise to consider our point of view in conjunction with that of the artist's own brand of style," he says. "The reach of something like that within pop culture is really amazing."