The CAFA celebrates 10th anniversary and The Stratford Festival Gala honours Lucy Peacock

The Canadian Arts and Fashion Awards, Oct. 14, Toronto

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Canadian Arts and Fashion Awards. While CAFA might be best known for its splashy annual awards show which lauds the industry’s top talents, the organization does great work throughout the year to bolster the industry at large via fashion shows, pop-ups, panel discussions and even a podcast, but maybe most importantly, tactful partnerships with major brands and industry players, who help further amplify the work of a truly diverse roster of Canadian talent. The night of Oct. 14 saw the latest batch of awards doled out, with attendees, presenters and winners from across the country gathered at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto in their best Canadian styles. Trophies were given in categories including accessories (brand Vitaly was the winner) and stylist of the year (Nadia Pizzimenti, a Globe and Mail contributor, was the winner) and also big prizes which honoured work that goes beyond performance in the past calendar year. The Change Maker Awards were given by singer and actor Jully Black, first to KNIX founder Joanna Griffith. Later, Aurora James, designer and a founder of the Fifteen Percent Pledge, which works to diversify the industry, was recognized with the Vanguard Award. Dani Reiss, chairman and CEO of Canada Goose, was given the Outstanding Achievement Award by President and vice-chairman of the Toronto Raptors, Masai Ujiri, following his introduction by Anishinaabekwe storyteller and model Sarain Fox, who remarked on his good work with Indigenous communities in Canada and beyond. Amber-Dawn Bear Robe, who has devoted much of her career to championing Indigenous creators, serving currently as curator of Indigenous Fashion for the Southwestern Association for Indigenous Arts, was recognized too with a Change Maker Award, and capping off the evening were perhaps the awards with the most anticipation: the menswear and womenswear designer of the year, which this year were given to labels École de Pensée and LAMARQUE, respectively.

Richard Bernardin and Vicky Milner.Supplied

Dorian Who and Nadia Pizzimenti.Supplied

Sasha Exeter and Christian Thompson.Supplied

The Stratford Festival Gala, Oct. 2, Toronto

The previous week at the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto, another award was being given, this one in recognition of an actor’s contributions to the stage, in particular, the Stratford Festival. The Stratford Legacy Award, which over the past decade has been given to names including Maggie Smith, Eric McCormack and the late, great Martha Henry, was this year presented to stage legend Lucy Peacock, who has for decades (nearly four) graced Stratford’s stages in more than 80 productions. The evening also serves as the festival’s annual fundraising gala, with monies raised supporting the development of productions as well as public programming. Back as co-chairs were Wendy Pitblado, David Simmonds and Barry Avrich. Also in attendance were Thom Allison, Gregory Hoskins, Antonette Rudder and Sara Topham, who all performed in Peacock’s honour, and fellow actor Sheila McCarthy who served as the night’s host; festival-supporting couples including Sandra and Jim Pitblado, Laura Dinner and Richard Rooney, and Mary Ann and Robert Garlin; and there too of course were Antoni Cimolino, the festival’s artistic director, and associate artistic director Anita Gaffney.