Ones to Watch: 13 Up-and-Coming Canadian Designers Making Their Mark Worldwide

      Lauren Chan is an editor in residence at Who What Wear, a model, a former award-winning fashion editor, and the founder of Henning, a luxury plus-size clothing line. During the red carpet event at the 2026 Canadian Arts and Fashion Awards, a reporter asked me what defines Canadian fashion. My concise response? Its diversity. Upon further reflection, I believe this diversity is best illustrated by our emerging designers. This group includes women, queer individuals, Indigenous peoples, immigrants, and others. Their creative visions span from architectural tailoring to drag queen-inspired sculptures, influencing the global fashion scene, earning spots in the LVMH Prize semifinals, and dressing stars for "Heated Rivalry." This year, the nominees for CAFA's Emerging Talent Award in Fashion included Eduardo Ramos, Golshaah, Jozeph Diarbakerli, Serena Li, SteMargScot, and Tristan Réhel. In the Accessories category, nominees were Atacz, By Mademoiselle Jules, Studio Rybko, Sacrd Thndr, Vimeria, and WILYMI. The Fashion Design Student Award recognized Delbar Mohamadi, Hoang Gia Linh Doan, Kirstine Fernandez, Mackenzie Cyr, and Samuel Castaing. Below, I highlight some of my favorite emerging Canadian designers.

      1. **Golshaah**

      Golshaah is a brand founded by Golnar Ahmadian in Toronto, drawing from Iranian heritage to create seasonless, timeless pieces that explore bold femininity through architectural designs and careful tailoring. The collections are inspired by structure, proportion, and layering, striking a balance between strength and softness with styles like layered trousers and reversible shirts. My favorite piece from Golshaah includes bottoms that can be worn as shorts or pants depending on the orientation. One of my treasured items is a button-down shirt featuring a neck hole and collar positioned on the chest. This year, Golshaah received the CAFA Emerging Talent in Fashion award and advanced to the semifinals for the LVMH Prize.

      2. **Mario Fugnitto**

      Mario Fugnitto is a designer who merges fashion, sculpture, and dancewear. Established in Toronto in 2022, the brand is recognized for its wet-formed leather garments that fit the body with exceptional precision. Influenced by dance and queer culture, Fugnitto's designs convey a sense of tension. His pieces transform the body into both the subject and the statement—an example being a sculpted resin piece I wore at the 2024 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit red carpet. Fugnitto was nominated for the 2024 CAFA Emerging Talent award and has dressed Canadian stars like Grace Mahary and Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova.

      3. **Evan Clayton**

      Evan Clayton's brand fuses art and design, creating powerful political and imaginative expressions in every piece. The brand features luxurious, flamboyant eveningwear modeled by Canadian trans influencers such as Lauren Sundstrom. Since his debut collection in 2011, Clayton has gained international fame, showcasing in Canada, Austria, and Japan. His work has appeared in prominent publications such as Vogue UK, Vogue China, Paper Magazine, and Nylon. Notably, he has dressed celebrities including Doja Cat, Allie X, Brooke Candy, Carly Rae Jepsen, Kali Uchis, Candice Swanepoel, and various queens from RuPaul's Drag Race.

      4. **Brielle**

      Gabrielle Szynkarsky is the creative mind behind Brielle, a luxury womenswear brand in Montreal recognized for its sculptural, second-skin shapes and striking lace designs that celebrate femininity. Brielle has gained global attention, becoming a favorite among artists and public figures like Tyla, Camila Cabello, Kourtney Kardashian, and Paris Hilton. Szynkarsky was featured on the cover of Fashion magazine in September 2025 as a designer to watch, and more recently, Madonna donned custom Brielle gloves while performing at Coachella alongside Sabrina Carpenter.

      5. **Tristan Réhel**

      Tristan Réhel is an artist and designer from Montreal, now based in Antwerp, creating a unique space that blends fashion, costume, and visual art. His work ranges from exclusive couture items to ready-to-wear collections, characterized by a hands-on, craft-centric approach emphasizing theatricality and silhouette. His designs have been showcased on Alessia Cara for Fashion magazine and on emerging drag star Sami Landri in the latest season of Canada’s Drag Race. Réhel is passionate about subverting the notion of quiet luxury and minimalist aesthetics, striving to make fashion enjoyable.

      6. **Lesley Hampton**

      Lesley Hampton is a Toronto-based Anishinaabe designer who focuses on mental wellness and body neutrality in fashion through an Indigenous lens. She has created pieces for the Toronto Raptors and Toronto Maple Leafs and has dressed impactful figures like Lily Gladstone, Sandra Oh, Devery Jacobs, Rachel