It’s an exciting time for us at Mode Models, as we are entering our fifth season supporting Western Canada Fashion Week! We shot five models wearing five Edmontonain designers to celebrate our partnership with the start up. The image proudly commemorates the growing fashion community and our collaborations with talented Edmonton designers in the last few years.

Supporting local talent and bringing light to Edmonton’s burgeoning fashion industry has been of utmost importance to us. WCFW has served as a fantastic training platform for fresh faces looking to gain experience on the runway and many of those promising young models are taking the skills learned at the Transalta Arts Barns to propel themselves forward in the international market.

Since March 2011 we have been honoured to support Malorie Urbanovitch, Angelique Chmielewski, LUXX, Suka, and Nicole Campre among others. Malorie started working as a stylist for Mode Models. She started showing her eponymous ready to wear line in October 2010 and since then she has been featured in Fashion Magazine and British Vogue. Nicole Campre won WCFW’s inaugural Emerging Designer competition in April 2012. After getting a head start locally by designing for Loft 82, she is now moving forward with her ready to wear line. Nicole has also been featured in Fashion Magazine and British Vogue. Angelique Chmielewski is now based out of New York after graduating from New York’s prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology and working under contemporary designer Yigal Azrouel. Her collection can be found at Coup Garment Boutique.

Designers Alisha Schick of Suka Clothing and Derek Jagodzinsky of LUXX RTW have been local design darlings for many years. Alisha celebrated 10 years with her women’s line last year and teaches fashion design and illustration at MC College to the next generation when she isn’t designing her next collection. Derek graduated from the U of A with a Bachelor of Design, followed by an internship in New York with Michael Kaye Couture. In his spare time he is a graphic designer for WCFW and Phabrik Magazine as well heavily involved with their initiatives to support local designers. Both designers stock their wares locally at Bamboo Ballroom (Suka) and Thread Hill (LUXX).

These five local trendsetters have received incredible national and international attention, and are quickly raising the bar for the next generation of local artists. We chose to celebrate them as they continue to push the limits of Edmonton fashion and take it to new heights. We look forward to watching these talented individuals continue to grow in the next five seasons.