The Canadian Arts & Fashion Awards (CAFA) gala looks different this year, and so does its CAFA 2021 red carpet. Ahead of tonight’s virtual ceremony celebrating Canadian excellence in the fashion industry, the style set got glammed up for remote close-ups in ensembles by their favourite Canadian designers in lieu of a live red carpet. Photographers George Pimentel and Jimmy Hamelin darted around Toronto and Montreal capturing the local looks and it’s a completely unique spin on a virtual red carpet.
From new mother Deborah Lau-Yu donning jewellery by J.Y. GAO, to Narces designer Nikki Wirthensohn Yassemi balancing tulle and sequins on a steep staircase, Canadian fashion’s finest spared no glamour. Anishinaabe activist and stylist Sarain Fox evinces bird-like energy in a lush forest, while Myles Sexton serves up a moment in an extravagant David Dunkley headpiece and Montreal-made Denis Gagnon dress. Each is an exhibit of its own.