What to do with 6 yards of African cloth.

Tara Spencer-Nairn in Nada and Bridget Stuart in Izzy Camilleri. Photo: George Pimentel

Give it to 24 talented designers, let them work their magic, stage a fabulous runway event and raise a pile of money for a most worthy cause.

That’s the formula that’s made Dare to Wear Love the not-to-be-missed annual event of Canada’s fashion world.

This year, the love spreads into the art gallery with a  remarkable one-of-a-kind collection of original designs on view at the Textile Museum of Canada.

The exhibition idea was the initiative of the Museum. “It’s the first time the full collection of existing designs has been exhibited and the first museum exhibition of Canadian fashion designers,” said Director Shauna McCabe. “We worked in partnership with Dare to Wear Love founders Hoax Couture, the Stephen Lewis Foundation and Fashion Design Council of Canada to make it happen.”

One of the many great results of the partnership has been the broad attention the exhibition has received, focusing on the designs as well as the creative collaboration, garnering national press including the Globe & Mail, Radio Canada, CBC, Flare and Elle magazines. The Textile Museum will also host an open house for press as part of the Toronto Fashion Week program.

Tickets for the runway event March 16th, which closes Fashion Week in Toronto, are still available, here: http://www.new.daretowearlove.com/tickets/

Learn more about the designers.