Local models from the Fusion V fashion show

Model behaviour

From promoting diverse models to a growing fashion movement

BY: Simona Siad
Photos by: Lindsay A. Moleirinho of Photos by Lam

WHAT DO YOU do when you notice a dearth of black models, designers and stylists getting a chance to strut down Canadian fashion runways? Easy –– you make your own runway.

At least that’s what the Fusion fashion team decided to do. Comprised of a group of enterprising models, stylists, designers and marketing graduates, the group saw a gap in Toronto’s somewhat exclusive fashion scene and decided to fi ll it.

“Being a former model in Toronto, I used to do fashion shows and I noticed there was always a lack of ethnic models,” says Janelle Morgan, creator of the show and founder of her own modelling agency, Morgan Model Management.

“Whether it was Chinese, East Indian, black, it didn’t matter. So I felt that I wanted to have a nurturing environment for models where they can kind of get developed, then be able to show people that we can walk the runway just as great as non-ethnic girls. From there, it just took off.”

And it has taken off. From their fi rst show hosted at a downtown nightclub pulling in 100 people, to recent shows at larger venues hosting 650-plus people, there is a defi nite buzz following their events. What started off as a grassroots concept to promote different types of beauty has truly evolved into a trendy underground fashion scene showcasing some of Toronto’s premier black fashion talent.

Members from the Fusion fashion team, from left: R. Montana Joseph, Janelle Morgan, Craigg Slowly, Michelle Wright and Nicholla Duke

“Fashion is exciting and we believe in everyone being able to express themselves,” says Nicholla Duke, one of the Fusion stylists. “We are just a collective of people who wanted to work together and found fashion to be the one thing we had in common to unite us. We wanted to provide an alternative to the shopping scene at the mall. There is a lot of style in Toronto, but I think people don’t have options.”

According to Duke, the desire to create Fusion also came after seeing a lack of fashion opportunities and doors closing on young black designers due to a lack of support.

“Predominantly, we use third- or fourth-year fashion students. The problem is rising designers in Toronto don’t have a forum to display their work, so it’s our intention to give them that place and to help them gain customers and exposure,” says Duke. “Most of them don’t have the funds to get an entry into L’Oreal Fashion Week, or they need sponsorship. But these designers need a start, they need a chance and that’s what we provide.”

Despite all of their recent success, the roadblocks are still there. Funding is still an issue for the founding members and venues are still hard to book, with club managers shying away from holding an “urban” event.

“Our tagline is ‘Urban Meets Vogue.’ It’s a blend of the urban community meeting high fashion. But I fi nd that as soon as somebody reads our press kit or we mention that it’s an urban show, they automatically associate it with negativity or something that may turn out to be violent,” says Duke. “That’s not the type of show we put on, but we do fi nd it hard to fi nd venues to give us the chance.”

But with more and more people coming out to their events, major sponsors coming onboard and young designers asking to be included, Duke and Morgan are optimistic. “No one believed we would get this far,” says Morgan. “They didn’t believe we had what it takes to continue, but we fi nd it within ourselves to do it. We see the reason why. Every time we do a show, we fi nd another reason to go forward.”

“We’re like, the little show that could,” Duke quips. “It’s so true. We just keep going and going.”