Fashion Art Toronto’s 20th anniversary delivered boundary pushing design and “The Genesis Paradox” raised the bar

By Dickson Ntiamoah & Cris Nippard

Fashion Art Toronto (FAT), Canada’s longest running multi-disciplinary fashion event, marked its annual Fall/Winter season this year from Nov. 10 to 16. Celebrating its 20th year, the event made its way across the city and gathered fashion enthusiasts dedicated to blurring the lines between runways and performance art.

Taking place on Nov. 14, one of FAT’s busiest days, “The Genesis Paradox” wasn’t just another runway. A collaboration between FAT, Toronto Metropolitan University’s School of Fashion and brand L’Uomo Strano (founded by Black, queer fashion designer and TMU professor Mic Carter), the show explored wearable art and human biorhythm. From structural silhouettes to biomorphic detailing, the runway delivered some of the most daring looks of the season.

Here are our top seven.

This look, titled “FEAR” by designer Trish Kapilan, captivated the runway with its quiet and radiant power. The model moved with a regal composure, while her skin, adorned with delicate face paint, shimmered under the glow of the lights. The lighting also highlighted her hair, which was elegantly pulled back and accented with yellow flowers. The touch of the organic beauty of the flowers paired with the metallic sheen of the face paint was especially striking.

This outfit was a masterclass in layering. A sheer, silver toned corset top clung to her torso, its structure ever so subtle. With its translucent fabric, it hints at a quiet strength beneath the delicate veil. For the bottom, a flowing ankle length skirt in a lustrous satin draped her legs. The skirt’s most eye-catching detail? The intricate, hand-embroidered beading that traced its seams, reflecting the light with every step as if it were liquid mercury.

Paired with sleek white boots, the look balanced romance and futurism and was a truly captivating moment from Trish Kapilan’s contribution to “The Genesis Paradox” collection.

This look, also by Kapilan, commanded awe. The model danced down the runway, completely veiled in white gauze — face hidden, form softened. No makeup, no expression, just the suggestion of a body beneath sheer fabric, moving like the morning mist.

The look was hauntingly beautiful. Almost sacred. The audience leaned in and many of them lowered their phones. Not just to observe the details in the garment, but as a clear attempt to feel the story exuding from the walk. Even with stacks of silver bangles adoring the model’s wrists, she managed to move as silently and gracefully as a swan.

Gliding down the runway in an elfin manner, this look, “ECLOSION” once again by Kapilan, was sculptural poetry. A minimalist, white band top and matching briefs were a canvas for the centerpiece: an oversized, cascading coat woven entirely from thick, lustrous strands of platinum blonde hair. Our favourite aspect of the look was the back of the dress, with the hair being braided in intricate patterns and forming a beautiful Targaryen-esque shape.

The garment’s structure is deceptively simple, yet complex beyond the surface. Its wide, open front frames the body, while its dramatic, floor-sweeping length and voluminous sleeves create an aura of otherworldly grandeur. The texture is glossy and mesmerizing, catching the light with every step to create a shimmering, almost molten effect. This look was less clothing and more wearable architecture.

While the rest of the show felt very magical, this look by TMU student fashion collective SOLAR grounded everything in poetic realism. A male model presented it with a calm, thoughtful and almost introspective presence. He wore a rich, crimson coat that draped over his shoulders effortlessly. The coat laid over a cream corseted top that, at its centre, had bone embellishments attached to him as armour.

The model carried himself in a sombre yet grounded way, as though he was holding space for something the audience wasn’t privy too. Each step he took felt purposeful, and each layer adorned on him felt specifically placed to tell a much bigger story.

This ensemble by Tunggiya, which debuted earlier this year during Vancouver Fashion Week, drew looks with its thoughtful energy. The model walked with this quiet intensity, like she had just stepped out of a hazy dream.

Her top was something that we had to fight the urge to not reach out and touch. It was tightly coiled, almost like braided rope or a molded fibre. In deep black, its high neck and bouclé-esque material made it seem protective, as if it were modern day armour. From the waist down, everything bursts into motion. Layers of golden-brown tulle tumbled freely and bounced with each step. It was asymmetrical and alive. With each sway, controlled chaos occurred as light caught the colour of the tulle with every step.

The dress reminds us of the idea of transformation itself — the taking of something rough and rigid and letting it bloom into something fluid and free. Paired with simple black heels, the entire walk felt sensible and transcendent.

Dressed in a celestial spotlight that seemed to crown her, this look by P. Kirstine Fernandez was one of pure drama. The model commanded the runway with regality and serenity that forced the audience to sit up and pay attention. Her expression was as intense and focused as a modern monarch’s might be.

She wore a gown that was just as much a statement as it was a sculpture. Strapless and fitted, its bodice in a rich, textured gold. It hugged the model’s form at the top, then cascades into a skirt. The dress flowed outwards and its voluminous silhouette made it look like a cloud of fabric that defied gravity. This dress is so much more than just fabric, it serves as a monument of the craftsmanship and ambition of its creator.

For us, this look by Meraki Merongke was the most memorable of the show. The model walked out as if she were a myth coming to life — a silver satin gown and her hair rising from her temples like a celestial crown. But then there was the orb she cradled against her womb. Dark, glossy, almost extraterrestrial.

That’s what drew our attention. It wasn’t just an accessory, it was held. Tenderly. Protectively. Like she was carrying something sacred. In that moment, she was more than a model. She was a guardian. A mother from another realm, cradling the source of life, the unknown, the future.

Her face was softly painted and her eyes were half closed, as if she were dreaming while walking down the runway. It wasn’t just beauty, it was reverence. A quiet celebration of creation and nurturing — of the unseen forces that shape us. It was a tribute to the mothers who carry worlds within them, visible or not.