First List of Designers for Montreal Fashion Week Revealed

Related: Montreal Fashion Week, Apparel

Groupe Sensation Mode announced the partial program for the fall-winter 2013 edition of Montréal Fashion Week (MFW), taking place February 4 to 7 at the Arsenal. The initial list includes 13 hand-picked designers and more than 30 are expected for the complete F/W 13 program. This international spotlight on creativity is presented in collaboration with P&G Beauty & Grooming and is held twice a year, bringing together industry influencers from across Canada.

The first designers that have registered for MFW fall-winter 2013 to date are: Mélissa Nepton, Harricana, Ralph Leroy, L'autre couture de Luko Marion, RUSH COUTURE by CLAUDETTE FLOYD, Nisse, Pedram Karimi, Matière noire, COKLUCH, Symbiose by Hinda A., Maryline Baril, Jennifer Glasgow Design and Voyou.

The event serves as a launch-pad for designers to showcase their upcoming seasonal collections and is known for its quality program that stands out from other fashion weeks around the world. In addition to runway shows, MFW also presents a series of exhibitions, conferences, artistic performances and fashion films during the four-day event. Carly Stojsic of WGSN will present a conference looking at macro-trends for the 2014 spring-summer season, with others to be announced.

"Our team is very excited about the upcoming edition of MFW," said Chantal Durivage, co-president and co-founder of Groupe Sensation Mode. "The success of spring-summer 2013 left us inspired and so we have kept the stand-out elements and are working on adding new ones. One of these additions is the creation of a new room for the small collections that will feature a more intimate format, giving the designers a greater level of creative freedom."

The Target Emerging Designer Award will also make its debut at MFW in Feburary. The five designer finalists will show their creations at a fashion show, with the grand-prize winner announced at the end of the event. The winner will be presented with a $25,000 grant and the opportunity to create an exclusive collection that will be sold at Target Stores in Québec.

Advance tickets for Montreal Fashion Week are on sale now at www.montrealfashionweek.ca. Pre-sale tickets are available until December 24 with the following promotional packages:

- One 4-day passport: $176.96 (all inclusive)

- Two 4-day passports: $275 (all inclusive)

- One 1-day passport: $61.98 (all inclusive)

- Two 1-day passports: $100 (all inclusive)

MFW F/W 13 Selection Committee

Groupe Sensation Mode created a Designer Selection Committee six years ago in response to the needs of a constantly evolving fashion industry. This Committee meets before each fashion week to select the new talent that will present their collections at the next MFW. The members are responsible for evaluating applications submitted with a view that meets MFW participation standards and criteria. This season, the Committee members include: Marie Geneviève Cyr, professor at New York's Parsons The New School For Design; Martina Djogo, decoration, fashion and trend reporter at Elle Québec; Jean-Claude Poitras, multidisciplinary designer and design columnist; Andrew McNally, professor at Collège LaSalle and fashion writer; and Ariane LaSalle, program and creative director at Groupe Sensation Mode.

About Groupe Sensation Mode (GSM)

Following a decade marked by a myriad of activities, Groupe Sensation Mode continues to produce and present major fashion events in Canada and around the world. Known for its prestigious annual events such as Montréal Fashion Week and the Fashion and Design Festival, GSM has also created unique concepts such as the Fashion Theatre (on stages in Berlin, Tokyo, New York and London) and the Fashion & Opera Runway Show in Los Angeles. For the past 12 years, the innovative events organized by Groupe Sensation Mode have served as a brand, featuring the creativity and talent of designers. Thanks to partnerships established in a number of fashion capitals including Paris, Berlin and Tokyo, Groupe Sensation Mode is proud of its leadership position among the top fashion and design names in North America. For more information, visit: www.sensationmode.com.