Connecting her fashion designs to her identity is something that comes naturally to Mufaro Mukoki, a Toronto-based fashion designer.
Having come to Canada from Zimbabwe, many of her pieces take inspiration from the immigrant experience. A piece Mukoki created had the arm sleeves sewn together to convey her message.
“It’s literally the concept of restriction. If you’ve ever had to travel from certain countries, we kind of have a little bit more restrictions of what you can do when you get there,” she said.
“Having your arms connected and not being able to walk properly is kind of how I felt restriction,” she said.
BFSA welcomed a diverse group of guests that ranged from TMU students to industry professionals. Many of them before the event, such as Catalina “Cat” Valencia Silva, were looking forward to engaging with the message of the show.
“I’m really excited to see the overall production of everything and how the clothes and music and the lighting, just how everything ties together to send out the message they’re trying to,” they said.
Ultimately, everyone involved in the show is grateful for the opportunities and connections they gained because of it. Dkota Knight, one of the models, was grateful for the space BFSA created.
“It was really nice to see an inclusive space with so much diversity, so many talented people and it was such a warm, welcoming space. I would really encourage people to come out next year or whenever they’re hosting another fashion show,” she said.