Toronto’s island airport will be home to 3 nights of fashion shows

If you’re looking for a fashion party that breaks away from the ordinary, RCHIVE’s Toronto Fashion Week (TOFW) might be setting a new bar.

This season, they are taken their runway show to Billy Bishop Airport, putting the city’s island airport on center stage for TOFW F/W24. This unique venue choice is more than just a backdrop, it represents RCHIVE’s mission to push boundaries.

Why an airport? According to RCHIVE, it’s all about capturing the city’s “urban vibe” and creating an experience that feels exclusive and unexpected. And, of course, they had to one-up their previous fashion show which took place in an abandoned TTC station.  

“We chose Billy Bishop Airport because of its iconic presence in Toronto and its unique location,” says co-founder Sadaf Emami. “This felt like the perfect way to elevate the fashion experience beyond the traditional runway setting.”

The unconventional venue adds an “innovative feel” to the event, transforming the idea of a fashion show into something a bit more memorable. Some collections will be featured in a ‘hangar’ section, while other shows will make use of the long, large-windowed, high-ceiling hallways, with rows of airplanes in the backdrop.

Launching their own fashion week so close to Fashion Art Toronto’s (FAT) Fall Week might seem a bit ambitious, but RCHIVE sees this as an opportunity to expand Toronto’s fashion landscape.

“We believe that a true fashion week experience involves multiple stages and numerous shows happening throughout the city during that week,” the founder tells blogTO.

A model struts the runway at their last fashion show in an abandoned TTC station/RCHIVE 

The brand also manages a storefront location at 780 King St. West, hosting pop-ups, local designers, and just about anything to do with the creative local scene.

This isn’t easy while organizing an event of the scale of TOFW F/W24, but for the team at RCHIVE, you have to rely on intense passion and commitment. They’re on a direct mission to put Toronto on the map for fashion by highlighting all the incredible talent emerging from our city. 

“The whole team shares the same values and goals for promoting what comes out of Toronto,” says RCHIVE. It’s a team effort to juggle the demands of a storefront and a fashion week, but with shared responsibilities and a deep love for the city’s fashion scene, they’re able to make it through another year.

For TOFW F/W 24, RCHIVE has curated a lineup of designers who reflect Toronto’s diversity, with collections that range from streetwear to avant-garde. “Inclusivity and diversity are central to the ‘vision’,” Emami says. “We want to showcase the voices and perspectives that make the city so vibrant.”

Friday will host shows presenting the work of brands like Rhapsody, Worldwide Denim, Macel & Loco One, with a final presentation featuring Alexander Nicholson.

The final night is on Saturday, and it will open with Starmony, along with showcases from Mufaro Mukoki, Afterlife Studios, Udopi & a finale show featuring “revived RCHIVE pieces,” which will end the two-day fashion event.

As for what the public can expect?

“Without giving too much away, some pieces embody Toronto’s cultural diversity and flair,” hints Emami. With designs that span a variety of styles, from ready-to-wear to daring, boundary-pushing pieces, the airport runway show seems to promise an unforgettable showcase of local creativity.

RCHIVE’s approach is clear: they’re taking fashion beyond the conventional, and their choice of Billy Bishop Airport as a venue is a statement suggesting the brand is dedicated to celebrating Toronto’s fashion scene and its vibrant spirit.

The shows will run from Nov. 15 to 16, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Billy Bishop Airport. To get the to venue, you can travel by ferry or through the underwater passageway, where you will be directed by guides to ‘Hangar 2’, located adjacent to the main building.

The tickets range in price depending on seat location. General admission starts at $35, while front row seats are priced at $50. A general admission day pass will also be available starting at $135, while front row day passes are $187.