Promoting Style
As a vital player in both the Canadian fashion design scene and the Television Industry, Linda has given direction to emerging Canadian designers and provided expert advice and comments to the media.
She has written columns about fashion for NUVO and Lou Lou magazines and has been interviewed by The Globe and Mail, The National Post, Canadian Press and the Montreal
Gazette. Linda also participates in panel discussions, hosts fashion shows, juries competitions and comments on students work.
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Linda Gaylard's Magazine Articles
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How To Adapt Your Fall Wardrobe to the Spring Trends
- LouLou Magazine (Spring '06) |
written by Linda Gaylard
All fabrics a go. Don't wait for the snow to melt to pull out your chiffon blouses and silky skirts. Mix and match them with your tweed pants or velvet jacket. Prints charming. Cherry-blossom prints looked delicious on the runways, so try pairing a soft, floral top with grey...
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A Coloratura Performance - Nuvo Magazine (Autumn '06) |
written by Linda Gaylard
As a toddler, a fascinated Rosemary sat under the cutting table of her grandmother’s couture studio playing with rich silks and brocades. In the 50’s, when Sri Lanka was known as Ceylon and ruled by the British, her ‘umma’ designed and constructed dazzling gowns and suits for the socialites of Columbo.
It has taken Rosemarie Umetsu several decades, but she has found her way back to the allure of fine fabrics and while she does not practise the same couture methods - draping and cutting of cloth on the client - she has fashioned a business that caters to her customers every fashion need. The journey was an evolving one that took her to England in the early 80’s to study piano and then to Toronto to qualify as a piano teacher. With stints in interior design, product...
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Fashion's Vantage Point - Nuvo Magazine (Autumn '04) |
written by Linda Gaylard
“Canada has a plethora of young talent”, L.A. stylist Phillip Bloch told us during his informal talk at Fall 2004/2005 Toronto Fashion Week, where this season, his high profile presence almost eclipsed the runway fashions. I even found myself searching his face for reactions while we sat on opposite sides of the runway. Still, his interest in our rising stars was an endorsement of sorts. Arthur Mendonca’s focussed show impressed him. Mr. Bloch even managed a midnight studio visit to see Thien Le’s fall collection at the behest of Dierdre Kelly as we mingled at the Missoni reception. “You can’t come to Toronto and not see his gowns.” And off he went! The presence of the Missoni family, in town to present their stunning 50th retrospective show, boosted the glamour quotient of TFW which...
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Canadian Cats Walk - Nuvo Magazine (Autumn '03) |
written by Linda Gaylard
Contrast was the theme of Toronto Fashion Week this past spring, resulting in Fall/Winter 2003/04 collections that were the richest in recent history. Canadian designers set aside the worries of business long enough to be inspired by the significance of world and social events. They sited diplomatic stand-offs, imperialism, and the fragility of peace and beauty as the inspiration for conceptual runway stories entitled Code Red, Clair-Obscur, Women of the Land, Urban Jungle and Dust of the Earth. David Dixon's standout show was set at the Royal Canadian Legion. Inspired by a love letter that Dixon's grandfather sent to his grandmother from the trenches of World War One, the seasoned designer graced both his men's and women's wear collections of orderly capelets, naval collars and spencers with romantic embellishments of fringe, beading and ribbons emblazoned with...
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Dressed Up for the Genies - Nuvo Magazine (Spring '03) |
written by Linda Gaylard
The Twenty Third Annual Genie Awards are approaching and from my vantage point it is the start of a busy month of fittings, gown selections, jewellery and evening bag decisions. With new clients, instilling confidence in my abilities can be tedious but is necessary when a celebrity’s career is fastened to their image of themselves. My mandate: excellence in Canadian fashion matched with excellence in Canadian film. Thursday: Teri Hart has been selected as the host of the Genie pre-show, and two on-air presentations. She hosts “At the Movies”, on The Movie Network and Family Channel. Hers is the world of movie junkets and the pursuit of the insightful interview. I will see if she’d like my help again this year. I’ll be able to bypass the agent and work with her directly. It is satisfying when...
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| "It's very difficult for a new fashion designer to get his or her unknown brand into the market, the media and onto celebrities. But with Linda's help and support, many TFI designers have made that leap. Thank you Linda, for being a wonderful enthusiast of new fashion talent and for your tremendous support of TFI." |
| Susan Langdon, Executive Director, Toronto Fashion Incubator |
