Photo: festivalmodedesign on Instagram 

Located in the heart of downtown Montreal, the annual Fashion and Design Festival celebrates local creativity and culture through a diverse set of activities. This year, the event is set to place from August 15 until August 20. With over 50 shows, and as many as 300 participants, the Fashion and Design festival is a leading event in fashion, design, beauty and shopping. Each year, well-known and up and coming Canadian designers and retailers come together to share their visions with the public. The activities include fashion shows, design showcases, pop up shops, musical performances and live creative sessions.

Some brands featured in last year’s festival included La Vie En Rose, Ardene, Le Chateau, Guess/Marciano and Dynamite, who will all be leaving their mark once again this year on the runway. The Festival Mode Design conferences include some large names this year. Famous for his dressmaking skills and iconic bandage dresses, French designer Hervé Léger Leroux, will also be making an appearance on August 15.

Meanwhile, Cirque du Soleil costume designers Mark DeCoste, Benoit Mathieu and Kym Barrett will be putting on a presentation about Cirque’s costumes on August 16. Cosmetic entrepreneur, Lise Watier and Canadian fashion journalist Jeanne Beker are also expected to be at the FDM conferences on August 17. There will also be both indoor and outdoor installations transformed into catwalks and rest stops for festivalgoers to enjoy. With the focus on Quebec designers and manufacturers, this just may be a chic sartorial escape for the Canadian fashionista!