Summer is almost here and style lovers everywhere are feeling the heat as the countdown begins to the Montréal Fashion & Design Festival – the biggest festival of its kind in North America, dominating McGill College Ave from August 3 to 6, 2011.

The high profile, open-air event launches its 11^th season with a larger-than-life celebration of all things creative and inspiring: design, beauty, shopping, music, and of course – fashion!

The second decade of the most fashionable street bash on the continent brings with it a blast of new and exciting updates: …+ more to come

FASHION…

When it comes to fashion and design, Montréal and its world-famous Fashion & Design Festival transcend borders. This year's event promises to dazzle with the collections of Canadian designers in their first-ever appearance on the main runway.  Each evening, concept fashion shows illustrating key trends for fall and winter 2011-2012 will be presented by different Canadian designers along with stellar late-night fashion events under the banner of Fashion Music.  

OPEN CASTING CALL

Today more than 200 professional models auditioned on the Esplanade at Place Ville Marie for a coveted position on the runway at this year's MFDF. An open casting call, organized by the LABoratoire Créatif, was held also from 1 to 2 p.m., allowing men and women from the general public to audition for the LABoratoire Créatif's fashion show at the MFDF. This unique concept will permit the winners to experience the life of a top model while showing off the creations of Montréal designers.

Founded in 2004, the LABoratoire Créatif is a non-profit organization developed for and managed by a team of designers. An original and structuring initiative for the fashion industry, it represents Québec's up-and-coming fashion designers. The LAB will present a fashion show with a family theme, featuring the works of the newest generation of creators:  Vicky Dubois – Volt – LSD – Elisa C- Rossow – Masabni – Helmer.

HEALING HEELS : Glamour Stiletto Run !!

You race around in your sky-high stilettos all day long…so why not raise money for a good cause at the same time! The MFDF Glamour Stiletto Run kicks up its heels on Wednesday, August 3^rd in support of the Canadian Cancer Society. For a $100 donation, teams of two can register to teeter and tiptoe their way down Montreal's avenue of fashion in a hilarious high-heeled relay race, from the starting line at McGill College and de Maisonneuve all the way south to the Esplanade at Place Ville Marie (come on, it's only 275m!) There's room for just 75 teams, so don't delay – register today! (Guys, you're welcome to join in, too!) Full race details and registration at www.festivalmodedesign.com/mode/activites

"Défilez sans cliché!"

The fashion show for body image diversity—make room for the youth!
Come and participate in this major event to raise awareness for body image diversity. This unique fashion show will present the young winners from the "Défilez sans cliché" competition. Inspired by the Québec Charter for a Healthy and Diverse Body Image, this event is the perfect occasion to remember that real beauty means a healthy body, whatever its shape or size! I For more information visit: JoinOnLine.com

DESIGN STUDIO CONCEPT

The MFDF is excited to launch a new concept at this year's festival, in celebration of Montréal's 5-year anniversary of its UNESCO "City of Design" designation. The MFDF's creative team will be enticing visitors to enter into the eclectic world of design via a sprawling open-air Design Studio, on site during the four days of the Montréal Fashion & Design Festival. Discover the diversity of design via the never-before-seen Inbox Design concept: nine interactive container installations dominating McGill College between Ste Catherine and Cathcart Streets.

THE ALLURE OF LATE-nIGHT SHOPPING : RALLYE SHOPPING

The Rallye Shopping (RS), presented by the National Bank Allure MasterCard in collaboration with LOULOU Magazine, is going into overtime this year! Participating boutiques will remain open until 10pm on August 5^th to accommodate the frenzy surrounding shopping's biggest night out. Montréal's most renowned fashion designers also jump into the RS festivities this year, giving participants a closet-full of reasons to shop ‘til they drop. So take your disco nap, strap your party boots on and get shopping! 

INTERNATIONAL SHOWCASE

A growing list of the world's best-known international brands are using the power of the MFDF to launch their new collections to the public, taking advantage of the festival's timing as the "New Year's Eve" of the fashion calendar. Be there as the hottest labels introduce their latest looks, live, in a one-of-a-kind presentation: Watch for Stylexchange, American Eagle Outfitters, GUESS, GUESS by Marciano, Costa Blanca, Urban Behavior, Forever XXI, AgainstNudity.com, Le Château, Limité, La Baie (Espace Blanc), InWear, Matinique, Ray-ban presented by Antoine Laoun Optician, Suzy Shier, Reitmans, Terra Nostra, Complexe les Ailes, Centre Eaton, Place Montréal Trust, Place Ville Marie and many more.

LET'S GET SOCIAL

The MFDF ramps up its social media activity this year with even more presence on Twitter and Facebook, plus livestream videos of fashion shows, exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes footage and more, direct from the runways!

Hashtag: #FMDM11

Facebook: SensationMode

Twitter: Sensation_mode

OUR INVALUABLE PARTNERS

Attracting close to half a million visitors a year, The Montréal Fashion & Design Festival is the largest outdoor fashion and design event in North America. This year, the festival is pleased to enjoy the support of such prestigious sponsors as National Bank Allure MasterCard and Heineken. The festival also wishes to thank its fashion partners:  Montréal Eaton Centre, Place Montréal Trust, Complexe Les Ailes and Place Ville Marie. The festival would not be possible without the collaboration of such invaluable partners as the Government of Québec, the Bureau de la mode de Montréal (Montreal Fashion Office), Tourisme Montréal and Destination Centre-ville.  

A GROUPE SENSATION MODE PRODUCTION

After a lively and exceedingly busy decade, Groupe Sensation Mode continues to produce and present some of the most prominent fashion events in Canada and around the world. It has also created such singular new concepts as the Montréal Fashion & Design Festival, the Fashion Theatre (staged in Berlin, Tokyo, New York and London), and Montréal Fashion Week and Le Showroom concept.  Over the past ten years, the innovative events organized by Groupe Sensation Mode have provided an increasingly visible window on the creativity and talent of fashion designers.  Having forged partnerships in some of the world's leading fashion capitals - Paris, Berlin and Tokyo - Groupe Sensation Mode is proud of its pre-eminent position among North America's fashion and design leaders.

The Montréal Fashion & Design Festival is a member of Festimania (a group of Montréal festivals) established in 2010 as a three-year pilot project seeking to position Montréal as North America's cultural tourist and business destination par excellence. 

View more fashion articles from July 2011.

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