With only a few weeks remaining before the August 1^st kickoff of the 12^th annual Montreal Fashion and Design Festival, runway hopefuls and fun-spirited fundraising runners were gearing up for two of the festival’s most-anticipated events: the live outdoor model casting and the High Heeled Race fundraiser.

Competing for Catwalk Kudos

Thursday, June 14th marked the date of the always exciting outdoor casting call, held on Place Ville Marie’s Esplanade. From 11 am to 6 pm, more than 200 professional models from the city’s top agencies will commandeer the catwalk before the eyes of judges and onlookers as they vie for one of the 80 coveted spots on the MFDF’s 100-foot runway during the four-day festival, taking over downtown Montréal from August 1st through 4th.

Choosing the best models to represent the over 60 leading designers and labels through four days and nights of 50+ fashion shows is not a job to be taken lightly: The Montreal Fashion and Design Festival annually welcomes more than 550, 000 visitors to McGill College Avenue in the heart of the city, and attendees have come to expect an always-over-the-top experience.

This year’s model selection committee for the outdoor casting features Sophie Lanza, the MFDF’s Fashion Director and official stylist, along with the MFDF’s hair stylist Denis Binet, and blogger and journalist, Lolitta Dandoy.

Standing Strong for a Healthy Image

The MFDF continues to show its support the Quebec Charter for Healthy and Diverse Body Images through several initiatives, including a commitment to featuring only models over the age of 16, as promoted by the Council of Fashion Designers of America.

Clin d’oeil Contest : Devenez mannequin professionnelle

The 1 pm casting, sponsored by Clin d’Oeil magazine, is open to the general public. The winning individual(s)? of the Clin d’Oeil contest will be announced by Genevieve Borne, official spokesperson for the MFDF, on August 1^st during the Montréal Fashion Highlights show. The lucky winner will get to star in a Clin d’Oeil photo shoot and will receive a modelling contract with agency NEXT Canada! Any many more prices for all the participants,

Kick up Your Heels for a Good Cause

The race to raise money is not only for the well heeled! The MFDF’s second annual High Heeled Race Fundraiser will see participants from all walks don their pumps and peep-toes in support of the Canadian Cancer Society. For a $50 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, held during the MFDF’s opening day on August 1st. 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

The MFDF: Always Bringing You More

Style-lovers from Quebec and beyond have come to consider the Montreal Fashion and Design Festival to be the pinnacle of the festival season’s must-see events, and this year’s 12^th edition promises not to disappoint.

On the menu for four fun and fanciful days and nights: the leading international fashion labels, renowned Canadian designers, energy-filled musical performances, real-time design, plus a host of special happenings – not to mention, that uniquely unforgettable ambience!

From the totally unique INBOX Design concept and the frenzied Rallye Shopping event, to the more than 60 designers, 100-plus fashion labels and over 50 fashion shows presented under the open sky, the 12^th annual MFDF leaps the bar once again to deliver a full-on, fashionable assault of the senses.

Developed and produced by Groupe Sensation Mode, the free outdoor event promises to deliver its most eclectic program yet as it unrolls from August 1^st to 4^th. As a fashion capital and UNESCO City of Design, Montreal makes it a point to mesmerize the crowds with splendour and glamour, summer after dazzling summer!

A PRODUCTION OF GROUPE SENSATION MODE

After more than 12 years, Groupe Sensation Mode continues to produce and present some of the most important fashion events on the Canadian and international scene. It is the creative force behind such unique new concepts as the Montreal Fashion and Design Festival, the Fashion Theatre (on the Berlin, Tokyo, New York and London stages), Fashion & Opera presented in Los Angeles and Montreal, as well as Montreal Fashion Week and Le Showroom. Innovative events organized by Groupe Sensation Mode have provided an increasingly visible window on the creativity and talent of homegrown fashion designers. Having forged partnerships in some of the fashion capitals of the world – Paris, Berlin and Tokyo –, Groupe Sensation Mode is proud to hold an eminent position among North America’s fashion and design leaders.

The Montreal Fashion and Design Festival is a member of Festimania and the Major International Events Network (MIEN).

Source: Sensation Mode

www.festivalmodedesign.com