Mercedes Benz | Fashion Start Up
Inspiring new talent and provoking greatness, the Mercedes-Benz Start Up program is an ongoing project that offers a national platform to discover and support Canadian designers who have been in the business for less than five years. Through this opportunity, artists are able to connect with an experienced panel of industry insiders who provide mentorship and networking opportunities which will help the artists to advance their profile. Exclusive opportunities are being provided with real-world practical experience that is immeasurably valuable to those gifted individuals who participate. With a desire to equip individuals for success, the program inspires confidence and provides knowledge and opportunities to prepare participants for a career in the fashion industry.
An award through the Mercedes-Benz Start Up Program has significant benefits and outcomes for aspiring designers. Previous designers that have been awarded through the program include:
- 2014: Sid Neigum is an Alberta born designer who trained in New York and is currently based in Toronto. He was the recipient of the Toronto Fashion Incubator’s New Labels Award in 2012 and has since gained momentum as a celebrity fashion advisor.
- 2013: Malorie Urbanovitch and Cecile Raizonville have both been awarded, sharing a fully-produced solo show at the World MasterCard Fashion Week in Toronto spring of 2014. Malorie Urbanovitch presents a Women’s Read-to-Wear line with quality construction and contemporary flare. She quickly caught the attention of Canada’s Fashion elite. Designer Cecile Raizonville, of Matiere Noire graduated with a degree in industrial design and fashion from Felicidad Duce Institute in Barcelona. She relocated to Montreal in 2012 and there created Matiere Noire, a brand rich in culture.
- 2012: Duy Nguyen, the creator of DUY, is a Montreal-based high-end designer that delivers sharp tailoring, luxury fabrics and a timeless style.
- 2011: Danielle Martin and Pao Lim join together to present Martin Lim, a merger of design that has garnered national and international attention. These devoted designers have experience working with legendary designers such as Christina Lacroix and Roland Mouret. They have integrated themselves into the North American market through collaboration with highly established Canadian companies.
The Mercedes-Benz Start Up Program awards the top designer with a $30,000 bursary and invaluable mentorship by esteemed professionals. After application, designers who reveal talent and potential are selected for an intense day of interviews and presentations in cities across the country. Semi-finalists are then able to showcase their collections on the runway in front of a national judging panel and local industry insiders. Six designers are chosen to present their collections at the national finale group show at World MasterCard Fashion Week in Toronto, where a winner is selected. The winner receives the bursary along with continued mentorship, editorial coverage, and a fully produced solo runway show. This program was developed and managed by IMG and launched in 2011. It continuously aspires to seek out new talent from coast-to-coast and aid in helping hard-working and talented designers start up in the world of fashion. For more information about the Mercedes-Benz Start Up program, please visit or contact Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West!
Scott Held
Mercedes-Benz Edmonton West
