This not-for-profit organization is creating an accessible platform that celebrates local talent and reinvents fashion culture in the city
By: Zoha Alvi, Arts and Culture Contributor
Hamilton may be known for its industrial history but it’s quickly becoming a cultural destination—and fashion is at the forefront of this transformation. Hamilton Fashion Week and its events, such as the Runway Project, are providing a platform for local designers and redefining what it means to be an emerging fashion hotspot.
Krystal and Ken Biehler founded Hamilton Fashion Week in 2014 to celebrate and elevate local talent. “We’ve seen a big resurgence in the art and music crowd, but there was nothing for the fashion community. We realized there were very few platforms in Canada, let alone Hamilton,” said Ken.
The Biehlers aim to foster a sense of community that sets Hamilton’s fashion scene apart—a place where creatives can learn and grow together. “In Toronto, the vibe can feel competitive and unprofessional in a lot of ways. We want to create a positive, uplifting sort of environment for everyone to succeed,” Ken suggested. Krystal noted that the local fashion community has developed its own identity rooted in collaboration and creativity rather than rivalry.
We want to create a positive, uplifting sort of environment for everyone to succeed.
Ken Biehler, co-founder
Hamilton Fashion Week
One example of Hamilton Fashion Week’s impact is the Hamilton Runway Project, an intimate event designed to make fashion accessible for emerging designers and encourage young talent. The “Falling for Fashion” themed event took place on Oct. 17, 2024, inviting designers to showcase autumn-inspired outfits that highlighted their connection to the craft. Participants presented a single themed look instead of a traditional collection, minimizing the cost and time commitment required.
Audience members were able to engage with designers and vote for their favourite designs, while a panel of industry experts selected two winners: Bobby Raffin and Michelle Brisson.
According to Krystal, one of the main goals for Hamilton Fashion Week is to set new standards creating a reliable, professional and skill-building space for models, photographers and makeup artists. “If people aren’t getting paid, it’s kind of like putting on an art project. But in order to advance things, there needs to be that professional sort of platform to be able to grow,” added Ken.
The Biehlers explained how this mindset has led to Hamilton-based talent standing out, to the point where Hamilton locals are now known for their skills across Ontario and beyond.
For the Biehlers, Hamilton Fashion Week is about more than just putting on a show—it’s about creating a space where community meets creativity. “When we started, if you asked a group of people if they’d ever been to a fashion show, the answer was almost always no. But now I feel like we’ve made fashion part of the local culture and we hope to grow that,” said Ken.
They emphasized the importance of taking initiative, particularly for young, aspiring designers without access to big-city resources. “Every young person should have an opportunity to carry on in any career that they want, with successes and resources available to them within their grasp. Just do it, you never know what’s going to take off," said Ken.
Every young person should have an opportunity to carry on in any career that they want, with successes and resources available to them within their grasp.
Ken Biehler, co-founder
Hamilton Fashion week
Krystal also encouraged young designers to get connected and showcase their work on social media, saying, “You can get started with literally nothing. Don’t be afraid, just do it and have fun with it!” Beyond creativity, Ken highlighted the importance of a business mindset, urging designers to also consider marketability and target audiences.
As Hamilton Fashion Week continues to grow, so does the city’s fashion community, gaining momentum as a creative capital with each new event. Looking ahead, their 11th annual gala show is set for Feb. 15, 2025. For Krystal and Ken, this journey is just beginning, as they are focused on expanding Hamilton Fashion Week and supporting the next generation of creatives who will define Hamilton’s unique creative future in fashion.
93.3 CFMU has been voted the best radio station in Hamilton in this year’s Hamilton Spectator’s Readers’ Choice Awards
93.3 CFMU, McMaster University’s campus and community radio station, has been voted the best radio station in Hamilton in this year’s Hamilton Spectator’s Readers’ Choice Awards. CFMU received the Diamond award, the top winner in the Best Radio Station category, followed by K-Lite FM 102.9 winning Platinum and 92.9 The Grand winning Gold.
CFMU was nominated by the community in the summer, with voting beginning on July 29 and concluding on Aug. 16. The annual Reader's Choice Awards provides an opportunity for the community to celebrate their favourite local businesses. Community members nominate and then vote for their preferred businesses across a variety of categories, one of which is for the best radio station in Hamilton.
CFMU is a 24-hour radio station which operates out of the basement of the McMaster University Student Centre. It serves as a platform to bring together the voices of both the Hamilton community and McMaster students. According to the station's mandate on their website, their goal is to redefine radio within the local community.
CFMU's content and programming is developed specifically for local audiences and created by student volunteers and community members. The station features a variety of local music, hosts various shows and discusses a broad range of topics including local news, politics and other affairs.
Jamie Tennant, the program director of CFMU, discussed the recent award and why he thinks the station won. "We do something different that no one else does. It's very unique whereas commercial radio isn't always unique . . . there are probably a lot of stations that you can get in the Hamilton area that are playing similar stuff, whereas we are all over the place musically and in terms of information," said Tennant.
We do something different that no one else does. It's very unique whereas commercial radio isn't always unique...there are probably a lot of stations that you can get in the Hamilton area that are playing similar stuff, whereas we are all over the place musically and in terms of information.
Jamie Tennant, CFMU program director
Tenant acknowledged that while the station may not have as many listeners as mainstream radio, it offers interesting and diverse programming that people enjoy and appreciate.
"[W]hat you're gonna hear is stuff that is directly of interest to the Hamilton and McMaster communities. Listeners are not going to hear most of what we broadcast, whether its spoken word or music, from anywhere else," said Tennant.
One of the challenges Tenant mentioned that CFMU faces was working with a smaller budget. "We have a smaller profile than many mainstream stations because we don't have the budget and also because we are mandated by the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunication Commission to represent content that is not commercial . . . This award is helpful and it means a lot to us because it will hopefully bring our name to some new people," said Tennant.
Tennant also noted that this recognition will help shine a light on McMaster and the MSU. "People should know about all the great things that are happening on campus, all the great things that the MSU is doing and we help highlight that as well as support local artists too, which I think is really important," said Tennant.
People should know about all the great things that are happening on campus, all the great things that the MSU is doing and we help highlight that as well as support local artists too, which I think is really important.
Jamie Tennant, CFMU program director
Tennant and the CFMU team acknowledged on their website that the award is also a reflection of the hard work put in by the volunteers and community members who run shows and help create video and blog content. "It's really an award for everybody, which is really exciting as well," said Tennant.
For more information about the station and its programs, you can visit their official website.
The Quirky AF art fair is a chance to celebrate all things unconventional, quirky and weird this art crawl weekend
As we head into November, many of us are beginning to think about the holidays and the gift-giving season again. Along with events like Hamilton Day and the BIPOC Market, the Quirky AF art fair on Nov. 11 and 12 hosted by Hamilton Artists Inc. aims to help the community with their shopping and support local businesses and artists this winter.
Quirky AF art fair was first introduced in 2019 during an Art Crawl weekend on James St. N. The fair was created to showcase unique works by avant-garde makers and artists and to foster space for critical and challenging contemporary art practices addressing regional and national discourses. Attendees at the event able to find whimsical, experimental and overall quirky art, crafts and items.
“The aim of [Quirky AF art fair] is to bring together crafters and designers from across the region, who challenge expectations and take risks with work that is unconventional, experimental, political or all-around weird and quirky,” said Rachelle Wunderink, interdisciplinary artists and a member of the special events committee at Hamilton Artists Inc., in a email statement to The Silhouette.
“The aim of [Quirky AF art fair] is to bring together crafters and designers from across the region, who challenge expectations and take risks with work that is unconventional, experimental, political or all-around weird and quirky,”
Rachelle Wunderink, Interdisciplinary artist and member of the special events committee at Hamilton Artists' Inc.
In 2020, the event was held online due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, this November, after taking a break last year, it is finally back in-person and the team is excited to bring folks back into their space. This year, the fair will feature jewelry, prints, ceramics, toys, clothing, accessories and housewares from artisans and makers in Hamilton and the surrounding regions.
“We are so excited to welcome students and the Hamilton community back into our physical space after [the COVID-19 pandemic]. . .We hope all students will come out to celebrate with us,” said Wunderink.
Interested attendees can check out the Inc.’s Instagram page to learn more about each participating vendor. If any of the works or items interest you, this holiday season, get creative and gift something unique and bizarre by visiting the Quirky AF art fair on 155 James Street North this Art Crawl weekend.
