Canadian designer Hayley Elsaesser is struttin’
through The 6ix with her clothes.
Hayley Elsaesser is a very
busy woman, and rightfully so. I felt blessed that she had time for me whilst hectically
prepping for her fourth World Mastercard Fashion Week show – which was a last
minute decision – in Toronto last March. Elsaesser is a Canadian designer based
in Toronto. Like many designers, she started from the bottom.
For the longest time,
Elsaesser knew that fashion was her thing. “Ever since I was a kid I loved
putting together fun outfits. And for some reason I’ve always been drawn to
unique and out of the ordinary clothes,” she says. “It was always what I would
spend my allowance on, and my first job was working retail. I’ve always loved fashion.”
According
to Elsaesser, she started making her own clothes as a teenager out of necessity
living in a small town of Cambridge, Ontario. Eventually, she decided to move
to Australia and study fashion at Queensland University of Technology to
broaden her inspiration and creativity. “I found the style [in Australia] to be
more fun and exciting,” she says.
This
proved to be a great move for her. After she graduated and launched her label
in 2013, she immediately debuted for Australia’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in
early 2014. Later that year, Elsaesser went
back home and also had her first show in her hometown Toronto, in which she won
Fashion Magazine’s Best Emerging Designer award.
In the three years since her
label launched, Elsaesser has built a reputation for herself. Her use of vivid
colours and incredibly quirky prints like glowing poodles, deadly slushies, and
eight balls wearing cowboy hats on a variety of silhouettes are just a few
examples of Elsaesser’s wild imagination. This has led to a cult following and
a rise of a brand that only keeps growing.
In addition, her shows have
consistently wowed and are always one of the most anticipated shows in
Toronto’s World Mastercard Fashion Week. Already, Elsaesser has strongly made
an impact in the Toronto fashion industry; and she continues to keep going.
On top of the cult following,
Elsaesser’s clothing has caught the attention of celebrities, especially Katy
Perry who has numerously worn Elsaesser’s clothes including Madonna’s Bitch I’m Madonna music video. “It
is a bit surreal. The first time I saw Katy wearing my clothes at Coachella it
took a few minutes to sink in,” she says. “It’s really amazing to see someone
that you would never dream would even know your name wearing your stuff on
multiple occasions,” she adds.
“For
me though, it’s actually more exciting seeing normal people in real life
[wearing my clothes]. That’s a huge treat for me.”
Elsaesser’s motto is more is more. She believes that fashion
is a powerful tool to bring out one’s bright side and to not be afraid of who
you really are. “Growing up I was incredibly shy and used fashion as
somewhat of an icebreaker. It was also a great way of showing my unique personality
without having to speak,” she says. “I love how fashion has such an ability to
bring people together, give a person more confidence, and just be so
transformative. I think people who wear fun and bold clothing have more fun,
but also attract positivity!”
With her label, Elsaesser hopes that her clothing lets her customers make their
own statement, expressing individuality.
As we all know, diversity has
been an on-going issue in the fashion industry. The problem is always
addressed, but rarely any significant action is taken. Elsaesser is one of
those rarities.
Besides the bright colours and
prints in her clothing, Elsaesser is also known for diversity in race, size,
gender, and age on her runway. One of her models is her aunt, who is in her
70s. “To
me [diversity in fashion] just means a realistic expression of our city and my
customer. Diversity is celebrating more than one idea of beauty rather than one
cookie cutter,”
she says. Elsaesser herself does not have a size two figure and she confidently
sports rainbow highlights in her jet-black hair. She does not give a damn.
Like a true
Canadian, she takes pride in where she comes from. Toronto fashion, however, is
known for its neutral and dark clothing, thanks to the minimalism movement that
the country has fully adapted. Elsaesser does not only believe in individuality
and diversity, but with her label, she is breaking those Toronto fashion
stereotypes. It is no question that Elsaesser’s clothing is the complete
opposite of minimalism.
When asked if she was bothered
that in comparison to other fashion cities, Toronto is considered boring when
it comes to fashion,
“Yes,
this really frustrates me. This is the reason I decided to go study fashion in
Australia where they love colour and to have fun with clothes. I spent a
semester studying fashion in Vancouver and I was told my clothes weren’t
commercial. Clearly this wasn’t correct, and I knew it. I think [in Toronto]
people are often afraid to be the first, and are more focused on following
trends. I can really respect people who aren’t afraid to stand out and be
different.”
Toronto is
such a diverse and colourful city; it should be represented that way in fashion.
When asked if she wishes to bring a colourful, livelier, and fun side to the
Toronto fashion industry, “Absolutely,” she says. “I think it’s
about time some colour is injected here. The label has been so well received
here I think it’s only a matter of time!”
Elsaesser now runs her
flagship store on 695 Queen Street West, a very suitable location for her label.
The store’s spunky atmosphere perfectly represents Elsaesser’s world. Ombré
fixtures, bright yellow insect printed wallpaper, a neon sign of her name, eight
ball cushions, stuffed dogs wearing Elsaesser sweaters, and a wide range of
music from Drake to Nirvana to ABBA and Blondie blasting all day.
The store, in addition to her
staff always bring a warm welcome and treat you as if you’re like family or a
friend who they haven’t seen in ages. Elsaesser’s label is only three years
old, and already her game plan has proven to be a winning one.
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