5 Pieces of Advice from Alphamale Styling at Toronto Men’s Fashion Week (TOM)

Toronto Men’s Fashion Week (TOM) took place August 17-25, 2015. The week long event featured great networking parties and of course impressive runway shows from local and international men’s fashion designers including Christopher Bates, Kenneth Barlis, Philippe Dubuc and many more. This year, CEO and founder of Alphamale Styling, Anja Potkonjak was honoured to be part of the TOM Talks business of fashion panel discussion along with fashion royalty Dr. Ben Barry, Melissa Austria of GotStyle The Menswear Store and international model Paul Mason.

Roger Gingerich, Fashion Broker, Co-Chair of Fashion Group International Toronto and TOM’s advisory panel moderated the discussion on the business of men’s fashion at the end of the runway, before a packed house. Of all the great topics discussed, below are 5 take aways from Alphamale Styling.

1. Don’t be scared to try runway inspired looks in everyday life 

When asked to speak to the business of fashion and how it influences retail trends Anja said, “anyone can draw inspiration from the runway, don’t be scared to try something new.” She spoke of a recent Alphamale Styling client who was against any shade of red pants. With berry tones in style this fall, Anja thought he could pull off a pair of burgundy pants. To his surprise, once the client got over his fear and preconceived notions of red pants, he actually loved them and “thought they made his butt look great” (the audience got a laugh out of that one). #redpants.

2. Social media is a huge driver of the business of fashion
If your business isn’t already involved in the social media space, you should be. Anja said, “as a personal stylist social media has given me the ability to be present for my clients even when i’m not physically there.” She continues, “often times when my clients are going out to an event they will send me pictures and I can help them put together or accessorize an outfit remotely.” In addition to social media technology connecting her with clients, Anja finds “social media is the place my younger clients are going to save images of looks that inspire them.” Social media gives men access to the international fashion scene right at their fingertips. It also gives them the ability to make a personal connection with brands they might not have had access to otherwise.

3. Accessories can be a man’s best friend (next to his dog of course)
When asked how big of a role she saw accessories playing in the future of men’s fashion, you could see the excitement in Anja’s eyes, “I love accessories. They can really change the look of any outfit. I see a bright future for Canadian designers creating accessories and absolutely plan to keep incorporating them into my clients looks.” Anja continued to speak about the fact that accessories are an excellent choice for her cost conscious clients who have a limited budget but need multiple looks, as well as her more flashy clients who incorporate high-end accessories to set them apart.

4. Your body type doesn’t matter, any man can dress well
At one point the discussion focused on men’s body types, from international differences in sizing charts to the average size of men’s pants increasing at casting calls. Alphamale Styling’s take is that any man of any size has the ability to dress well. “It’s about knowing what suits your body type in order to look your best,” said Anja. She continued to speak about a recent client who confided that he felt uncomfortable every time he tried on fashionable clothing in what he thought was his size and ended up leaved the store empty handed. Ultimately he just wanted to feel comfortable. Alphamale Styling showed him it’s ok to buy bigger sizes than you are typically used to and have an outfit tailored down to fit just right.

5. A well tailored piece never goes out of style
Finally, Alphamale Styling’s last tip on the panel was when in doubt stick with a well tailored piece of clothing. At it’s core Alphamale Styling focuses on providing clients with well fitted clothing that suite their unique personality and style. Whether it’s a rock ‘n’ roll or James Bond inspired look, tailoring to ensure the right fit is essential to any man’s look.

Another great year of TOM’s fashion week has come to a close and it’s been a blast celebrating all thing men’s fashion.

If you are looking for personalized fashion advice, schedule a consultation with an Alphamale Styling associate at 647-891-2652 or anja@alphamalestyling.com