Mimi Harris

January 06, 2018 in los angeles, new york, music, male, female, 1

Mimi Harris is a native New Yorker conquering marketing, modelling and motherhood simultaneously. She also paints and has a passion for music education, adding to the strong multi-hyphenate culture in NYC.

Randi Bergman

January 05, 2018 in toronto, female, writer, 1

You probably love the 90’s, but you definitely don’t love the 90’s as much as Randi Bergman does. Randi is a freelance fashion writer and 90’s enthusiast based in Toronto. Prior to being freelance, Randi worked as the Executive Digital Editor for FASHION Magazine and led her team to four consecutive awards for best website at the P&G Fashion and Beauty Awards. Now, in addition to writing, she hosts a throwback podcast, Capsule ‘98, where she covers all things 90’s.

Darren Messam

January 05, 2018 in toronto, male, 1

You can follow Darren here.

Who are you?

Darren Messam, Father, Fiance, top shotta.

Where are you from?

Brampton, Ontario

Freetown, Jamaica
Living in Toronto now.

What do you do?

Day Job: IT guy for some pro sports teams and dabble as an Actor also a Father

Night Job: Professional Ad-libber.

What is your dream creative project?

Want to able to be multifaceted. Podcast, Acting, etc....

What's your strategy for creative block?

Keep at it. Start slow and keep it simple.

If your life was a movie what would be on the soundtrack?

R&B specifically the New Jack Swing era and early 90s Dancehall

Jhanelle Peters

January 04, 2018 in toronto, male, 1

Where are you from? Toronto

What do you do? Day Job: Social Housing Manager / Night Job: Netflix and No-Chill Specialist

Do you consider yourself a freshman, sophomore or senior? Sophomore

What needs to happen before you can "graduate"? I can finally say I graduated when I can look back at marginalized communities in Toronto and see less stigma and stereotype surrounding the need for psychological support. In order to do that, I will need to finish this Masters!

What is your dream creative project? And what's stopping you from it? What do you need? Creating a program in the Afro-Canadian community where youth can receive psychological support for direct/in-direct contact to trauma. Many of these youths are overlooked, and then penalized later on in life for their behaviour, when they received no outlet support during their hardest times. There is nothing stopping me from getting this done, I'm on my way.

What's your strategy for creative block? Don't force it. Inspiration has no expiration date.

If your life was a movie what would be on the soundtrack? 90's R&B, remixes and dancehall

Where can we find you on a Friday night? Roaming the streets of Toronto looking for a new food spot.

You can follow Nelly here.

Matthew Medeiros

January 04, 2018 in fashion, toronto, male, 1

You can follow Matt here.

Who are you?

I am 29 years old and live with my guy Ryan and our dog, Nomi. I am a lover for all things beautiful. I enjoy coffee, interior design and weed. I love working out and run with a Nike Crew that focuses on bringing awareness LGBTQI in fitness.

Where are you from?

I grew up in Brampton and moved to Toronto in 2009. I live at Queen and Ossington.

What do you do?

I work in fashion.

What is your dream creative project?

To have a small collection and present it in Paris.

What's your strategy for a creative block?

To immediately seek inspiration.

Where can we find you on a Friday night?

You can find me at home with friends.

Molly Willows

January 03, 2018 in toronto, brazil, female, film, 1

Molly Willows is a Freie University-educated filmmaker, multi-disciplinary media artist and producer. Her style draws inspiration from the likes of Werner Herzog, Jill Soloway and Tavi Gevinson and her work hopes to empowers all women in media. In addition to her films and content, she accomplishes her empowering agenda by running a storytelling symposium for women called Ladies Lugging Gear.

Jo Jin

January 02, 2018 in toronto, fashion, female, stylist, 1

Jo Jin is a prop and wardrobe stylist with the Toronto chapter of Judy Inc. As a stylist, Jo has an impressive roster of clients from Canon to Google and Volve. Her work has been seen in print, on billboards and on TV, with thoughtful placement, perfect balance, dueling textures taking centre stage.

Marie Coyles

January 02, 2018 in toronto, female, music, 1

Marie Coyles is a jet-setting multi-hyphenate working as a media and leadership consultant. As a self-proclaimed Gucci Loving Earth Child, Marie covers a lot of ground creatively, with side hustles ranging from expert chandler to veteran vocalist.

Carlos Achoy

November 29, 2017 in 1, toronto, male

Who are you?

I am Carlos, 37 a hospitality professional and gym enthusiast with interests in music, films, fashion and arts.

Where are you from and where do you live?

I am from Culiacan, Sinaloa in Mexico. I moved to Toronto, a place I now call home, in 2004. I live in Corktown.

What do you do?

I manage a Mexican restaurant in the entertainment District. MIlagro, a traditional Mexican eatery inspired by the great Mexico City cantinas of the golden era.

What is your dream creative project?

Musicalize fashion shows, run parties and/or coordinate events for a big art gallery or museum.

What are your top 5 songs of the moment?

1. - Arisen my senses by Bjork

2. - Visions of Gideon by Sufjan Stevens from the Call Me By Your Name Soundtrack

3. – Orcus by Kaiserdisco

4. – Sanctuary by Anja Schneider

5. – Speak to silence by Ghost Note

Where can we find you on a Friday night?

At Milagro Mercer and if I am not too tired after work I am either hanging at one of my friend’s place or entertaining at home ;)

Devon Owens

February 12, 2017 in toronto, copenhagen, female, 1

Devon Owens is a Canadian expat whose burgeoning modeling career has brought her to Europe! The Plutino-repped model studied Digital Communications at Humber and takes special interest in coding and video editing, when she isn’t in front of the camera.

Stats: 7k Instagram followers

Bobby Bowen

February 11, 2017 in toronto, fashion, male, stylist, sybil, 1, Nike

A creative multi-hyphenate who has been called “the face of fashion in Canada’s creative capital” by Paper Magazine. After styling multi-platform projects for the likes of Nike, Nylon and OVO, Bobby recently launched Bully Magazine, an LGBTQ publication where he serves as founder and editor.

Each well-styled post receives an average of 360 likes from his 5.6k followers, with a stellar engagement rate of 6.6%.

Killa Kels

February 10, 2017 in toronto, influencer, female, music, dj, 1

Killa Kels is a Toronto-based DJ and influencer with cosigns from Lululemon, Nike and American Express. She is also a founding member of the creative agency, GXXRLS, which seeks to empower women through artistic collaboration. As a leader in the growing group of women DJs in Toronto, her work contributes to a more balanced, inclusive nightlife community.

Mellissa Miller

February 06, 2017 in new york, female, model, beauty, 1

Melissa Miller is works double-time as a spa-owner and model in New York. The self-proclaimed ‘caged elephant’ is looking to turn the tides of Black business ownership with her spa by taking away the stifling titles, a timely and intrepid approach. Also, a scroll through Melissa’s Instagram, full of plenty of snaps of her beautiful bod, will sure be a testament to her wellness expertise!

Jasmine Solano

February 05, 2017 in dj, female, new york, music, 1

asmine Solano is a Brooklyn-based DJ and one half of international music duo Electric Punany. Since spinning for brands like Donna Karan, Apple, Nike and Tophop and artists like Beyonce, she has transitioned into more curatorial and hosting work. MTV documented her journey as an emerging DJ on Scratch The Surface and she is currently spinning for HBO’s Mixtapes & Roller Skates tour.

Stats: 26.7k Instagram followers.

Paolo Roldan

February 04, 2017 in fashion, male, model, toronto, influencer, 1

With campaigns for Giorgio Armani and his BFF Phillip Lim, Paolo Roldan is one of the faces at the forefront of Canadian men’s fashion. Since making his debut walking for Givenchy he became one of Ricardo Tisci’s muses and was catapulted to the forefront of the industry. He is now known to grace runways and sets around the world, and gets some shine his own eclectic personal style as well.

Ian Isiah

February 02, 2017 in creative consultant, fashion, male, influencer, music, new york, 1

According to SSENSE, Ian Isaiah is a “Brooklyn choirboy turned ‘hood-maternal’ vocalist, a sensual R&B songstress with an ascending trajectory.” His ascent is multifaceted; his industry clout and inimitable style has bred collaborations with Longchamp and ongoing contributions to his bff’s brand Hood By Air. Meanwhile, his smooth vocals has bred collaborations with Chromeo and a tour with Blood Orange.

Stats: 42.6k followers

Kilo Kish

February 01, 2017 in female, los angeles, influencer, model, graphic designer, music, new york, 1

Kilo Kish is a bicoastal singer, visual artist and influencer whose cross-medium approach to art reflects her boundless creativity. Since first emerging onto the NYC music scene, she has scored features on The Gorillaz and Vince Staples’ 2017 projects and on an HBO-funded Game of Thrones mixtape alongside Big Boi and Common.

Stats: 56.7k SoundCloud followers, 66.8k instagram followers

Louis Cremades

January 02, 2017 in toronto, music, male, france, 1

Louis Cremades is a French expat living in Toronto. As a songwriter, producer and vocalist he seeks to transcended beyond sonic limits and norms, just as he has travelled beyond borders.

Karim Olen Ash

January 01, 2017 in toronto, music, dj, events, male, 1, ff founders, sybil, Nike

Karim Olen Ash is a Toronto-based DJ and content creator who has established himself as a staple in Toronto’s emerging art scene, and is gradually taking his influence beyond his hometown and into other markets. In addition to DJing, Karim curates events with Something Special and is one of the creative heads of Freshman Friday!

Olivia Seally

January 01, 2017 in new york, toronto, art, creative consultant, events, female, 1, ff founders

Olivia Seally is a multi-talented brand strategist and content creator, with a background in collage, photography and event production. While she is currently based in Toronto, she has deep roots in New York and dope connections to show for it. She currently runs Freshmen Friday, a creative agency dedicated to connecting people, venues and brands to their communities.

Teoni

In their Twitter bio, BizZarh describes themselves as ‘two intuitive girls from the hood’ but it’s clear that they are so much more. The genre-bending duo rap and sing over a diverse array of beats to create a variety of vibes that can’t be defined or contained.

Ross Medaglia

Ross Medaglia is an emerging creative multi-hyphenate based in Toronto and hailing from Sault Ste Marie. Though he dabbles in music, photography and painting, his foundation is in graphic design.

Fabio Dessena

Fabio Dessena is a UK-based model and rapper. With campaigns for Fred Perry and New Era under his belt and collaborations with Jimmy Prime on the horizon, his future looks (and sounds) very promising.

Sumiko Wilson

Sumiko Wilson is a student and writer based in Toronto. Since getting her start in poetry, she began to explore different forms of writing and finally decided to pursue journalism at Ryerson. She now writes a column for HOLR Magazine and contributes freelance content to NOW Magazine and NewInHomes, the Toronto Star’s real estate subsidiary.

Nader Abouzeid

Nader aka FunkyWhat is a forward-thinking beatmaker based in Montreal. The sophistication of his beats can be attributed to his background as a guitar player and his immersion in rock and skate culture. The amalgamation of these factors makes for stand-out hip-hop and R&B beats with an edge.

Audré

Audre is an emerging artist from Scarborough. She seamlessly switches from fire freestyles to silky vocals to tell unique stories and create well-rounded tracks. Her infectious energy is juxtaposed next to her smooth vocals and moody beats from her producer IVI.

Me Time

By day, Sarah Barrable-Tishauer is a marketing consultant for major brands. By night, she is DJ Me Time, a self-proclaimed ‘bass witch’. Since her character Liberty Van Zandt graduated on Degrassi, she has spent a decade putting in work in the marketing industry and has recently transitioned to freelance life to make room for more Me Time practicing behind the decks.

Stats: 13.1K followers

IVI

IVI is a self-taught producer based in Scarborough. In contrast to some of his peers, IVI’s talents go beyond beatmaking. He works closely with artists to produce and develop their vocals, transforming a great beat into a great song.

Mookie Morris

Mookie Morris is a Canadian Idol alum with a laid-back, nostalgic musical style that spans far past the defunct show’s history. Mookie heads his own band, The Mooks, which features Owen Norquay on bass and Luis Figuero on drums. With Mookie on lead vocals and guitar, The Mooks evoke the ease of old-school rock with their own whimsical flair.

Luis Figuero

Luis Figuero is the dynamic drummer for The Mooks, which also features Mookie Morris on lead vocals and guitar and Owen Norquay on bass. The Mooks evoke the ease of old-school rock with their own whimsical flair.

Jaz Aminata

Owen Norquay

Owen Norquay is a soulful,seasoned bass player with The Mooks, which also features Mookie Morris on lead vocals and guitar and Luis Figuero on drums. The Mooks evoke the ease of old-school rock with their own whimsical flair.

Just John

John Samuels aka Just John is one of the rappers at the forefront of Toronto’s DIY art scene. His distinct look merges contemporary, bold leather looks and more classic militant vibes. Meanwhile, his musical style often blends trap with jazz. In addition to his own musical projects, John is the founder of Blank Canvas, a multidisciplinary arts collective that doubles as a platform for underrepresented emerging artists. You can often spot him vibing out to his own music and rocking his signature beret.

Dom Dias

Dom Dias works double time as a graphic designer by day and music producer by night. His intricate production paired with his hands-on recording approach always makes for A1 quality tracks that push Toronto’s sound into further greatness, just as he did in his collaborations with Just John, Don and the upcoming Don II.

Eric Richards

Eric Richards is one of the creators of WIL Studios, a new menswear brand that offers a new take on everyday silhouettes. WIL, an acronym for What I Like, is favoured by Daniel Caesar, who collaborated with the brand to create tour merch commemorating his week-long Toronto stop last year. V Magazine declared WIL Studio’s to be “Canada’s next Supreme,” placing Eric and his co-founder Rahul Madan at the forefront of Toronto’s emerging streetwear scene.

Kim Esquila

Kim Esquila is a designer, DJ and event producer from Toronto. She has dabbled in fashion as a production assistant for Nomad and has collaborated with Soho House’s Monique Hinds and Thank You Kindly to create the Take-Out Social Club, where she championed IRL experiences with some of Toronto’s most prominent influencers.

Matthew Vautour

According to Matthew, his job is to “kill fat & build some booties.” With that, Matthew Vautour is a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor based in Toronto. In the future Matthew has aspirations to eventually open his own training facility. But for now, after training sessions, he runs with Nike’s IN Run Crew, which he credits for normalizing LGBTQ+ folks in sports.

Beatrix on the Beat

Beatrixx is a bicoastal beatmaker, originally from the Philippines. Just as she splits time between Toronto and Vancouver, between beats she moonlights as a graphic designer. As a woman in a very male-saturated industry, each of Beatrixx’s beats breaks barriers and bops.

Apolonia Rodrigues

Between working real-estate and studying business, Apolonia Rodrigues is a model and influencer based in Toronto. Apolonia’s influence spans beyond the timeline; she has done shoots for emerging Toronto designers like Mary Young, ultra-established brands like Nike and was profiled in High Snobiety’s Meet the Muse series.

Sisi Berhe

Sisi Berhe is a PR maven who has quickly ascended from associate to executive with MSL Group, where she specializes in lifestyle, beauty and fashion. After her 9-5, she works with L’Ame Inconnue (Unknown Soul), a creative collective working to bring the designs of African designers to the forefront of the industry and to change the mainstream perception of African fashion. Staying true to her Eritrean roots, Sisi’s work with L’Ame Inconnue is setting the foundation for borderless future for African designers.

Imad Elsheikh

Imad Elsheikh is the man behind Pique, an online platform for emerging artists. While Pique was initially built around 15-second clips of each artist, in collaboration with Bell, it has since expanded into a central hub for events and exposure for creatives based within and beyond Toronto.

Imad Elsheikh and his platform Pique have a combined following of 7k with good engagement on each account. Each post averages 330 likes and 14 comments, with videos peaking at almost 800 views.

Jacqueline Ashton

Jacqueline Ashton is a self-taught photographer and self-proclaimed ‘good gyal’ based in Toronto. Since studying film and dance in high school, she transitioned into photography, where she captures subjects through her signature raw, filmy lens. Her work has been featured by CBC, Vice, The Fader, Kastor and Pollux, and Lola Who.

Stats: Almost 10k Instagram followers.

Othello Grey

On a timeline full of self-proclaimed photographers, Othello Grey stands out. As a self-taught photographer, each of his photos are infused with an inimitable coolness that you can’t scroll past without liking, screenshotting or wishing that you took it yourself.

As Othello gets closer to 50k followers, he receives an average of 590 likes per post with an engagement rate of 1.2%.