My favorite shows at Toronto Fashion Week are always the ones where the models have a chance to play and enjoy themselves. There's something incredibly endearing about models not taking them so seriously on the runway. So, when I was invited to attend The Heart Truth Fashion Show at Toronto Fashion Week - the show hosted by The Heart & Stroke Foundation is comprised of Canadian celebrities having fun in red dresses - I knew that it would be a good time.
Figure Skater and Olympian, Jamie Salé rocking a baby bump on the runway. Her dress was designed by Farlye Chatto. (Photo by: George Pimentel Photography)
The annual event is hosted by the Heart & Stroke Foundation and features Canadian actresses, Olympians, and Model of Health winners who are Canadian women that are examples of good heart health by putting their health first.
Traci Melchor from ETalk gave her best 'smize' and wore a red dress by Whitney Linen. (Photo by: George Pimentel Photography)
Traci Melchor from ETalk was a super-model on the runway and then super-mom backstage with her adorable daughter taking part in the excitement. Part of The Heart Truth Fashion Show's campaign highlights the fact that as women, we are often putting many people before ourself. For some of us, this means that our health takes a backseat and we don't maintain good eating habits or we forget to exercise. Traci and the other models are examples of women who manage multiple priorities just like us, and who put their heart health first.
Gladys Wenger who is 91-years-old (!!!) was one of the Model of Health winners who walked the runway to a standing ovation. She wore a dress by Allistyle. (Photo by: George Pimentel Photography)
To demostrate this point further, three Models of Health were chosen to take part in the show, each above the age of 80. When each of these women came out for their runway debut, the crowd erupted with applause and a standing ovation. Considering that for the majority of us, the last 10 years of our life is spent in deterioriating health, these women are a true inspriration that if we keep fit and enjoy ourselves, that we can maintain a high quality of life through all our years!
Me with Jamie Salé
Backstage after the show, I tried not to act like a superfan (and failed) when I interviewed Jamie Salé. I asked her why she wanted to take part in the The Heart Truth Fashion Show and she told me that heart disease has affected members of her family and that it was important for her to take part and support the cause.
Just like the perfect figure skating costume can influence a skaters' confidence, clothes can affect a woman's confidence. It's not all sequins and hairspray for Jamie. The laid back, down-to-earth, Olympian told me that while it's fun to get dressed up and rock heels from time to time, she's most comfortable and confident in jeans and a t-shirt.
I think that this is part of the reason why I really enjoyed The Heart Truth Fashion Show. It is filled with models who are personable, down to earth, and who are there to have fun and support the cause. There's an unspoken support among these women when you talk about heart health. We're all busy because we're moms, we're caregivers, and each of us gets that. If these models show us anything, it's that we need to be able to take care of ourselves and make healthy choices to live the life that we all know we can.
Read more about The Heart Truth Campaign here: http://thehearttruth.ca
