Local designer shines at Fashion Art Toronto

A vibrant display of creativity, craftsmanship, and determination lit up Fashion Art Toronto on Nov. 16, as local designer Lory Beauchamp Guest presented a nine-look menswear collection that captivated the audience with its artistry and emotion.

Guest, a lifelong sewer and maker, learned her craft from her mother, who sewed, embroidered, and knitted. Over the years, her skills expanded from home decor to clothing, including wedding gowns and formal wear. She even returned to Sheridan College in her 40s to study interior design, honing a blend of technical skill and creative instinct. Guest’s journey to the runway was anything but conventional; she transformed her passion for sewing and design into a fully realized runway show, blending traditional menswear fabrics with bold, unexpected details.

“I started with the fabrics I had,” she explained. “They inspired the designs and the stories I wanted to tell.”

The Guest Label collection opened with a sheer nude organza suit, representing vulnerability and openness, and progressed through heavier, structured pieces layered with intricate details like hand motifs and spikes, reflecting resilience and life’s challenges. The final look, a voluminous organza coat adorned with roses, offered a light, ethereal conclusion – symbolizing hope and renewal. Each garment balanced narrative and aesthetic, demonstrating that fashion can be both expressive and wearable.

“I was just sewing, letting the process guide me,” Guest said. “I wasn’t sure where it was going, but I kept going, trusting my instincts and the story the fabrics were telling me.”

Her dedication was evident behind the scenes of the show and “was a seven-month full team effort.” From her son, who helped with the complex application, Lucas Giffen, who modelled for the promo photos, family and friends who kept her sane in moments of panic, to the backstage team at Fashion Art Toronto, “Everyone understood the story,” said Guest. “They wanted to show it because they could relate to it.”

The collection was inspired by men’s mental health, however Guest emphasized that the project was ultimately about creativity, storytelling, and the joy of making.

“It was about expressing something meaningful and bringing it to life,” she said. “Whether or not anyone else saw it, I had to create it.”

Fashion Art Toronto, which has celebrated artists and designers for over 20 years, provided the perfect platform for this ambitious project. Seeing her work come to life on the runway, Guest described the moment as “incredible, emotional, surreal.”

For Guest, the experience was not just a professional milestone – it was a personal triumph.

“I’ve been creative my whole life, sewing, designing, making things by hand,” she said. “But taking it out of my home and into the world, sharing it with others, was something completely different. It taught me that if you’re willing to step out of your comfort zone, amazing things can happen.”

Now, Guest hopes her work sparks broader conversations about mental health, particularly for men.

“There is a real need for more immediate support for people in crisis,” she said. “Hospitals don’t always have psychiatrists available, and emergency mental health treatment can be delayed for months or even years. We need better systems, more understanding, and more care.”

Looking back on the experience, Guest is reflective and joyful.

“I wasn’t doing this to launch a career – I’m 65,” she said. “But it has inspired me to think about another collection. Let’s see what happens next.”