The tents of LG Fashion Week Beauty by L’Oreal Paris were abuzz when the national final of the 2011 Mercedes-Benz Start Up program took centre stage. After a nationwide search and fashion show final attended by some of the leading names in the fashion industry, MARTIN LIM designers Danielle Martin and Pao Lim, were selected by the panel to move forward to the next stage of this mentoring program.
“Becoming the beneficiaries of this opportunity is absolutely fantastic! This is the best thing that could have happened to our young company - the perfect balance of unsurpassed visibility and the mentoring that supports us while our company grows,” said Danielle Martin and Pao Lim, the husband and wife duo behind MARTIN LIM.
In the months leading up to the final, the five finalists, Cassie Dee, MARTIN LIM, Travis Taddeo, Triarchy and UNTTLD, were offered advice from a panel of experts that included successful fashion veterans, marketing professionals, professional services firms, magazine editors, stylists and show producers. This provided designers the tools and confidence necessary to present impressive collections that showcased their exceptional talent, which ultimately made the judges’ final decision extremely difficult. It also gave each finalist an insider’s perspective and practical knowledge on building a sustainable business.
In addition to a fully produced solo show as a highlight of the Fall 2012 Collections in March, MARTIN LIM will also be featured editorially in an upcoming issue of FASHION Magazine and will have access to personal mentoring from a variety of industry insiders, including the panel of judges that selected the recipients of the program; Bernadatte Mora, Editor in Chief of FASHION Magazine, Robert Ott, Chair of the School of Fashion at Ryerson University, Shawn Hewson, Founder of Bustle Clothing, Robin Kay, President of the Fashion Design Council of Canada (FDCC) and Jarrad Clark, Director of Global Production at IMG Fashion.
MARTIN LIM will also have the privilege of working with CASSELS BROCK & BLACKWELL LLP, a practice group specializing in providing services to the fashion industry. Their expertise includes all facets of intellectual property, licensing and distribution, customs and international trade, real estate and leasing, franchise law, labour and employment litigation and dispute management. As well, FULLER LANDAU LLP, a mid-market regional firm of Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors, will counsel them on a wide array of accounting, income tax and consulting services, including financial statement preparation, tax compliance and planning, cash flow forecasting and assistance with business plan preparation.
ABOUT MERCEDES-BENZ START UP-Produced in association with the Fashion Design Council of Canada, Mercedes-Benz Start Up is a new ongoing initiative that provides a national platform to discover and support up-and-coming Canadian designers. By connecting these gifted individuals with an experienced panel of industry insiders, the program will mentor impressive Canadian talent to help them hone a broad range of skills and elevate their profile through unique and exclusive opportunities. This unprecedented access to experts, combined with invaluable real-world practical experience, will equip participants with a comprehensive roadmap to success and the knowledge and confidence required for a thriving career in fashion.
