Transforming soft bathroom tissue into high-fashion couture is not a craft project. It is an exercise in high-stakes event engineering. When our team at The Image Is… took on the creative direction and production of Canada’s iconic Cashmere Collection in 2023, the directive from Kruger Products was incredibly ambitious. They wanted to up the ante. The annual presentation had long been a visually appealing tradition, but the goal was to elevate it into a true high-fashion spectacle designed for television broadcast, digital platforms, and the rigorous standards of modern couture. Achieving that grand vision requires eleven months of intense strategy, precise technical coaching, and flawless execution.
A Cause Woven Into Couture
The pressure to deliver a spectacular runway show goes far beyond aesthetics. The Cashmere Collection is a high-profile philanthropic initiative designed to raise crucial funds for the Breast Cancer Cause. Over its 23-year history, this unique intersection of Canadian fashion and charity has raised more than $5.6 million for the Canadian Cancer Society and the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation. Every stitch, fold, and runway step is engineered to maximize visibility and drive donations for this life-saving initiative. Most participating designers have been touched by someone in their family or loved one’s by breast cancer.
For the 2026 collection, public engagement is directly tied to the fundraising effort. Through the interactive “You Vote. We Donate.” campaign, every vote cast by the public for their favourite runway design triggers a $1 donation from Cashmere to the cause, up to a maximum of $100,000. Additionally, $1 from every purchase of specially marked Cashmere products is donated to the initiative. Knowing that the runway show serves as the launchpad for this critical campaign adds a layer of profound meaning to the immense production effort.
The 11-Month Process Behind the Cashmere Collection
Producing a fashion show of this magnitude is a massive logistical undertaking that begins nearly a year in advance. Planning officially kicks off in December, moving into the decisive phases of January and February as themes are finalized, venues are locked in, and budgets are securely allocated.
Securing the right creative talent is the most time-sensitive step in the entire process. Top Canadian fashion designers manage intense seasonal schedules filled with commercial production runs and demanding bridal commitments. To guarantee their participation, we must recruit them ten to eleven months ahead of the show. For the 2026 edition, our impressive roster included 16 emerging and established Canadian designers. Coordinating with a diverse group of artistic minds, including celebrated talents like Antoinette Di Carlo, Lesley Hampton, Christopher Paunil, Oscar Mendoza, Catherine Addai, and Claudette Floyd, requires clear communication and a rigid timeline to ensure every delicate garment is ready for the runway.
Engineering Couture From Cashmere Bathroom Tissue
Once the overarching theme is set and the designers are onboarded, we begin the collaborative review process. Designers present their initial concepts and sketches, which is where our role as creative directors becomes critical. As the sketches are received, this is the first step to envision the design idea from the individual designer’s point of view, where every sketch is reviewed to ensure they are on point in vision of the theme and that their couture concept can actually become reality when creating the dress. Designers are encouraged to be bold and outgoing as this is their chance to shine individually.
When the bales of Cashmere tissue finally arrive at the designers’ ateliers, the real trial and error begins. Working with paper as a textile presents entirely unique physical challenges, especially for creators who have never touched the material before. While structural undergarments like corsets are permitted underneath to shape the body, every visible element on top must be crafted purely from Cashmere tissue.
This strict material constraint demands specialized technical engineering. A standard metal zipper, for example, can easily tear delicate paper on a moving body. We work closely with the designers to develop alternative closure solutions, structural folding techniques, and hidden reinforcements. The ultimate test is durability. Every single garment must be strong enough to survive a rigorous editorial photoshoot and endure a long walk down a 120-foot runway on a moving model.
Designing the Runway Experience for the Cashmere Collection
Elevating the collection into a true couture event also requires changing the entire physical environment to match the artistic vision. For the 23rd edition in 2026, the collection dialled up the drama under the theme “Symphony”. The collection made its first major splash on October 7 at Toronto’s Evergreen Brick Works. To reflect the grandeur of the garments, we transformed the venue into a sumptuous space anchored by grand chandeliers. We paired a live symphony orchestra with a live performance by artist Keshia Chanté, seamlessly blending her musical intros and intermezzos with live classical orchestrations to ensure that sound, lighting, and movement were entirely synchronized.
The runway momentum then shifted east to Montreal on October 14 for an intimate, emotionally charged showcase at Maison Rose, the dedicated support centre for the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation. This Montreal chapter felt less like a standard media event and more like a vibrant community gathering. The evening spotlighted three standout Québec designers: Antoinette Di Carlo, Oscar Mendoza, and Claudette Floyd. Guests experienced an immersive retrospective pairing new 2026 creations with archival showstoppers to illustrate how softness can embody pure resilience. The evening featured a candid conversation led by fashion journalist, columnist, and breast cancer survivor Lolitta Dandoy, alongside Kruger Products CMO Susan Irving and QBCF President Karine-Iseult Ippersiel, to unpack the raw emotion and human stories behind the Symphony concept.
The Precision Behind a Flawless Fashion Show
Every single detail of the production is orchestrated with extreme precision. We meticulously manage the room flow, custom lighting design, floral arrangements, and seating charts to ensure a flawless experience. Model casting is handled with equal rigor.
Keeping in mind the designs and creative direction of the designers, we select top Canadian professional fashion models who possess the poise and physical technique to capture the designer’s essence down the runway with total confidence. Finally, we structure the runway sequence look by look to craft a compelling, emotional narrative from start to finish.
When the house lights go down, the orchestra begins to play, and the first model steps onto the runway, all the behind-the-scenes engineering vanishes. The audience is left with pure magic. Yet, the true success of the evening is not just the applause. It is the awareness and critical funding generated for breast cancer research, proving that fashion can be both breathtakingly beautiful and incredibly powerful.
PHOTO CREDIT: George Pimentel