Thursday May 17

Nathan Phillips Square

Jean-­‐François  Daviau,  -­‐  Co-­‐Founder,  President  Groupe  Sensation  Mode  

Jeanne  Beker  -­‐  Associate  Creative  Director  

Chantal  Durivage,  Co-­‐Founder,  EVP  Groupe  Sensation  Mode  

Photos:  Chelsea  Brimstin  

 URBANI_T Jean-­‐François  Daviau  -­‐  President  Groupe  Sensation  Mode  By  Margarida  Martini    

Urbanitas  is  a  Latin  word  that  represents:  civility,  elegance,  fashion,  gallantry,  good  behaviour,  pleasantry,  and  politeness,  residing  in  a  city.  

There  was  a  great  turnout  of  Toronto’s  art  and  fashion  crowd  and  the  excitement  and  buzz  in  the  air  was  electric.    I  have  always  been   involved   in  Toronto’s  art,   fashion  and  comedy  scene  and  a  big  supporter  of  the  great  talent  our  city  has,  and  as  an  artist  myself.    URBANI_T  was  a  3  day   Festival   in   the   heart   of   Toronto.  On  May   17   the   inaugural  URBANI_T   festival   opened   at  Nathan  Philips  Square,  Toronto.  I  had  the  opportunity  with  DDM  to  interview  two  great  artists,  first,   Jean-­‐François   Daviau   -­‐   President   Groupe   Sensation   Mode   from   Montreal,   honed   his  cultural  creativity.    

URBANI_T  brings   together  and  showcases   fashion,  music  and  art  with  pop  up  shops,   runway  shows  and  musical  performances.    The  venue  was  unique  as   it   literally  uses  Toronto  old  and  new  City  Hall  as  a  backdrop  to  highlight  all  this  creativity.      

Jean-­‐Francois,   has   always   been   in   show   business   with   Cirque   de   Soleil   and   naturally   as   an  artistic  soul,  loves  design  and  fashion  which  goes  hand  in  hand  with  performances.    He  started  his  events  in  Montreal  with  street  performers  and  animating  their  streets  with  urban  culture.  His  vision   is   to  create  more  events  around  artistic  expression  coming   from  the  pavement  up  and  into  mainstream  society    

His  dynamic  partner,  Chantal  Durivage,  VP  of  Groupe  Sensation  Mode,  decided  to  expand  their  event  in  our  city  to  promote  local  creative  culture.  They  adapted  their  proven  formula  gained  from   producing   Montreal’s   highly   successful   Fashion   and   Design   Festival   celebrating   local  talent.   For   example,   Just   pour   rire   (Just   for   Laughs)   expanded   beyond  Montreal   to   Toronto  now,  a  festival  that  has  been  running  20  years  and  became  mainstream.  

Fashion   and   design   transcends   an   elegance   that   flourishes   predominantly   in   cities,   with   an  abundance  of  stage  worthy  artists.  

What   Jean-­‐Francois   has   coming   up   next   is   a   festival   in   Montreal   that   would   attract   half   a  million  people  for  4  days.  Now  that  URBANI_T  happened  in  Toronto,  he  hopes  to  expand  the  event   to  Vancouver.    Having   this   spectacular  urban  exchange   in  every  major  Canadian   city   is  about  celebrating  the  creativity  of  a  vibrant  URBAN  culture.    

Canada  needs   to   showcase   their   Canadian  urban   talents   and   seems   like   the   globe   is   turning  their  attention  to  Toronto,  the  perfect  stage  for  showcasing  our  Canadian  “Cultural  Trade”.  

Margarida  Martini  is  an  actress,  model,  and  comedian  based  in  Toronto.  

   

URBANI_T  Entertainer,  Clairmont  The  Second  By  Margarida  Martini    Fresh  off  the  stage,  I  chatted  with  Clairmont  The  Second:  a  Juno  nominated  award  Rapper,  producer,  and  video  director  from  Toronto.    

 

Clairmont  The  Second  performed  his   show  with  models  on  a   large  L  shaped  runway  that  was  elevated  in  the  iconic  reflective  pool  at  City  Hall.  

His  new  album,  “Lil  Mont  from  the  Ave”,  is  reminiscent  of  his  experiences  prior  to  receiving  his  drivers'   license   (G2).    His  deep-­‐rooted  poetic   rhymes  portray  a   clipped  wing  of   freedom  for  a  young   man   growing   up   with   the   pressures   of   society   seeking   independence  exploring   his  creativity  and  keenly  observed  lifestyle.  

He   quickly   gravitated   to   the   idea   of   performing   at  URBANI_T,  the   only   issue   was  scheduling.     The  concept  of  performing  on   the   runway  during  a   fashion   show  was   something  new  for  him,  nevertheless,  "there's  always  a  first  time  for  everything  creative".  

Clairmont  The  Second  is  consistently  in  creative  mode,  this  summer  he's  working  on  releasing  a  couple  of  new  videos  and  strategically  rolling  out  a  new  project  that  is  in  the  works.      

When  asked  about  his  opinion  of  the  North  American  spotlight  on  rap  and  Hip-­‐Hop  music  in  the  6ix,   he   says,   “there   are   levels,   and   it's   a   complex   conversation  that   everyone   is   watching  Toronto   musically   right   now.    This   leads   me   to   believe   we   are   on   the   cusp   of   developing  something   new   and   interesting”.     He   believes   currently   no   Rap   or   Hip-­‐Hop   artist   in   Toronto  can  sell-­‐out  a  worldwide  tour  except  for  Drake.    "There  is  a  lot  of  work  and  investment  required  before  Canada  can  create  another  Drake-­‐like  entertainer".    

 

 

   

Margarida  Martini  is  an  actress,  model,  and  comedian  based  in  Toronto.  

   "It   is   with   great   pleasure   that   Toronto   welcomes   URBANI_T,   a   festival   celebrating   urban  culture  and  creativity,  to  Nathan  Phillips  Square.  This  free  event  further  enriches  the  cultural  fabric   of   Toronto,   and   will   be   a   beacon   of   entertainment   for   locals   and   tourists   alike.  URBANI_T   will   contribute   to   Toronto’s  diversity   as   well   as   increase   public   accessibility   to  music,   fashion,   design   and   arts.  We   wish   Groupe   Sensation   Mode  great   success   for   this   first  edition   of   URBANI_T,   which   we   hope   will   become   a   landmark   event   and   a   staple   for  Torontonians.  »  -­‐  John  Tory,  Mayor  of  Toronto