White Cashmere Collection 2017 Announces Winner of

TORONTO, Sept. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canada’s unique, annual, fashion fund-and-awareness raiser for breast cancer research, The White Cashmere Collection ™ 2017 (video link), returned to the runway yesterday, September 28, 2017, for its 14 ^th consecutive year. The ultimate expression of fashion with compassion, this year’s collection took place the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) in Toronto, and featured a national student design competition that awarded 16 emerging fashion design stars across Canada the opportunity to showcase their design talents to the Canadian fashion industry, while supporting a collective vision of a future without Breast Cancer.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at  http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/Attachm...d89fe2db14

The world’s first and only fashion collection crafted in luxuriously soft Cashmere Bathroom Tissue (BT) – Canada’s best-selling brand – the annual White Cashmere Collection™ unites the softness of Cashmere with support for Canadian fashion designers and the Canadian Cancer Society. More than 150 students from 11 schools across Canada took part in the competition. This year’s remarkable 16 finalists were challenged with designing BT Couture reflecting true Canadian style, honouring Canada’s 150 ^th birthday. #Cashmere17’s line-up includes: Lesley Hampton and Juwyriya Hersi (George Brown College, Toronto); Adrian Arnieri and Van Yanez (Ryerson University, Toronto); Charlotte Li and Nagat Bahumaid (Seneca College, Toronto); Chen Chen and Vita Nikitenko (Collège La Salle, Montréal); Marie Pier Bergeron (Cégep Marie-Victorin, Montréal); Chelsea Cox (Kwantlen Polytechnic University, British Columbia); Asli Katina Bozdag (Blanche Macdonald Centre, British Columbia); Kel Dumana and Zohre Alipour (Visual College of Art and Design of Vancouver, British Columbia); Katie Stutheit (Lethbridge College, Alberta); Kayley Champagne (Olds College, Alberta); and Brianna West (Nova Scotia College of Art and Design).

With Glowing Hearts We See Three Rise: An elite panel of esteemed judges joined this year’s White Cashmere Collection™ in pursuit of cultivating the next generation of emerging Canadian design talent and crowned three winners who received Cashmere Fashion Bursaries.

Standing out from the crowd of 16 inspiring finalists was Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Chelsea Cox who was named the winner of the 2017 Student Design Competition and a $4,000 bursary. No fewer than 9,689 tubular beads—actually tiny hand-rolled strips of Cashmere bathroom tissue sealed with clear tape—yield the shimmery herringbone effect of Chelsea Cox’s update on the iconic Hudson’s Bay coat. Ryerson University’s Adrian Arnieri took home the second place $2,000 prize with his galactic riff on Canada’s traditional winter protector: the fur coat. The third place $1,000 winner went to Seneca College’s Charlotte Li showcasing her Cashmere BT garment inspired by the 63-year-old widow, Annie Edson Taylor, who successfully barrelled over Niagara Falls in 1901.

Judges included: Canadian Fashion Patron Suzanne Rogers; Leading fashion designer and Cashmere Alum David Dixon; Susan Langdon, Executive Director, Toronto Fashion Incubator; Jeff Rustia, Founder and Executive Director, Toronto Women’s Fashion Week and Toronto Men’s Fashion Week; and Lolitta Dandoy, famed Quebec blogger and breast cancer survivor.

“I’m truly impressed by the depth and scope of design talent we saw from right across Canada. It was amazing to see the design creativity and design-savvy required to make Cashmere BT Couture,” said Susan Langdon, Executive Director, Toronto Fashion Incubator. “It was a really tough decision, but after long deliberations our judging panel chose Chelsea Cox of Kwantlen Polytechnic University as the winner of the White Cashmere Collection 2017: Student Design Competition, because of her impeccable craftsmanship, technical proficiency and beautiful homage to our nation’s 150 ^th birthday.”

Nothing Feels Like Making a Difference More than 275 invited guests, including Canada’s top fashion industry leaders, influencers, designers and the media attended #Cashmere17’s annual live runway show, an eagerly anticipated event on Canada’s fashion calendar. Produced by Kruger Products L.P., maker of Cashmere, the collection highlights the Canadian company’s commitment to supporting a vision of a future without Breast Cancer and nurturing the nation’s fashion design community.

Launched in 2004, the White Cashmere Collection has featured more than 165 top Canadian fashion designers including Marie Saint Pierre, Greta Constantine, Denis Gagnon, Joseph Helmer and Paul Hardy, as well as served as a launch pad for several now big names. The annual kick-off to October Breast Cancer Month, the collection heralds the return of limited-edition Cashmere in support of Breast Cancer efforts at the Canadian Cancer Society . With twenty-five cents from the sale of every package going to the cause, limited-edition Cashmere gives Canadians an opportunity to help make a difference in the lives of Canadian woman and their families affected by breast cancer.

“The White Cashmere Collection serves to discover, support and promote Canadian designers, both in Canada and around the world. Today’s collection is focused on the future – not only the future of Canadian fashion but a future without breast cancer,” said Nancy Marcus, Corporate Vice President, Consumer Marketing at Kruger Products. “All of us know, or have known someone affected by breast cancer, with one in eight Canadian women being diagnosed with the disease in her lifetime. Our commitment to this vital cause only strengthens as the collection moves into the future, providing continuous support for breast cancer research and awareness.”

Make a Difference - Vote Couture for the Cure®: Cashmere’s Vote Couture for the Cure® social-fundraising contest is back at www.Facebook.com/Cashmere and all Canadians from coast-to-coast are invited to vote for their favourite Cashmere BT Couture garment. Cashmere will donate $1 for every vote cast between September 28 and October 26, 2017 , up to $10,000, to the Canadian Cancer Society’s breast cancer efforts in the winning designer’s name. In addition to supporting an important cause, voters will also be entered into a lucky draw for four weekly prizes of $250, with the ultimate chance to WIN the grand prize of a $1,000 Cashmere shopping spree.

Capturing Breathtaking Cashmere Couture: The White Cashmere Collection 2017 was photographed by Canadian high-fashion photographer Katherine Holland , with cutting-edge hair and makeup by long-time collection partners Marc Anthony Salon and MAC Cosmetics , showcasing global beauty and hair trends from runways across the world. Shoes were kindly provided by Town Shoes , with glittering jewels by Swarovski .

Final Sashay Down the Runway  All 16 garments from #Cashmere17 will make a special one-time-only appearance at the Royal Ontario Museum’s Friday Night Live on September 29 ^th beginning at 7:00 p.m. The official kick-to #FNLROM’s 12 ^th season. For information or to purchase tickets, click here .

About Cashmere and Kruger Products LP Cashmere, Canada’s best-selling bathroom tissue, reflects Kruger Products’ commitment to providing the finest quality tissue products to Canadian consumers. Kruger Products is Canada’s leading tissue manufacturer and serves the Canadian consumer market with such well-known brands as Cashmere, Purex, SpongeTowels and Scotties, as well as away-from-home products for industrial and commercial use across Canada and the U.S.

About Breast Cancer and the Canadian Cancer Society This year, it is estimated that 26,300 Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. One in eight Canadian women will be diagnosed with this disease in her lifetime.

The Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) is a national, community-based organization of volunteers whose mission is to eradicate cancer and enhance the quality of life of people living with cancer.

CCS has invested more than $100 million in breast cancer research. These research investments combined with early detection, increased screening rates and better treatment therapies for breast cancer have resulted in a 44% decrease in the breast cancer death rate since the late 1980’s. More work needs to be done as breast cancer is still the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of death among women in Canada. Money raised through this partnership will fund breast cancer research, education and awareness activities. For more information, please visit cancer.ca/breastcancer .

Media Materials, Fashion Show Photography and Editorial Images are available for downloading here !

The White Cashmere Collection 2017 is showcased at Cashmere.ca . Check out the Cashmere Facebook Fan Page at Facebook.com/Cashmere and tweet the White Cashmere Collection on Twitter using #Cashmere17.

Nancy Marcus, Corporate Vice President, Consumer Marketing at Kruger Products; and Farley Chatto, Artistic Director for the White Cashmere Collection 2017 are available for interviews.

For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact:  Shane McKenna or Brittany Arnold at Strategic Objectives Tel: 416-366-7735 Email: shane.mckenna@strategicobjectives.com , brittany.arnold@strategicobjectives.com