Paula Holgate

juin 2022

Mois 20xx

Cassandra Earle

Charmaine Gooden

Carol Martin

Points forts

Jamaican-born Paula Holgate rose quickly through Canada’s fashion ranks, from sales positions at Holt Renfrew and Creeds to coordinating major launches for Club Monaco by the age of 25.
As co-owner of the Yorkville boutique Sublime, she championed emerging Canadian designers and drew a celebrity clientele, making the shop a destination for cutting-edge style.
Known for her minimalist “sexy, sophisticated and simple” look and unwavering support of Black and Canadian talent, her legacy lives on through a scholarship in her name.

A meticulous eye for detail, high standards, skills and a caring heart propelled Paula Holgate into the world of fashion in Canada. Known for her minimalist style, keen fashion acumen, many talents and supportive nature, Holgate was a force to be reckoned with in her early 20s.

De ses débuts au lycée à son travail d’assistante commerciale dans le magasin haut de gamme Creeds, en passant par la création de sa boutique Sublime, Holgate est devenue l’une des personnalités les plus respectées de la mode. Selon sa sœur, Donna Holgate, “ Paula n’était pas seulement une professionnelle accomplie et assidue, mais aussi gentille et attentionnée, elle consacrait généreusement son temps et ses talents et aimait vraiment promouvoir les talents canadiens ”.”

Jeunesse et Carrière

Holgate was born in Jamaica in 1963. At the age of two, she moved to Ithaca, New York, with her parents, Eukley and Dorothy Holgate. She was the youngest of five children: her brother, Phil, and sisters Claudette, Maureen and Donna. When her father died in 1968, her mother immigrated to Canada with her children. From a young age, Holgate had a sense of style and gravitated toward all things fashion.

By the age of 25, Holgate had a career many spend their entire lives striving for. After high school, Holgate worked at Holt Renfrew and at Creeds, both high-end stores in Toronto. Holgate then became the Special Events Coordinator in 1989 for the opening of Club Monaco stores Canada.

By the age of 25, Holgate had a career many spend their entire lives striving for.

Cette section spéciale crée un espace de deux photos qui débordent sur la marge latérale.

Mode et Diversité

A major portion of Holgate’s career was focused on Sublime, where she and co-owner Anthony Ohorodnyk thoughtfully curated the collections of some of Canada’s up-and-coming designers. Holgate was always a champion for young Canadian talent. She encouraged and supported them in every way she could.

Designer Stephen Stanish said, “She was a lovely human being with a caring heart. I remember her as being very supportive of Canadian fashion and buying from me, the little guy. Thank you,Paula.”

Several of the designers she showcased at Sublime went on to become very successful, including Dean and Dan Caten, Tu Ly, Comrags, Bent Boys, Babel, Pina Lisi, Emily Zarb, and Hoax Couture. Sublime was the “it” boutique in the trendy Yorkville area of Toronto and a destination when celebrities came to the city. Whitney Houston, Sting, Carol Burnett, and Elizabeth Taylor are just a few of the names who shopped at Sublime.

Le style de la boutique est décrit comme étant à la pointe de son époque. “ À un si jeune âge, pouvoir avoir cette confiance en soi et cette esthétique, ouvrir une boutique et la commercialiser aussi bien, et avoir une clientèle aussi formidable. “ ” Elle était au-delà de son âge en ce qui concerne son art et la façon dont elle a développé son sens de la mode », déclare la styliste Iris Simpson de Hello, COUTURE!. Iris Simpson of Hello, COUTURE!.

“ À un si jeune âge, pouvoir avoir cette confiance en soi et cette esthétique, ouvrir une boutique et la commercialiser aussi bien, et avoir une clientèle aussi formidable ”, a déclaré la styliste Iris Simpson de Hello, COUTURE!.

Influence et Héritage

Holgate’s personal sense of style was greatly admired within the industry. She believed in a minimalist aesthetic. In an interview with Canadian Living, published in May 1989, Holgate described her fashion as “sexy, sophisticated and simple” and listed black as the colour she felt most comfortable in. Her sister Claudette Holgate-Johnson defined her style as “elegant, classy, she never went over the top and people did a double take.”

Despite all of Holgate’s success at such a young age, she faced barriers as a woman of colour in the industry. Her sister, Donna Holgate, describes Paula as having had to work so much harder just to be seen. “Paula was very focused, ethical and prepared, and she knew her value and her worth. She had a strong work ethic and kept her eye on her goals. She was my best friend and my inspiration. It’s so funny, anywhere I went, people would always ask me, are you Paula’s sister? I was always so proud to eagerly answer YES!”

Following her untimely death in 1989, the City of Toronto, in association with the Festival of Canadian Fashion, MAC Cosmetics, Reinhart&McMillan Hair and Metropolis (Toronto’s free arts and entertainment weekly) established a scholarship in her name.

The Paula Holgate Student Award was designed to support a student who embodied the same devotion to fashion that Holgate did. The show featured Fall and Winter collections from designers she supported including Dean and Dan, Tu Ly, Bent Boys, Hoax Couture and many more. Proceeds from ticket sales were donated to the scholarship fund.

Holgate a marqué des points partout où elle est allée, non seulement pour être la plus jeune ou l’une des rares personnes issues des communautés noires présentes dans cette salle, mais aussi grâce à son talent et à ses dons. “ Je pense à elle tout le temps. Nous avons tous trè.