Anouk Natalya Willy

Headshot of Anouk Willy
Anouk Willy

Biography

Anouk Willy is a Toronto-based Haute Couture Textile Artist, Educator and Community Activist. She studied Fashion Techniques and Design at GBC and Classical Music at UofT and The Royal School of Music. She has spent the last five years apprenticing in Paris under artists with Lesage/Chanel, Mme Gres, Jean Paul Gaultier, Christian Lacroix, and the Chambre de Syndical, Paris Academy of Arts, Paris College of Arts Parsons.

Anouk is an Art and Design professor at GBC and The Fashion Exchange. She is a mentor and consultant for TFI and Ryerson Fashion Zone. She is a dedicated community activist, fostering the arts and artists through programming for at-risk and marginalized communities. She runs the non-profit  “Fashion Design Lab” that delivers interactive programing in heritage craft and textile design.

Anouk consults as a Creative Art Director and was responsible for directing, designing, and developing several acclaimed Women’s and Men’s Luxury Brands in Canada and the U.S. She created an incubator that specialized in launching luxury labels and innovative start-ups. Her designs have been showcased at Holt Renfrew, Bloomindales, Saks Fifth Avenue, TNT, Henri Bendels, and has been the finalist for the New Labels competitions with TFI.   

Anouk has been awarded numerous art and community arts grants through the OAC, TAC and GBC. She was awarded the Jones Apparel Scholarship and the Fairchild’s Most Promising Designer award for excellence in design.  She was awarded the Runner Up Most Promising Designer for the Art of Fashion.  Her work has been showcased in numerous publications notably; Flare, Fashion, Elle Canada, Boomer, Toronto Star, Globe and Mail, National Post, Now, and The Huffington Post UK. She has had art exhibitions at the Power Plant, Nuit Blanche, Hazelton Lanes, Holt Renfrew, The Metro Hall, Schola Cantorum De Paris.

Academic Credentials

Apprenticeships – Paris, France

  • Estelle Ramouse Milliner for Ecole Chambre Syndical de Haute Couture
  • Clarie Jochum:, Textie Artist for Christian Lacroix
  • Mme Pico, Haute Couture Draping forMme Gres
  • Jean Pier Tritx – Milliner for Jean Paul Gaultier

Certificate Haute Couture Draping and Textile Design Paris College of Arts
Certificate Couture Techniques Paris American Academy of Arts
Certificate Ecole Lesage/Chanel

Diploma Fashion Techniques and Design, GeorgeBrown College with Honours
Bachelor Classical Music and English, University of Toronto
Certificate Royal School of Music

Areas of Specialization

  • Pattern Drafting
  • Portfolio Development
  • Collection Design and Product Development

Areas of Expertise

  • Haute Couture Techniques
  • Surface Textile Design – Embroidery and Beading
  • Collection Development and Product Development
  • Community Activism in Art Programing
  • New Label Start-up and Incubation
  • Mentorship

Career Highlights

  • Art City – Artist in Residence – 2018- 2019
  • Paris College of Arts – Art of Couture Exhibition –2017
  • Toronto Public Library – Artist in Residence – 2016
  • Institute Without Boundaries –Master Class – 2016
  • CEO Master Class Series – Ryerson Fashion Zone – Dec 2015
  • Nook Children’s Centre –Artist in Residence – 2015
  • Schola Cantorum De Paris – Mme Gres Exhibition –2015
  • IFIC –Internation Fashion Incubator Conference – Master Class – 2013
  • Nuit Blanche/ Hazelton Lanes – Couture Art Installation – 2012
  • The Metro Hall – Haute Couture Art Installation – 2012
  • Art of Fashion – Anouk Moran - Most Promising Designer – 2012
  • Toronto Fashion Incubator New Labels – Runner Up – House of Groves – 2010
  • Toronto Fashion Incubator New Labels – Runner Up - Miss Rowe – Fall 2008
  •  Power Plant Installation – Power Ball Dress – 2005
  • Holt Renfrew Installation – Power Ball Dress – May 2005
  • Jones Apparel Scholarship – 2004
  • Fairchild’s Most Promising Designer – 2004