Montréal and the gouvernement du Québec support the 10th Montréal Fashion &
Design Festival

MONTREAL, Aug. 3 /CNW Telbec/ - Mr. Richard Deschamps, member of the Montréal Executive Committee responsible for economic development, is pleased to announce that the city is awarding $39,000 in financial support for the 10th Montréal Fashion & Design Festival. Usually held in June, this event has now joined forces with the city's festivals grouping and will be held from August 4 to 7, 2010, along downtown's avenue McGill College.

"Montréal acknowledges this unique festival and is proud to share its success. The Groupe Sensation Mode has attracted an increasing number of festival goers over the years. Combined efforts will help to promote the creative talent of our designers, retailers and manufacturers with Montréal consumers," said Richard Deschamps.

As you may already know, Montréal opened the Fashion Bureau, which received, in 2009, $2.4 million in financial support from the gouvernement du Québec over three years. This contribution was to promote Montréal as a fashion design centre by emphasizing local know-how, creative talent and the ability to innovate.

By joining forces with other Montréal festivals, the Montréal Fashion & Design Festival 2010 becomes part of the city's major cultural events grouping. The Québec industry has been associated with the festival for ten years now, to promote local designers, high-scale Québec labels and established retailers as well as manufacturers," said Laurent Lessard, Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy.

The Montréal Fashion Bureau invited the international media to write feature stories about the Montréal Fashion & Design Festival, as a way to promote the event on the international scene. The Montréal Fashion Bureau has already several achievements to its credit, including the Fashion Map, which helps to locate fashion designers, at www.montrealcartedemode.com, the Fashion Montréal Pins, to find the boutiques of fashion designers, as well as high-flying banners with the attention-grabbing slogan "La mode Montréal se porte bien", posted along main fashion axes in the extended downtown area.

For further information: François Goneau, Relations avec les médias, 514 868-5859; Sources: Bernard Larin, Cabinet du maire et du comité exécutif, 514 872-9998; Sylvain Bourassa, attaché de presse, Cabinet du ministre des Affaires municipales, des régions et de l'Occupation du territoire, 418 691-2050