By Rose de Paulsen
DORIAN WHO is not the typical Canadian streetwear brand. When thinking of Canadian streetwear, we often imagine neutral colours with pops of contrasts, oversized casual wear, and of course, the outdoor gear and performance wear. Dorian Rahimzadeh had a different approach. Born in Iran, Dorian became interested with the colours and textures as her father was a rug tradesman. She began studying fashion design at LaSalle College in Istanbul and when she graduated, she came here to Toronto. DORIAN WHO was created in 2018 and made waves across the Toronto fashion scene. In the past few years, DORIAN WHO has been featured in ELLE Canada, Vogue Arabia, and many, many more magazines to come. Unlike other labels, Dorian’s streetwear does not follow a utilitarian minimalist aesthetic. There are bright and bold colours, with pouffy large bishop-like sleeves, and the most iconic piece is the large halo-like headband. She celebrates femininity while keeping genderless looks forefront. Her maximalist style is inspired from her roots as well as East Asian style. DORIAN WHO is timeless, not seeking to cash in on trends, so it makes perfect sense why the label is slow-fashion. She focuses on making long lasting and elegant pieces that are not negatively impacting the environment and ending up in landfills like fast-fashion and seasonal fashion. DORIAN WHO can be worn by anyone, from Director X to Margret Atwood, all you must be is fearlessly true.
In light of the protests in Iran, Dorian has been showing support and amplifying voices for women’s rights and freedom. You can follow her on her Instagram, where she not only posts information on how to help, but encourages everyone to use their voice to help those fighting for equality and human rights.
https://www.instagram.com/weardorianwho/
https://www.instagram.com/dorian.who/
References
About. DORIAN WHO. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.dorianwho.com/about
Brown, D. (n.d.). STYLE PROFILE: DORIAN RAHIMZADEH. Novellamag.com. Retrieved from https://novellamag.com/style-profile-dorian-rahimzadeh/
Dorian Rahimzadeh: Fashion influencers. Fashion Influencers | Canada Leading Influencers. (2019, August 30). Retrieved from https://www.leadingfashioninfluencers.com/dorian-rahimzadeh/
Dorian who: Art toronto. Art Toronto Canada’s Art Fair. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://arttoronto.ca/home/dorian-who/
PR, M. (2021, July 14). My Canadian closet: Dorian who – matte PR shop local. Matte PR. Retrieved from https://mattepr.com/my-canadian-closet-dorian-who/