Last Friday, Toronto Fashion Week's fall 2016 season came to a close. Though the event seems to be an excuse to peacock for an entire week, it's a totally different story for runway newcomers; designers and labels who presented their collections for the first time and are trying to pave a way for themselves in the Canadian fashion landscape.

Here are 5 emerging designers that caught my eye at Toronto Fashion Week.

WRKDEPT
WRKDEPT is a "satirical contemporary street brand" by Montreal's Andy Long Hoang. Toronto Fashion Week is definitely not used to seeing this type of thing; it's experimental and unisex and weird -- but that's precisely what makes it awesome. The Fall 2016 collection featured oversized wool garments in earth tones; best enjoyed presentation-style, on models with gelled down baby hairs.

House of Knot
Though House of Knot didn't present a full collection (the label shared the runway with 3 other emerging designers from) but they didn't need a full time slot to capture the audience's attention. The brand's knitwear goes beyond your typical crew neck sweater and circle scarf; instead, look to House of Knot for forward-thinking knit pieces like jumpsuits, shorts and - oddly enough - shoes!

Sosken Studios
Sosken Studios is a new outerwear label designed with the intention of appealing to women of all ages. Designed by Marisa Minicucci (who has over 30 years of experience in the industry), the Fall 2016 collection was flawlessly tailored and impeccably styled. Every look on the runway was timelessly elegant, with a modern twist.

Daniel Christian Tang
With backgrounds in biochemistry, architecture, material sciences and art, Luca Daniel, Mario Christian and Heng Tang joined forces to design truly unique, 3D printed wearables under the eponymous label Daniel Christian Tang. Their Toronto Fashion Week debut featured a slew of silver, weapon-like pieces that were more like sculptures than jewellery.

Jennifer Torosian
Toronto-based brand Jennifer Torosian is all about blending style, function and unexpected details -- clearly evident in their Fall 2016 collection of graphic florals, tailored silhouettes and sportswear vibes. What I like most about the label is its ability to combine many different (and seemingly random) elements without losing cohesiveness.

Photos courtesy Toronto Fashion Week.