Matinée Fashion Foundation

Sponsored by the Imperial Tobacco Company, the Matinée Fashion Foundation was created to promote and support Canadian fashion designers. Founded in 1992, the program was discontinued in 2003 when the Canadian federal government enacted legislation to ban all forms of tobacco advertising, including sponsorship programs.

During the program’s 11-year existence, Imperial Tobacco was said to have invested over $50 million in helping fashion designers develop their business and market their products. When it was no longer possible for the tobacco company to continue promoting its brands by sponsoring fashion designers, the Matinée Fashion Foundation program was ended. Imperial Tobacco, a wholly owned subsidiary of British American Tobacco, a conglomerate headquartered in London, England, is the largest cigarette maker in Canada.