Iris Simpson (Fashion Merchandising ’78) was born to be in fashion. While she was growing up, her mother worked as a seamstress and made all of Simpson’s clothes and her dolls’, sparking Simpson’s love for fashion at a young age.
Fast forward to 1975, when Simpson pursued her passion and embarked on a career in fashion by enrolling at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute, now called Toronto Metropolitan University.
That first day of school left a lasting impression on Simpson as she walked into one of her classes to see a Black woman teaching the course. In all her years of schooling, that was the first time she would be taught by someone who was Black, someone who looked like her.
“It was really affirming to see a young Black woman who came from New York City, one of the top fashion cities, and was now a part of the fashion department [at TMU], teaching me,” says Simpson.
Upon graduating, Simpson went on to have an incredible career in fashion spanning more than 40 years, becoming one of Canada’s first Black buyers in high fashion and an icon in the Toronto fashion scene. She helped open the first Yves-Saint Laurent store in Canada and worked as a buyer at Creeds and Holt Renfrew before transitioning to a career in fashion styling that continues to this day.
Simpson’s expertise in fashion, coupled with her hopes to inspire and mentor students, eventually brought her back to TMU where she has been teaching various fashion courses at The Chang School of Continuing Education for the last 17 years.
Iris Simpson was one of Canada’s first Black buyers in high fashion. Photo Ebti Nabag
Now, she’s honoured to be that role model for other Black students. “There have been classes of mine with only one or two Black students and they have come to me to say how nice it is to have a Black teacher,” says Simpson. “I knew exactly how that felt, and I want them to know that doors are open for them and they can pursue their dreams.”
In addition to teaching, Simpson has remained closely tied to her TMU roots. In 2018, she collaborated with her schoolmate and long-time friend, Mary Jo Appugliesi (Odorico), to create Hello, COUTURE!, an upcycled, sustainable clothing line. She has also judged The Creative School’s annual year-end showcase, Mass Exodus, which evolved from the same fashion show that Simpson put on with her classmates in 1978.
Simpson’s advice for students is “not to get discouraged or give up because every day there's a new opportunity and creative minds will always find meaningful employment.”
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