FUGNITTO

Mario Fugnitto was born in 1992 in Ontario, Canada. Along with his two sisters, he is the son of immigrants, his father a skilled wood framer and his mother a bookkeeper with a penchant for fashion. He has fond early memories of being captivated by the beauty of the dresses his mother and sisters wore. He was named after his grandfather, Mario Fugnitto, who moved his young family to Canada from southern Italy on April 20th, 1965, almost 27 years to the day before his grandson and namesake was born. 

In his teenage years, Mario worked as a professional dancer, joining ACTRA (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists) with credits obtained on various film sets. In a career transition inspired by dance, he began designing and producing competitive dance costumes for local studios. From here, he ventured into custom garments, designing and fashioning clothing by hand, always with the encouragement and support of his muse, Haley McPherson. In 2022, he presented his first collection at Fashion Arts Toronto.