BLAK.I was created in 2010 as a lifestyle brand made to bring out a woman's inner cool.
Diego Fuchs and Helder Aguiar are the design duo behind BLAK.I Both have deep ties to the fashion industry and have spent their careers immersed in design and creativity.
Born and raised in Azores, Portugal and Buenos Aires, Argentina respectively, Helder (pronounced “elder”) and Diego both grew up with a natural love of fashion.
Helder moved to Canada with his family at age 10 and found fashion inspiration in his stylish mother growing up. It was while studying business at McMaster University that he realized his true passion lay not in numbers and charts, but the innovations of design. He graduated and went on to study fashion design.
Diego comes from a family rooted in the apparel industry. His great grandfather was a tailor and his grandfather was in the textile business. His own passion for design, which began with a student fashion show in high school, allowed him to fully express his artistic side. In designing he found the perfect medium through which to explore the world of fashion.
The two met in 2003 while attending the acclaimed International Academy in Toronto. They both worked for local designer, Nada, where they built a friendship and partnership before deciding to take the leap and set out on their own. After years of working and training in the Toronto industry together, they were ready to create something of their own.
BLAK.I was born out of the design duo's mutual love for design and a shared sharp-edged aesthetic. Together they've created a brand that incorporates luxury and street wear. From its inception and during its continued growth, BLAK.I has been more than just a clothing line – It's a way of life and the evolution of the individual – starting with its creators.
The brand focuses on building wardrobe foundations that can be enhanced from season to season and not simply the ever–changing trends from the world of fashion. It ranges from fashion forward, intricately cut shirts and separates to fluid dresses and cutting edge leather garments. The brand has evolved since its inception to fully encapsulate the cutting edge contemporary woman. It continues to include designer aesthetics and detail with a modern and streamlined feel.