Tyra Banks knows absolutely nothing about Canada—it seems that way, anyway

Dear Tyra Banks and America’s Next Top Model,

Let us break it down to you real simply: you kind of suck. You had a great opportunity to showcase Canadian fashion last night on your program after you sent your models to Toronto Fashion Week, but instead you decided to reinforce Canadian stereotypes and promote Jay Manuel’s Attitude by Sears collection (and show an impressively small sampling of Canadian design). You’re in Toronto (Toronto, Canada as it’s named on the show), so, naturally, the elimination photoshoot should include something totally Canadian, which you decided is outfits made of autumnal foliage, complete with a stagehand who squeezes organic maple syrup onto the bodies and faces of willing models. Other than that, the Canadian elements of the show included quick cuts of Yonge Street, the Distillery District and the CN Tower—those places that people frequent who require, respectively, knock-off Starter caps, fair trade coffee and chocolate and expensive breathtaking views. So, tourists.

You sent your models to castings for the Mercedes Benz Start Up challenge (a competition for new designers—Martin Lim, Triarchy and Cassie Dee), Attitude by Sears and Kimberley Newport-Mimran’s Pink Tartan—but you didn’t highlight the real titans of the Toronto design community like Jeremy Laing, Arthur Mendonça or even Joe Fresh. The whole episode seemed like one giant promo video for Sears, complete with a prize consisting of, um, clothes from Sears (what, no Pink Tartan flight mechanic jumpsuit?). It wasn’t great.

Sincerely,

The Goods