Today and tomorrow, the Fashion and Design Festival is bringing the best of Canadian fashion to the people. The festival opened yesterday to a bustling Dundas Square, offering the chance for regular people to experience the thrill of seeing a well-produced fashion show. Highlights last night included the show I , an "ethical" fashion show featuring designs using recycled fabrics.

Most of the 30-some fashion events feature fresh fall clothes and summer holdovers from moderate chain retailers. The idea is, after you see the show, you can cross Yonge Street to the Eaton Centre and buy something hot off the runway.

But the shows you really want to look out for are the ones featuring Canadian designers, like Highlight Toronto that finished off last night with a showcase of Toronto's top talent. Tonight at 9:30, check out French Kiss, a cavalcade of fashion from Quebec.

There's a lot more to see over the next two days, see my picks for the must-see shows.