Modest, kind-hearted and extremely talented are the words that come to mind when talking about Haithem Elkadiki, fashion designer extraordinaire.

Haithem moved to Toronto 14 years ago from Libya, and made Calgary his home since 1998. He seriously started to pursue his fashion career in 2001. Haithem had an interest in drawing/sketching when he was younger, and after seeing fashion drawings in a magazine, he immediately knew this was the career for him. Boy was he right!

Before starting his own label, KaaDiki, he gained experience apprenticing at Body Body Wear and other Toronto based fashion houses. He showed me his Winter 2005 collection and my jaw dropped! It was a marvellous compilation of cropped jackets, military style vests with buttons and pockets, stylish dress shirts with bold logos, and streamlined flat-front pants. His use of colour in the collection was phenomenal, with punches of reds, pinks and oranges…perfectly suited for the “stylish” gay man! I don’t know who wouldn’t look gorgeous in his threads. It’s all about attention to detail, precise tailoring, and versatility.

His next collection will be showing in Toronto at this years’ Loreal Fashion Week ,October 17th to 22nd. All he would tell me is that it’s influenced by Pierre Trudeau. I can only imagine… fitted suits mixed in with Kaadikis’ famous touch of red…I guess we will all have to wait and see. This is his fifth season being involved with Loreal Fashion Week and he feels both “privileged and anxious, as it takes a lot to prepare for the show.” To top it off, he has also been nominated by Style Magazines’ Fashion Export Awards as Menswear Designer.

Haithem’s icons include “Gianni Versace, Christian Lacroix for his use of color, and Karl Lagerfeld for his personality” (who doesn’t love the man with the fan!). He incorporates all aspects of his life into his fashions, be it music, movies, travel, and even food! That’s why I believe his pieces spoke to me on so many levels: I know I would look damn sexy in them! He describes his personal style as being simple, having balance in his wardrobe; pairing a loud, colourful shirt with a simple pair of pants, or vice versa. “Black and white, yin and yang,” as he described it.

Unfortunately his pieces are not available in any stores in Calgary but, he does do custom work. It is just a matter of time before his brand explodes onto the fashion scene, so I suggest you get the pieces now. A KaaDiki original is the perfect addition to any gay man’s wardrobe!

View Haithem’s collection online, visit http://www.lorealfashionweek.ca