Suzanne A. Rogers

Suzanne Angelique Rogers (née Kolev) is a Canadian philanthropist who combines her love of fashion with her commitment to children’s charities, both domestically and abroad.

Rogers was born in Elliot Lake – a small town in northeast Ontario – where her parents, Suzanna and Miklos, had emigrated from Budapest, Hungary. The family later moved to London, Ontario.

Rogers attended grade school in London, but she completed her secondary education at the Salzburg International Preparatory School in Austria (the boarding and day school was later renamed "The American International School"). She returned to London to attend the University of Western Ontario, where she graduated in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.

Rogers has always had an interest in fashion. As a young girl at school in Austria, she recalls taking the train to Paris, Vienna or Munich, to stay ahead of current trends in the industry. She has combined that love of fashion with a passion for giving back with her fundraiser series, Suzanne Rogers Presents (SRP). For each event, Rogers partners with a notable designer, which have included Oscar de la Renta,Marchesa and Zac Posen and Diane von Furstenberg, with other celebrity couturiers in attendance. To date, SRP events have raised more than $3-million for Canadian and international children’s charities.

2014’s Suzanne Rogers Presents Zac Posen gala was the catalyst for the critically acclaimed documentary House of Z, an in-depth portrait of the esteemed designer’s remarkable career, directed by Sandy Chronopoulus with Rogers as an executive producer. The film made its international debut on April 15, 2017, at New York City’s Tribeca Film Festival. Rogers attended the debut alongside fashion and Hollywood luminaries, including Posen, Hamish Bowles, Uma Thurman and André Leon Talley, who moderated a post-screening panel discussion. Prior to the screening, Posen spoke with Vogue about the film’s honest portrayal, noting that, “There are low points, and it’s about how you grow from those. I think it’s important for young creators, young designers, and people who are interested in working in fashion, to see one take on what you can do to build your dreams.” House of Z was subsequently presented in May 2017 at Toronto’s annual Hot Docs festival.

For several years, Rogers also funded the $25,000 Suzanne Rogers Award for Most Promising New Label at the Toronto Fashion Incubator’s annual gala, cited as the largest individual cash prize donation within the Canadian fashion industry. In October 2016, Toronto's Ryerson University announced the launch of the Suzanne Rogers Fashion Institute (SRFI), cited by the university as, "a dynamic fellowship program designed and dedicated to educate, support, promote and advocate for new Canadian talent in fashion craftsmanship and design." Providing master classes and exclusive mentorship opportunities to bridge the transition from fashion education to practice, the program is made possible through a $1-million gift from The Edward and Suzanne Rogers Foundation to Ryerson's Faculty of Communication and Design. In July 2017, the SFRI’s three inaugural Fellows were announced: Alexandra Armata and Stephanie Moscall-Varey, both recent graduates from the Ryerson Fashion Design program; and student Quentin Collier, who entered the Ryerson program in 2015. “The process of selecting the inaugural Fellows was one that was highly competitive and intensive,” said Robert Ott, Associate Professor, School of Fashion and Director of the SRFI. “This made the job of the Selection Committee extremely difficult. I am very thankful to have worked with a group of industry professionals who are excited, passionate and enthusiastic about nurturing fashion’s future.” In addition to Ott, the Selection Committee included a cross-section of respected Canadian fashion leaders, including: luxury designer Marie Saint Pierre; fashion retail authority Nicholas Mellamphy; designer Wayne Clark; and fashion educator P.Y. Chau.

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