Ladies, Wine & Design

Ladies, Wine & Design Toronto

A conversation series for Toronto Creatives

Ladies*, Wine** & Design is a global non-profit initiative with chapters in over 285 cities worldwide. LW&D was founded in 2015 by Jessica Walsh after this happened. Only .1% of creative agencies are founded by women & non-binary people, and the numbers are even smaller for women/non-binary BIPOC. Our mission is to see more diversity in the creative industry, especially within leadership roles. LW&D takes an intersectional approach to this work. We offer free mentorship circles, portfolio reviews, talks & creative meetups for underrepresented creatives. To hear about upcoming meetups, please subscribe here to find out more about upcoming meetups and more.

*Our space is inclusive of all women, non-binary, agender and gender non-conforming people. Self-definition is at the sole discretion of that individual. If you feel you could benefit from a space meant for people who do not identify as cis men to share ideas and collaborate, you are welcome.

**Alcohol is entirely optional; you can drink tea, coffee, or whatever you like!

September 12, 2019 Fashion Design

Join us for a panel with designers Carolina Mangosing of Vinta Gallery and Jessica Sanchez of Santa Isla. We'll be discussing topics such as slow fashion. ethics, appropriation and more!
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May 22, 2019 Ladies, Babies & Design

What's it like to be a working mom? What's it like juggling and balancing creative work, parenting and time for yourself? Are parents and children considered and involved in design processes?
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April 17, 2019 Fees & Negotiation

Not sure how much to charge a client? Want a raise? Let's talk about how to negotiate better fees for yourself as a designer.
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February 20, 2019 Creative Labels

Art Director? Illustrator? Do you want to specialize, or generalize, or are you unsure? Let's talk about the pros and cons of both directions, using your existing portfolio as a guide. Bring a link to your website or a printed version of your portfolio for the group to guide you.
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December 13, 2018 Accessibility & Design

What makes design accessible? What's the difference between accessible, usable, and universal design? Are people with disabilities considered and involved in design processes?
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November 22, 2018 Field Trip & Drinks

We'll be taking a field trip to the opening night of Swash & Serif 5 followed by some drinks at a local bar!
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September 19, 2018 Creative Fuel

Bring three things that inspire you (real objects, websites, files, etc.) for a group discussion about what fuels your creativity!
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August 22, 2018 Patio Night!

Don't let the last few weeks of summer pass you by!

Join us for a casual evening of networking and great conversation with some brilliant designers and creatives... all while supporting a local woman-owned bar (that just happens to have a great patio!)
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July 18, 2018 Portfolio Review Night

Join us for an evening of great conversation with Toronto creatives at our Portfolio Review Night!
Bring your printed portfolio or link to your website for a group discussion about your work and how to shape your portfolio based on your goals. We'll also look at examples of portfolio websites that get results.
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May 23, 2018 Screening: CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap

We are excited to screen Code: Debugging the Gender Gap which will be followed by a discussion with Yaa Otchere, Shilpa Sequeira, and Alice Petrova, some of Toronto's creatives in tech. We will cover topics such as gender gaps in creative sectors, experiences and challenges for women in tech, and more!
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March 8, 2018 Creative Leadership

Join us as we hang out and celebrate International Women's Day! Details to come.
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February 26, 2018 Imposter Syndome

Do you ever feel like a fraud? Do you worry about sharing your work? How can we overcome this? We'll chat about how to navigate these thoughts and feelings as a creative.
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January 23, 2018 Strengthening Communities II

How we can strengthen our existing communities and forge new ones, online and offline? For this event, we have special guest speakers!
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August 30, 2017 Personal Branding

How can we market ourselves? What are the ups and downs of personal branding?
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July 7, 2017 Strengthening Communities I

How we can strengthen our existing communities and forge new ones, online and offline?
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May 26, 2017 Work/Life Balance

You know. That thing we all want to have figured out. Maybe we can help each other with this one.
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March 31, 2017 Safe Spaces

A discussion on safe space for Women and Women of Colour in the creative industry, LWD meet-ups, and in general.
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January 27, 2017 Social Media for LWD

All things social media.
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December 28, 2016 Pot Luck

Wine, food and design! How can you say no?
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November 25, 2016 Work in Progress

Let's each bring in some work we'd like advice on and give each other some healthy, constructive criticism.
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October 3, 2016 Work/Life Balance

You know. That thing we all want to have figured out. Maybe we can help each other with this one.
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September 7, 2016 T.O. meets Washington DC

LWD Toronto meets with Sara visiting from Washington DC at Kinka Izakaya!
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August 26, 2016 Fear and Failure

We've all failed at something, right? Shit happens. Let's embrace it and share our stories of fear and failure, discuss our coping methods, and how they've shaped who and where we are now.
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July 15, 2016 Sorauren Park Picnic

Let's move our conversation to the park!
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June 10, 2016 Meet and Greet

Let's get to know each other over some wine and have a discussion about design or anything your lovely little heart desires!
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Jessica Walsh started Ladies, Wine & Design in New York after doing a lot of thinking and reading on why there are so few women creative directors. She believes we can change that through mentorship and championing others' work. We couldn't agree more, and we also think it would be fun to meet other creative women!

♦ We're raising our girls to be perfect, and we're raising our boys to be brave, says Reshma Saujani, the founder of Girls Who Code
♦ The Women in Architecture survey provides disturbing insights into the experiences of 1,152 women worldwide.
♦ Women control a whopping 80% of consumer spending, yet only 3% of creative directors are female. Here's why, and what it may take to change the ratio.

Here are some women from/based in Toronto that we admire and inspire us. E-mail us if you would like to nominate someone for this list!