Charity and commerce will share centre stage when curtains go up on spring/summer 2009 collections at Montreal Fashion Week at historic Bonsecours Market in old Montreal.

The 15th edition of the semi-annual showcase kicks off Thanksgiving Monday. In addition to featuring the work of design talents from within and outside Quebec to domestic and international buyers, the event will see artists decked out in original designs for a fundraising runway show.

Twenty-two Quebec artists will take to the catwalk Oct. 16 in creations crafted by designers from Laboratoire Creatif. The works are inspired by the late Maria Callas, and the soundtrack will include remixed versions of classics recorded by the celebrated opera star.

Proceeds of the event, to be hosted by Quebec chanteuse Mitsou, will go toward Look Good Feel Better, a national nonprofit program that helps women manage the appearance-related effects of cancer and its treatment.

Outside of the fundraiser (the sole event open to the public), the main focus of the week will be to provide a platform for designers to share their visions of the styles they hope consumers will eventually snap up for the warmer months.

Denis Gagnon, Marie Saint Pierre, Muse by Christian Chenail and Envers by Yves Jean Lacasse are among the established designers and labels who will unveil their collections, alongside rising talents that include Travis Taddeo.

Designers from outside Quebec will also be presenting collections, including Project Runway Canada winner Evan Biddell and Lucian Matis, who was a finalist on the design competition TV series.