Carl Abad

Take Filipino immigrant parents, a Calgary home located steps from a Northeast shopping mall, a pink-mohawked sister who epitomized the ‘80s and mix with raw talent and a passion for creating the extraordinary from the ordinary, and you get Calgary-stylist Carl Abad.  From an early age, Abad tailored his own garments and before long was rummaging through the family garage in search of treasure with which to create his own jewelry. He eventually harnessed this creative energy through studies in jewelry and metalsmithing at Alberta College of Art and Design (ACAD). While at ACAD, friends encouraged Abad to explore his passion for fashion and style.  At the suggestion of a photographer colleague en route to London, he crossed the Atlantic for his first professional experiences as a stylist.  Within days of landing in the fashion Mecca, Abad landed a position with one of the city’s leading stylist agencies and was recruited by now-designer and Conquistor label founder Tassos Sofroniou, through whom he met some of the heavy-hitters of London style, including stylist Isabella Blow and designers Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood.  Despite London’s endless catwalk of creativity, Abad’s heart remained in Calgary.  After five years, he returned home to share his new-found skills with the growing cosmopolitan city, while continuing to implement the creative development gained while at ACAD.  In the late 2000’s Abad opened Worth. Buzz about the boutique reached fashion circles in Toronto, Montreal, New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles.  National press followed and so did clients hungry for Abad’s signature looks.  The pressures of retail gave way to demand for Abad’s consulting services, and he now dedicates his time to his own styling firm, simply called Carl Abad.  The company provides services to business leaders, sports stars, musicians and diverse companies from Calgary’s The Core to national and international brands including Mark’s, Brooks Brothers and Honens International Piano Competition.  In 2011, Abad was named one of Canada’s most influential voices in fashion.