Jeanne Beker
Iconic Fashion Journalist
Jeanne Beker is one of the most influential and fabulous women in the fashion industry—in Canada and around the world. A long-time celebrity, Jeanne speaks on how she rose to the top of arts and culture media as the iconic host of TV’s Fashion Television, along with what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur.
Jeanne started her career as an actress, but quickly moved into radio and then television as co- host of the ground-breaking program, The NewMusic, as well as the entertainment anchor on CityPulse News. She went on to become the host of Fashion Television (FT), which aired for 27 years with viewers across Canada and in more than 140 countries around the world. FT also led to the launch of the FashionTelevisionChannel, which Jeanne helped pioneer. She is also a former style correspondent for TheLoop.ca, ETalk, Canada AM, and The Marilyn Denis Show.
The former editor-in-chief of the magazines FQ and SIR, Jeanne also co–executive produced the documentary series Cover Stories. As a writer, she is the author of five books, including her bestselling autobiography, Jeanne Unbottled: Adventures in High Style, and was a contributing editor of The Toronto Star, The Kit, and was a columnist for Metro. She is currently a featured style columnist for The Globe and Mail, and writes for a number of lifestyle publications as well.
Her fashion and design credits include her clothing line, Edit by Jeanne Beker, and her line of shoes with The Shoe Company at its outlets across Canada. She is also rapidly expanding into other accessory lines.
Jeanne recently made her curatorial debut with a celebrated exhibit at the Design Exchange Museum in Toronto, entitled Politics of Fashion | Fashion of Politics.
Jeanne’s many awards include being made a member of the Order of Canada in 2014 for her support of the Canadian fashion industry; “Vantage Women of Originality Award”; the “Variety Club Diamond Award”; the “Crystal Jury Award from Women in Film and Television”; the “2013 Canadian Award of Distinction” from the Banff World Media Festival; and being honoured with a Canadian Screen Achievement Award for the role she played in changing the way Canadians watch television. She was past Honorary Chair of Toronto’s Annual Fashion Cares, and she currently sits on the honorary board for Gilda’s Club of Greater Toronto.
