The Royal Ontario Museum has presented philanthropist Suzanne Rogers with its inaugural ROM Immortal Award, celebrating her transformative impact on Canada's fashion landscape and her longstanding dedication to children's charities.
From Humble Beginnings to Fashion Patron
Growing up in the northern Ontario community of Elliot Lake, Suzanne Angelique Kolev experienced a childhood of financial hardship. The daughter of Hungarian immigrants, her life was marked by tragedy when her father, Miklos, died in a mining accident when she was just five months old. Her mother, Suzanna, ran a daycare to support the family.
"My mom would take me to the bin at the Goodwill with my sister, and we'd pick out the clothes that we liked," Rogers recalled to National Post. She received her first pair of new shoes at eight years old.
Despite these challenges, fashion became her creative outlet and means of self-expression. As a teenager in St. Thomas, Ontario during the 1980s, she frequented vintage shops and developed her distinctive style, inspired by New Wave music and often wearing ties with blazers.
A Life Transformed by Marriage and Mission
Rogers' philanthropic journey began in earnest after her 2006 marriage to Edward Rogers, executive chair of Rogers Communications and scion of one of Canada's wealthiest families. Instead of traditional wedding gifts, the couple asked guests to donate to Habitat for Humanity, resulting in two homes built for families in need.
This act set the tone for her future charitable work. Soon after, SickKids hospital invited her to raise funds for a revolutionary portable cancer treatment system that allowed teenagers to receive chemotherapy through a backpack, significantly reducing their hospital time.
Championing Emerging Canadian Fashion Talent
In the early 2010s, Rogers identified a critical gap in support for young Canadian fashion designers aspiring to international recognition. After attending Toronto Fashion Week, she took advice from Robert Ott, then chair of the school of fashion at Toronto Metropolitan University, who encouraged her to look deeper into the industry.
Attending a school fashion show proved to be a turning point. "I was impressed by the calibre of the youthful designers," she said. When she asked Ott about what opportunities awaited graduates, she discovered shrinking bursaries and the absence of a master's program in Canada for fashion students.
This revelation sparked her commitment: "Wow, this is something that I'm interested in." Her subsequent support has provided crucial opportunities for emerging designers to gain international exposure and develop their careers.
The ROM Immortal Award was presented to Rogers at Toronto's Park Hyatt on November 4, 2025, during the Immortal Gala: The Art of Fashion, recognizing her immeasurable contributions to Canadian fashion and philanthropy.
