This feels like a fitting partnership. Virgo’s journey began not in film but in fashion. Before becoming one of Canada’s most celebrated directors, he studied at the Fashion Institute of Canada, worked as a buyer traveling between Amsterdam, Paris, and London, and later honed his craft in Toronto at Harry Rosen, the luxury menswear retailer. These formative years shaped his eye for detail and deepened his appreciation for tailoring as both craft and expression – lessons that later informed his cinematic vision.

Born in Jamaica and raised in Toronto, Virgo grew up immersed in the rich cultures of both places. He recalls the neighborhood tailors of his youth – masters of cloth who transformed fabric into garments that carried pride and identity. That deep connection to clothing as a form of self-expression stayed with him, influencing his filmmaking style, where he applies the same discipline, precision, and sense of presentation. His debut premiered at Cannes and launched an international career that includes HBO’s The Wire, Netflix’s Greenleaf, and the award-winning Brother, which had its world premiere at TIFF in 2022.

We sat down with Clement ahead of this year’s festival to reflect on his extraordinary career, his journey from fashion to film, and the mindset that continues to define his work: a commitment to craft, a drive for growth, and a fierce dedication to presenting the most authentic and ambitious version of himself – on screen and in life.

We’ve collaborated before, and one of the things we learned is that your early career was rooted in fashion. How did that transition into film happen?

Clement Virgo: Fashion was my first love before film, because I could see myself in that world, maybe as a designer. After high school, I went to what was then the Fashion Institute of Canada. I studied fashion design, merchandising, all of it. After graduating, I got a job in Toronto doing window displays and fashion shows. Eventually, I became a buyer, traveling to Amsterdam, Paris, and London to source clothes. That was my life from about 20 to 24.
At the same time, I was going to film school at night. I had these two passions – fashion and film – and I think there’s a real connection between the aesthetics of both. Eventually, I joined Harry Rosen, where I worked for about three years until I made my first film. That film was accepted into Cannes, which was the turning point. I quit fashion and jumped into film with both feet.

What did your youth before that look like?

Virgo: I was 11 years old when I left Jamaica and came to Canada.

How do you look back on the influences and references that shaped your early interests?

Virgo: Jamaica is fascinating because it’s very African, but also American and British from colonial history. I grew up poor, and when you’re poor, you take care of the nice clothes you have. That was a kind of pride. I also grew up in the church, where Sunday service meant putting on your best. Clothing became a way to distinguish yourself, to express identity.

I think I’ve always been visually inclined. Clothing and tailoring felt connected to the same instincts that later drew me to framing and composition in film.

One could argue that clothing was the first accessible medium for aesthetics, and once you discovered the power of the video camera, that became your next interest.

Virgo: Exactly. Fashion and clothing were within reach. In Jamaica, if you wanted a pair of pants, you went to the store for cloth and then to the local tailor. My neighborhood had four or five. The best tailor always had the most business. You’d bring a picture from a magazine or movie, and he’d make it. That was just part of life.

I remember the first time I went into the Atelier Munro House in Toronto – it had been years since anyone had measured me for a garment. Not since Harry Rosen in my 20s, or back in Jamaica when the tailor measured my inseam and waist. People who never had that experience don’t know what it feels like to wear something made just for them.

From about 17 to 25 I was fully immersed in fashion: the shows, the politics, the models, the people. It was intense, and in some ways very similar to film. By the end, I was ready to move on.

How did that transition to film come about?

Virgo: Film was a mystery growing up. I just consumed it. I didn’t know there were writers, directors, producers. I thought actors made up their own lines. Once I saw people who looked like me making films, I realized it was possible.
My world was small – fashion, film, music, sports. Sports were accessible: all you needed was a ball and a field. Fashion was accessible: the tailor down the street, the seamstress making your sister’s dress. But film felt unreachable until I saw people like Spike Lee, John Singleton – who became a friend before he passed – along with Black filmmakers from the UK and Africa. That’s when it dawned on me I could do it too.

Today, kids in West Africa make short films on iPhones. Extraordinary designers are emerging everywhere. Back then, those parts of the world were dismissed as “third world.” Now it’s different.

How would you describe the start of your professional career in film and television?

Virgo: The same passion I had for fashion carried into film. In fashion I read all the magazines. In film I went to festivals, watched everything, educated myself. I had to catch up.

Like many, I grew up on Hollywood – Spielberg, Lucas – because that’s what was available. But in Jamaica we also had Hong Kong kung fu films, which is how Bruce Lee became maybe the first “third world” movie star. We saw spaghetti westerns, European cinema like French New Wave, Italian realism, Russian avant-garde, Bergman. That expanded my education.

Back then, finding a film meant hunting through video stores or waiting months. Now you can watch anything with one click.

But then you encounter the hard truths of the industry. Film and television can be insular and tribalistic, with powerful systems that often keep people out. Were you prepared to navigate that because of your fashion background, or was it something entirely different?

Virgo: Those systems exist everywhere. At 21, working for businessmen focused only on the bottom line, I learned emotional intelligence. That carried over.

Yes, there are gatekeepers, and historically they kept people out. You figure out how to navigate – or build your own system. Create your own opportunities, your own economic value. I saw that in fashion too. A friend of mine, a great salesperson, was fired. Instead of finding another job, he opened his own store. That stuck with me.

When I entered film, I realized if I waited for someone to hire me, I’d wait forever. I had to take that same entrepreneurial spirit and make my own film.

As a Black man in a mostly white industry, especially in the director’s chair, that must have been extra challenging. How did you end up getting a foot in the door?

Virgo: I studied how others did it. I realized I had to be a writer-director and make something small enough to finance. I made a low-budget film, and it got into Cannes. That gave it value. If you create something that makes money, people come to you.

It was also the 90s, when there was a push to expand cultural boundaries – not just in film, but across industries.

How did you then navigate being hired by HBO – at that point maybe the most aspirational institution in television?

Virgo: David Simon, creator of The Wire, saw my first film and invited me to join. That’s how it happened.

In any industry, everyone’s competing for limited resources. The question is: who gets access? Those who stand out. I figured if I could add value, show discipline, and go the extra mile, I could make it work.

I didn’t see myself as a standout talent, but I knew I could outwork others. When I joined The Wire, I did all the homework I could to contribute and make it the best experience possible.

But someone has to give you a chance first, right? You were young and relatively inexperienced.

Virgo: True. In the end, it’s always a bet. But I think selling yourself comes down to authenticity. If I’m passionate about something, I want people to feel that.

Life is a constant pitch – to a partner, to a company. You’re always presenting yourself.

Over the years, you’ve gone from breaking in to being an established presence in the industry. Was there ever a moment when you felt like, “Okay, now I’ve arrived”?

Virgo: Honestly, I’ve never felt that way. Maybe it’s my own insecurity, but I always feel I need to keep learning, evolving, growing. There’s no set destination. It’s like working out – a constant practice.

When I started, I shot on film and edited by literally cutting and gluing reels together. I saw the shift to digital, CGI, new sound design. I went from Blu-rays to streaming in the span of 20 years. That taught me that you have to keep pivoting. The key to survival is adaptation.

You’ve also been producing projects with your own production company for some years now. Has that helped you work more freely?

Virgo: It’s helped, yes, but I don’t take it for granted. Nothing is static. Change is constant.
I still own almost 3,000 DVDs and Blu-rays. My son, who’s 19, didn’t grow up with CDs or analog formats. But now he’s buying vinyl, digging for The Clash in record stores. Trends cycle back. You always have to be watching what comes next.

We specifically collaborated with you again this year because of your presence at TIFF. What does the 2025 festival represent for you?

Virgo: This year is TIFF’s 50th anniversary, which is huge. My films have played there for 30 years, from shorts to my latest, Steal Away, which is premiering this year.

TIFF is my hometown festival. It was instrumental in my growth. Coming back now feels like a celebration of that journey.

The first time Atelier Munro made garments for you was also at TIFF, for the premiere of Brother. In a way, your relationship with the brand is tied to the festival as well.

Virgo: Exactly. That makes the connection with Atelier Munro extra special. The brand has been part of meaningful moments in my career. It feels full circle to look my best in Made-to-Measure during these days of celebration and reflection, making sure I present the best version of myself.