FASHION DESIGN
| PROGRAM LENGTH: | 4 semesters, one year. |
| CLASS SCHEDULE: | 3 days per week. - Option A: Mon/Tues - 9am - 5pm, Wed - 9am - 1pm - Option B: Wed - 1:30pm - 5:30pm, Thurs/Fri - 9am - 5pm |
| PREREQUISITES: | International applicants must take an internal English Assessment Test. Applicants must be at least 19 years old or a high school graduate. Successful applicants must submit 3 or more machine-sewn garments, or send photos or image files of these garments. Garments may be constructed from commercial or original patterns. Examples of drawing ability, such as sketches or paintings, must also be submitted. |
| APPLICATION FORM: | Download PDF  Online Application: http://www.blanchemacdonald.com/fashion/apply/ |
| BROCHURE: | Download PDF |
Program Overview
Fashion design runs the gamut from high to low, conservative to alternative and couture to disposable. Whether you consider fashion as artistry, personal expression or a reflection of the times, fashion design is an integral part of our everyday life.
The creation of a single fashion design involves hundreds of decisions and dozens of processes. From the initial inspiration and conceptualization, garment sketches or fashion illustrations are often used to fully render the design. As your design begins to take shape, you have to factor in fashion trends and forecasting, market research and how you want to build your collection and brand. Once you have these decisions made, it's time to begin the actual construction of the garment: selecting the fabrics, pattern making, sizing and cutting the fabric. Then sample garments are made; costing details and specification sheets are created and then the promotion of the garment and your collection begins. This involves PR kits, media releases, advertising campaigns, fashion shows, trunk shows; the list goes on.
The one-year Fashion Design program is divided into four semesters. This comprehensive program is comprised of 22 subjects for a total of 63 credits. All subjects must be successfully completed in order to receive a diploma.
Program schedule: Fashion Design students attend six classes per week. Classes are scheduled on a three day per week basis, for a total of twenty hours per week. Class schedules run M-T-W or W-Th-F.
| Course Number | Fashion Design Courses |
| ARTT | 410 | Art & Technology |
| RES | 240 | Career Preparation |
| FDES | 110 | Design Collections I |
| FDES | 210 | Design Collections II |
| FASA | 150 | Fashion Awareness I |
| FASA | 250 | Fashion Awareness II |
| FELM | 350 | Fashion Elements |
| FASA | 100 | Fashion History |
| FILL | 110 | Fashion Illustration I |
| FILL | 210 | Fashion Illustration II |
| FILL | 310 | Fashion Illustration III |
| FPRO | 350 | Fashion Promotion & Marketing |
| CONS | 100 | Garment Construction I |
| CONS | 200 | Garment Construction II |
| CONS | 300 | Garment Construction III |
| CONS | 400 | Garment Construction IV |
| MANU | 305 | Introduction to Manufacturing |
| PATT | 100 | Patternmaking I |
| PATT | 200 | Patternmaking II |
| PATT | 300 | Patternmaking III |
| PATT | 400 | Patternmaking IV |
| PORT | 405 | Portfolio Presentation |
| SEW | 115 | Sewing Labs |
| TEXT | 120 | Textiles |
Graduation Fashion Show. For Fashion Design students, your intense year of study culminates in our celebrated Graduation Fashion Show. At this gala event, your carefully edited fashion collections are staged in a first class venue using professional models and makeup artists. This production is showcased to hundreds of people in the industry, prospective employers, media, family and friends. This event has been sold out year after year, generating significant media exposure for our new design graduates and extensive industry and employment opportunities.
Career Opportunities
Dozens of creative and challenging entry-level career positions are available to our Fashion Merchandising and Fashion Design graduates. The following is a sampling of some of the career opportunities in the fashion industry.
Assistant Designer |
Inventory Control Associate |
Graduate Highlights
GENETTE SALGADO
Fashion Design Graduate - Designer/Owner of SALGADO collection in Vancouver, BC
After graduating from Blanche Macdonald Centre’s Fashion Design Program with top marks and an achievement award for Overall Portfolio Presentation, Fashion Design Graduate Genette Salgado launched her own self-titled label, S A L G A D O. This very talented designer also has a BA in Anthropology and a background in athletics and performing arts, and has channeled her creative and competitive spirit into a beautiful clothing line for the trendy, flirty and confident woman.
"Blanche was more than I expected, and I already had high hopes prior to the start of my program!” says Salgado. “The teaching staff is incredibly talented and knowledgeable, and I was very fortunate to have been part of a very inspired and inspiring class. We were all able to create a very supportive environment in which we could all grow into unique designers. It was an immensely gratifying year.”
Read more online about Fashion Design Graduate Genette Salgado
THEOLA WONG
Fashion Design Graduate - Senior Apparel/Accessories Designer at Adidas Respect M.E. for Missy Elliott in Portland, USA
Theola Wong may be petite but her career is hitting stratospheric heights as the Senior Apparel and Accessories Designer for Adidas Respect M.E. for Missy Elliott at their office in Portland. A powerhouse of talent, this Blanche Macdonald Design grad has worked as the Lead Designer for Reebok Lifestyle at their head office in Boston. There she led a team of Reebok designers responsible for their Skateboard line, which includes the DGK collaboration with Stevie Williams and the inhouse Reebok Skate collection, the dance-inspired street fusion line for women named Rhythm, and the "Bringbacks", Reebok's perennial classic collection of old school favourites.
Her design savvy is inspired by street artist and music environments, sports, new technologies, her ability to feel each city’s vibe and being open to both creative and business challenges.
"Vancouver is a global presence", she says when it comes to chatting about fashion, music, art and culture in this city.
It was on a fast and furious trip to Vancouver that BMC caught up with her. Theola took time out from her busy schedule to talk to the Design and Merchandising students about her incredible career path. A BMC home girl, she has kept in constant touch with her Instructors at Blanche Macdonald since graduating.
"There are so many areas of this industry other than design (pattern making, production, etc). It was good to learn about them all at Blanche Macdonald in order to really figure out where to sink my teeth in. It's been almost 8 years since graduating and I still keep in contact with the school. They have been unfalteringly supportive and enthusiastic about each of my endeavors".
Read more online about Fashion Design Graduate Theola Wong
Further information about our Fashion Design Program
Course Outlines, Graduate Highlights, Career Services, and more available on our website: http://www.blanchemacdonald.com/fashion/intro/
Tuition and Financing
For current information on our Tuition and Financing details, please contact an Admissions Director by phone 604.685.0347 or by email info@blanchemacdonald.com. Thank you!
Interested in more program information? Visit http://www.blanchemacdonald.com/info-request
Note: The college reserves the right to change course offerings, course content, kit contents, facilities, faculty, tuition fees, and course schedules without notice.