Grad Success

Jessica Steblyk Delivers Early Bird Makeup to Vancouver and Toronto

One major benefit of being a professional makeup artist is that you get to work in exciting environments with beautiful people and fascinating celebrities. But no one ever said that this career was easy. For Jessica Steblyk, the makeup artist for The Morning Show for Global TV in Toronto, it helps that she doesn’t have an aversion to early starts.

“My alarm is set for 3.20am,” she smiles. “Call time is 4am. But it’s stress free at Global. I have two hours to get everyone ready, which is luxury.”

Late nights are out of the question for Jessica and the rest of The Morning Show team, but there are plenty of positives that come with this position.

“It’s cool,” she explains. “I didn’t sign on expecting to do Regis Philbin and William Shatner’s makeup. I had no idea that was the level of guest they were pulling in. Regis was very friendly and professional. I had about three minutes with him. I threw his makeup on and he was on air. He looked amazing.”

Global TV is just one of many elements in the professional life of this freelance makeup artist. She’s regularly working on TV commercials, a variety of television shows, weddings and print ads in her adopted hometown of Toronto. It’s the culmination of a dream that began in drama class in small-town Alberta. 

Esthetics Graduate Judy Drew Creates Comfort and Careers at Atlantis Day Spa

When Blanche Macdonald Esthetics graduate Judy Drew opened Atlantis Day Spa in Tsawwassen, BC back in 1994, she knew she was creating something special. Today, Atlantis is double its original size, and still the town’s best and busiest spa. 

Judy’s unwavering standards of excellence have made her an iconic figure in British Columbia’s esthetics community. She’s continually reinvented Atlantis with the introduction of new treatments and technologies, which is just one of many reasons why the spa has been the starting point for a generation of successful estheticians, including Blanche Macdonald grads and current Atlantis employees Laurie Watt,Jen Clarke and Jacqueline Bruce.

Judy never planned on becoming an inspiration. It just came naturally. 

“Before I went to Blanche Macdonald I was working for a company managing cosmetic departments,” she explains. “I wasn’t able to provide the hands-on quality of service that I really wanted. I decided to open a business at home teaching people about makeup and skincare. I started seeing salons offering esthetics and I realised that I could do more. 

“I did a lot of research before I went to Esthetics School and Blanche Macdonald had a real commitment to the industry. The other schools I spoke to didn’t seem to have the same passion. The program gave me what I needed to move forward in the industry. I knew what I wanted to do but didn’t know how it was going to look. At Blanche Macdonald my knowledge was extended to the point that I was really confident moving forward.”

Craft and Creativity Wow Vancouver at Colour Couture: The 2011 Fashion Design Graduate Show

The staff and students of Blanche Macdonald’s Fashion School had high expectations coming into Colour Couture, the 2011 Fashion Design Graduate Show. From the very beginning, everyone involved knew it would be the biggest Fashion Show the School had ever presented, as an incredible 52 graduates would be unveiling their debut collections at the Westin Bayshore Hotel in Downtown Vancouver. 

It turned out that Colour Couture wasn’t merely the biggest Blanche Macdonald Fashion Show. It was also the best. 

“I was standing backstage when we started, surrounded by hair and makeup artists,” explained Program Director and Show CoordinatorPeggy Morrison. “I said, I can feel it, it’s going to be a great show.” 

“I think it was the most fluid of all the shows we’ve done,” agreed her fellow Program Director Donna Baldock. “People were calm backstage. We had some amazing professionals doing the makeup and hair, and the students here helping with dressing were great.”

If the backstage area was structured and serene, for the TV crews and hundreds of fashionistas in attendance (including supermodel and Blanche Macdonald Fashion Merchandising graduate David Chiang) the excitement and emotion was raw and unmistakeable. From beachwear to bridal gowns, from elegant functionality to avant-garde outerwear, from exquisite eveningwear to custom-made shoes constructed from recycled furniture legs, Blanche Macdonald’s Fashion Design class of 2011 proved that they had the craftsmanship to match their creativity.

“The workmanship and craft on every piece I handled was incredible,” continued Donna. “It’s easy to forget that some of those students didn’t have a lot of sewing skills when they arrived.”

“First of all, the portfolios were great,” agreed Fashion Instructor Lisa Gellert. “They were very diverse in terms of style and I was very pleased with the results. With the actual clothing, it all looked well made, and it was a diverse collection with interesting and innovative designs. There wasn’t just one aesthetic.”

Pro Hair Grad Coco Manzano Makes the Cut at Toni&Guy

Coco Manzano has always had an affinity for hair. Just ask his family. 

“My Mom says that when I was really young every time she got out of the shower I wanted to brush her hair,” he recalls. “When I was in Grade Seven bangs were really in fashion so I asked my sister if I could cut her hair, which was really long. She said no, so when she was sleeping I chopped her hair really short – just above her eyebrows. Everyone was so mad at me. She has a really small forehead so it looked extra funny. She still won’t let me cut her hair.”

Plenty of people in Vancouver would leap at the offer of a cut from one of the city’s most exciting young stylists. It’s been a year since the Blanche Macdonald Pro Hair graduate dropped off his résumé at Toni&Guy and became a permanent member of the team at one of BC’s busiest and best salons.

“Working here is great,” he continues. “All the employees are really humble. I’m really comfortable here. I can come in and do my thing. It feels like home.”

Fashion Merchandising Grad Danielle Swanson: Theory Meets Art at The lululemon Lab

"The lululemon Lab is a hub for innovation and design," explains Danielle Swanson. She would know. She’s been the Merchandising Key Leader for the last two years. "Everything here is focused on moving forward.  Everything is created on site.  It's all happening before your own eyes.  It's very transparent.  Which is in alignment with how I live."

It’s only natural that Danielle now works at Vancouver’s most innovative store. The concept store of lululemon athletica, at The Lab customers can see what they’re buying at every stage of production. Home to a team of designers taking inspiration from everyone that walks through their doors, The Lab creates, manufactures and sells its own line of lululemon clothing. It’s Vancouver’s open-to-the-public fashion house. And Blanche Macdonald Fashion Merchandising grad Danielle is happy and proud to contribute to its success.

"I Key Lead, so I manage the store as well as merchandise," she continues. "I make sure the store is set up perfectly, lead the team and help them be awesome and sassy by goal coaching and bringing my uniqueness to The Lab. We do a series of installations by local artists in the window and I handle that too. I help run the store while taking the greatest care to hold up the aesthetic of the company at all times, while pushing the boundaries. We’re The Lab, so we need to be different. We have our own identity."

COLOUR COUTURE: 2011 ANNUAL GRADUATION FASHION DESIGN SHOW

Blanche Macdonald Centre invites you to join us as we unveil the next generation of Fashion talent at our annual Fashion Design Graduate Show, Colour Couture!

WEDNESDAY, November 23 2011
The Westin Bayshore
1601 Bayshore Drive, Vancouver BC
Fashion Show begins at 7:00pm
Ticket price: $26 (plus HST)

Tickets are available online and at our Uptown and Downtown Campuses 

Every year, Blanche Macdonald provides the springboard for a new generation of talented designers to begin their journey into the wide world of fashion. Our Fashion School was the launch pad for many successful careers in the fashion industry including Shannon Wilson, owner and designer of lululemon athletica, Tenille Magnusson, head designer of Aritzia's and Canada’s favourite line, Wilfred, and Lisa Malcic whose Beba Bean line boasts A-list celebrity clients and is sold in top retailers including Barneys New York and Nordstroms.

Makeup Graduate and Instructor Farah Hasan Brings Bollywood Extreme to BC

Ten years ago Farah Hasan’s creative brilliance was directed towards her laptop, delivering graphic design work for an in-house graphic agency. That’s when a visit to City Square’s food court opened her mind to new future. 

“I looked upstairs and saw Blanche Macdonald,” she recalls. “For some reason the name just clicked. I went home, googled it and decided, I want to be there.”

That day changed everything. A decade later, Farah has regular opportunities to sample the delights of the City Square food court as a member of Blanche Macdonald’s Makeup Faculty. Teaching at the Makeup School where her journey began is just one component of an incredible career that regularly takes her across Canada and the world for fashion and editorial work and has seen her become the ultimate bridal makeup artist for British Columbia’s South Asian community. 

Esthetics Graduate Anu Varma Provides Couture Care as Chanel Skincare Specialist

Anu Varma didn’t grow up dreaming of a career in the esthetics industry. She came to Blanche Macdonald because she thought it would be a solid investment for the future. Instead, what she learnt at Vancouver’s top Esthetics School ignited a passion, changed her life and led to a coveted position as Chanel’s Skincare Expert across British Columbia.

“I often get asked where I went to school,” she smiles. “As soon as I say Blanche Macdonald, it’s like, ‘Aaah’. Everybody knows Blanche Macdonald. It’s a well-respected Esthetics School and has a really good reputation.

"As a single parent, financial independence is of great importance to me. And my investment in the Esthetics Program at Blanche Macdonald has allowed me to achieve that. I was always taken care of, first by my parents and then by my husband while we were married. I never had to worry about paying bills until my separation. Prior to my divorce, I consulted with a lawyer, which is a service provided by the provincial government. She blatantly said that I would have to rely on spousal support because I was not going to be able to support my daughter and myself. The first thought that crossed my mind at that time was, ‘Just watch me’.”

There’s far more to Anu’s success than just financial rewards. As a Skincare Specialist for Chanel, she has the honour of being part of the team for arguably the most famous luxury goods brand on the planet. And on top of that, she loves every minute of what she’s doing.

“The ongoing satisfaction that I get from my job is incredible,” she explains. “Knowing clients are having a great experience is so important to me. It doesn’t feel like work. I’m very proud to be a part of the Chanel team that’s always welcoming and caring for each other.”

Anu doesn’t believe she’s a natural born esthetician. Her family moved to Vancouver from Fiji when she was 14. Her first love was fashion and she managed a chain of retail clothing stores for nine years. Her family became her priority once she married, and during that time she worked part time in the cosmetics department at London Drugs. It was that entry into the beauty industry that first brought Blanche Macdonald to Anu’s attention.

“Initially my interest was in studying makeup artistry,” she explains. “My brother, who is a hairdresser, encouraged me to do the esthetics program. He was familiar with Blanche Macdonald and knew that there were so many opportunities for esthetics graduates. He offered me a room to rent where I could do treatments. It sounded like a good plan.

“I visited other esthetics schools but Blanche Macdonald stood out straight away; both the ambience and the friendly and knowledgeable staff.”

That initial optimism about coming to Blanche Macdonald was replaced by unbridled enthusiasm once Anu started learning.

“I loved the program and really applied myself. I was so driven, so energized. I just loved it. Debbie Nickel was always around and so helpful. As women we should be supportive and encourage strength and independence in each other. Any concerns we had were always addressed. It was a lovely place to learn.

“As we progressed into the skin module, I became fascinated with the anatomy and physiology of skin. At that point I knew that I wanted a career in medical esthetics.”

It was not long after graduation that desire became reality.

“Upon completion of my board exam, I was hired by a dermatologist. As a medical esthetician and laser technician, there was extensive ongoing training involved. To be able to treat skin at a deeper level and achieve results is amazing.

“Following my separation, I started working for another doctor, Dr. Mathew Mosher, as a part-time clinical esthetician and laser technician. As a single parent I knew I needed a second source of income, and I began searching. Thanks to a past connection I contacted the Chanel representative and an interview was scheduled. After a couple more interviews, I was hired as the Skincare Specialist for British Columbia.”

Anu provides an elite level of service across British Columbia’s Chanel counters, from Victoria to Kelowna, which carry skincare products.

“The clients who are booked for treatments enjoy a unique skincare experience. I’ve met some amazing women who have inspired me, and clients who say I’ve inspired them. I can honestly say that the level of gratification achieved is very rewarding.”

After almost a decade as a clinical esthetician and laser technician, Anu decided to focus completely on being a skincare specialist with Chanel. She’s also found the time to develop and pursue new passions and opportunities. She was certified as a yoga instructor in August 2010.

“When I graduated I didn't realize the wide range of opportunities that would arise from the Esthetics Program,” she smiles. “The possibilities are endless with a program like the one at Blanche Macdonald.”

Fashion Merchandising Graduate and Freelance Stylist Sarah Danniels: Professionalism and Pirate Paks

Three years ago, Sarah Danniels was facing a dilemma about her future. She had earned her degree, travelled around the world and was coming back to Canada less than thrilled at the prospect of returning to the music industry job she’d left behind.

“People told me that I should be a stylist,” she recalls. “I thought, ‘Do people actually do that? Can you really make enough money to live doing that?’”

Sarah has answered her own questions. Today, the Fashion Merchandising graduate is a full-time freelance stylist, with a long list of clients including BC Health, Fairmont Hotels, L’Oreal, Esquire.com, Perfect Wedding Magazine and TV Week, and a fast-growing reputation that’s led to an editorial of her own in Zink Magazine.

Pro Hair Grads Emily Vu and Emily Hope: On the Cutting Edge at On The Fringe

There are two branches of the supremely hip hair salon On The Fringe. One is on Vancouver’s ever-fashionable Main Street, delivering cutting-edge styles and hosting competition-standard photo shoots. The other is in the student union building at the University of British Columbia, introducing students from across Canada to the world of amazing hair. The commitment to excellence is the same at both. And it’s no coincidence that each salon has a Blanche Macdonald graduate on its floor – Emily Vu at Main Street and Emily Hope at UBC.

“I like the education at Blanche Macdonald,” explains On The Fringe’s owner, award-winning stylist Shannon Simmonds. “The people that come through there are good stylists. There are certain schools that I won’t take stylists from. I will take students from Blanche Macdonald.

“Emily Vu is great. She has an innate talent, which is a pleasure. She’s open to learning, she’s always in a good mood, she’s great with her clients and she understands hair, which is really important. A lot of stylists have taken courses but don’t really get it. She gets it.

“Emily Hope has an amazing talent. She’s a joy to be around. We’re very team orientated, and I look for people who can bring something to the team.”