Discover the stories that make up our Blanche World.
Fashion
Motivated to put Vancouver on the map as a major fashion destination, design grads Graham Hood, Matthew Harrison and Marcus Quon have founded a unique creative haven. Their budding business, In House Creations, rents space to artists and produces branded merchandise for clients, but the beating heart of the business is the streetwear brand Sans Parole. When it comes to this In House one thing is clear: this is a design collaborative that celebrates art, community, and—of course—fashion.
Esthetics
Enrolling in Blanche Macdonald's Esthetics Program straight out of high school set the foundation for Mimi's journey into the world of Medical Esthetics. Now, Mimi is the Clinical Director for Kerrisdale's full service medical clinic, Arbutus Laser Centre!
Hair
For as long as she can remember, Camille Pettit has been passionate about all hair. Growing up in Kelowna, BC, Camille resolved that she would be become a Hairstylist at the age of four. Now, she's living that dream. After training in our Pro Hair program, Camille got her start working in a salon on Commercial Drive before moving back to the Okanagan. These days, you'll find her serving up everything from gorgeous hairstyles, to men's cuts and bridal updos at Plan B Salon & Barbershop.
In honour of International Women's Day we're taking a look at a few of the many incredible women that started their journeys at Blanche Macdonald. From freelancers to salon and brand owners, the Blanche community has no shortage of brilliant and inspiring women.
Global Makeup
Founded by MAC veterans with a combined 19 years of experience in the beauty industry, The Artistry Collective is home to two of the most sought after Makeup Artists in Vancouver. Owners Katrina Wroebel and Zanna Selin , are in hot demand for their ability to create stunning looks centred around natural glowing skin. With their expertise, eye for detail, and unwavering commitment to quality, Katrina and Zanna can pull off everything from ultra natural beauty to stunning bridal and fashion-forward looks.
Freelance Makeup Artistry
Globally acclaimed Makeup alum Lyle Reimer comes home to Blanche Macdonald! Over two moving presentations at our Atelier Campus, Lyle spoke about overcoming adversity, harnessing his creativity, and how his sensitivity is "his superpower". Lyle's inspirational take on beauty has brought him to the pages of Vogue Japan, the film sets of CBC, and has lead to collaborations with fashion house Viktor & Rolf. While Lyle continues to pursue incredible opportunities around the globe, he still finds the time to connect with and inspire other artists that are following in his path. Lyle truly embodies the spirit of paying it forward.
From hair student to the owner of Honey Hair Lounge, Victoria Jazic's quest to find her passion has been a journey. A naturally creative soul, Victoria initially considered studying fine arts before deciding to pursue hair instead. She excelled in Blanche Macdonald's Pro Hair program, finding a position at Volume (Now Honey Hair Lounge) before she even graduated. Now just a few short years later she's worked her way up from rookie hairstylist to salon owner.
Clean beauty Queen, Makeup grad Tayler Rogers and her brand Midnight Paloma are taking the world by storm. A long established Makeup Artist and former owner of local boutique, BeautyMark, Tayler is well-versed in all things makeup and skincare. Her vast experience with traditional formulations lead her to develop an interest in finding clean beauty solutions. This quickly grew from a pastime to a passion project, ultimately turning into a full-blown business. These days, you can find Midnight Paloma in over 100 stores across Canada—plus in the feeds of celebs like Jillian Harris.
Nails
Jamie Yin's professional journey to started with a simple realization. When she came to Canada in 2004, Jamie noticed a gap in the Canadian Nail market. So she took her nails into her own hands. Buying over 200 bottles of nail polish, Jamie taught herself everything that she could about the techniques behind the art of Nails. She went onto train in Shanghai, Japan and at the Akzentz Nails' education center, eventually becoming one of their line Educators. Since then, Jamie has won multiple nail art awards and was recently recognized as one of Swarovski's eighty Authorized Nail Art Educators! We are so thankful that she's at Blanche Macdonald sharing her knowledge in our Nail Studio classrooms.
Alejandra Hernandez has a serious skills. She initially planned on becoming a teacher but ended up working as an Industrial Engineer before discovering her dream job in the world of beauty. Since changing careers, Alejandra has proven that just how multifaceted she is as a makeup artist. She has worked on TV and Film sets, magazine editorials, commercial shoots, and even alongside your favourite celebs
Pro Hair Grad Freddy Sim’s Creativity Dazzles for Contessas and Clients
Michelle Dubois: Medical Esthetician at Vancouver's Pacific Derm
Design Grads Redefine the City's Fashion Scene with Cutting-Edge Collections
Makeup illusionist Mimi Choi stuns with her inventive creations!
Makeup Artist Meredith Lacosse makes London her new creative location
Stacey Paskall: Queen of Avant Garde Hair
Bradley Fairall scored internship alongside Fashion photographer Mario Testino.
Spa owner Doug Janczyn, the man behind Western Canada’s only male-oriented spa.
Vancouver Studio and Film Nail Artist Vanessa Stern
Jashper Paras is Over the Moon at B-Bombshell Salon
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