• The hottest trend in Montreal last week was Kwantlen Fashion Design and Technology student Earl Mabaquiao
• Small Town Innocence-Kwantlen Student Production
• Kwantlen fashion design students compete for scholarship during Montreal Fashion Week

The hottest trend in Montreal last week was Kwantlen Fashion Design and Technology student Earl Mabaquiao

On Thursday, February 10, third year Kwantlen Polytechnic University student Earl Mabaquiao's passion for fashion awarded him "Canada's Breakthrough Designer" during Montreal Fashion Week.

The 2011 TÉLIO Design Competition brought together fashion design schools from across Canada and challenged aspiring designers to compete for one of five scholarships totalling $10,000. For the last five years Quebec-based textile company TÉLIO has been a proud supporter of the growth and development of Canadian designers and their annual design competition is always a significant event in the fashion industry.

This year design students were asked to create a garment based on the theme "Great Canadian North" and the win went to the student who most successfully applied the theme to a Fall/Winter garment designed for the sophisticated, avant-garde woman. The aspiring designers were asked to design a unique and authentic creation that would identify their garment as the new "must have" item for a high-end retail company while using intricate techniques to incorporate art in fashion. Mabaquiao's design demonstrated outstanding creativity, the best technical skills and respect of the theme.

"I'm very proud to represent Vancouver and show the rest of Canada what we are all about," comments Mabaquiao. "Fashion design must always be innovative and balance creativity, technical skills and overall understanding of the fashion business. I see a bright future in Canadian fashion."

Mabaquiao and fellow Kwantlen students Laura Nickel and Kristin Yip were among the 25 finalists who competed for the title of "Canada's Breakthrough Designer".

The only program of its kind in Western Canada, Kwantlen's Bachelor of Design, Fashion and Technology program prepares students for careers in the global apparel economy in fashion design, production, marketing, and computer technology. This dynamic program features comprehensive industry-based education and training using leading-edge technology and extensive internships that result in employment. For more information about the fashion program, visit kwantlen.ca/design

Kwantlen Polytechnic University has been serving the Metro Vancouver region for 30 years, and has opened doors to success for more than 200,000 people. Four campuses—Richmond, Surrey, Cloverdale and Langley—offer a comprehensive range of sought-after programs including business, liberal arts and science, design, health, trades and technology, apprenticeships, horticulture, and Academic & Career Preparation. Over 17,000 students annually have a choice from over 135 programs including bachelor's degrees, associate degrees, diplomas, certificates and citations.

For more information about this story, contact:
Joanne Saunders
Director, Marketing and Communications
Tel: 604.599.2888 | joanne.saunders@kwantlen.ca

Small Town Innocence-Kwantlen Student Production

Some weeks ago I received an email from a student by the name of Sara Louden, who is enrolled in the newly founded Fashion Marketing Diploma program at Kwantlen. She told me of how her classmates and herself were setting off to complete an editorial style photo shoot–with little or no experience and zero budget–as a school project. I was struck by her and her group's determination to take on this challenging project, and her initiative to take the resulting shoot that extra step and expose it beyond the classroom by submitting it to String Magazine. Add to that her fluency in expressing her group's vision and I was hooked.

Sara, Jaclyn Keene (who photographed the shoot and did a fine job at it), Maddie Handy, and Florencia Caula–all students and all with little experience in the art of photo shoot production–completed their school project with flying colours. Their shoot, which seems to have parallel themes with these students' own story, is published here and stands as proof of a job well done by a group of very determined and capable fledglin g fashionistas.

Congratulations to all of you.

Kwantlen fashion design students compete for scholarship during Montreal Fashion Week

Fashion Design & Technology students Earl Mabaquiao, Laura Nickel, and Kristen Yip emerged among top design talents from schools across Canada to enter the 2011 TÉLIO Design Competition. As finalists, they will be invited to Montreal to visit the TÉLIO head office, wine and dine in the heart of Montreal, meet government officials and jury members, as well as showcase their creations on the runway during Montreal Fashion Week.

In the preliminary selection process, Earl, Laura and Kristen submitted design sketches, based on the theme of the Great Canadian North, that were judged by a jury comprised of acclaimed fashion industry professionals who selected 25 finalists among hundreds of submissions to compete for five scholarships totaling $10,000.

Good Luck Earl, Laura and Kristen!