Fashion Design Programs in Toronto

What knowledge and skills do students learn in the Canadian fashion design major?

Canadian fashion design courses combine theory and practice to seek aesthetics. In the early stage, you will systematically study sewing, drawing, fashion history, textile technology, and fashion industries for men, women, children, accessories, and shoes. After settling on your field of specialization, you create your own design style and apply the knowledge learned in an authentic environment.

Canadian fashion design courses combine theory and practice to seek aesthetics. In the early stage, you will systematically study sewing, drawing, fashion history, textile technology, and fashion industries for men, women, children, accessories, and shoes. After settling on your field of specialization, you create your own design style and apply the knowledge learned in an authentic environment.

Courses in the program include:

• Fashion Communication
• Fashion Design
• Fashion Studies
• Textiles and Material Practices

Employment prospects of Canadian fashion design graduates

After graduation, students can continue to study for a master's degree in fashion arts, or make full use of their technical and business knowledge to find a job in the field of fashion design and manufacturing. Except for the so-called “real designers" who only need to constantly build new ideas, most of the other design work is essentially turning ideas into real products, with the ultimate goal of quickly attracting consumers and generating profit. In other words, you have to do a lot of trivial, detailed, technical work, such as choosing fabrics, looking for pieces to form a finished product, etc. Students can serve as members of design, production or marketing teams in large companies, engage in all aspects of business in smaller design companies, engage in entrepreneurial activities or freelance work. In all cases, graduates need to be proficient in all three aspects of the business (design, production and marketing) in order to give full play to the spirit of teamwork. There is high value in new designers who have a solid background and experience in production and marketing.

Job description of a Canadian fashion designer

According to different abilities and interests, the employment scope of graduates majoring in fashion design is extensive. Types of employment is roughly divided into the following areas:

• Fashion Designer: They research fashion trends and forecasts trends that will attract consumers, determine themes, choose fabrics, colours or styles, and design samples; present design ideas to creative directors, or display them in fashion or commercial exhibitions; market designs to clothing retailers or directly to consumers; and oversee the production of their designs
• Retail Buyer: They combine and purchase selected products in applicable quantities and amounts for various types of clothing retail stores or distribution channels.
• Retail Manager Retail Manager: achieve sales targets delivered by the company by promoting products and expanding their market according to the company's production line; implement effective promotional strategies, increase sales, and provide after-sales services.
• Stylist: Fashion stylists are the most common kind of stylist. They style models in photo shoots and fashion weeks for media such as the most common magazines, photo series and websites. Each shooting requires a stylist, and the role of the stylist is very important. They decide what clothes and accessories to shoot. Most of the time, there are also preparations for back drops and props. They also need to work with the hair and makeup artists to determine the style of hair and makeup to be used in harmonizing with the fashion pieces.
• Textile Designer: They focus on material-matching and production. Specific work includes fabric design, product design, pattern design, etc. Their clients include printing factories, fabric suppliers, clothing factories, home textile factories, famous brands, etc. For printing factories, fabric manufacturers, clothing factories, home textile factories, brand operators and other user services, textile designers provide patterns. Some textile designers also design clothing, silk scarves and other accessories, to create their own brand.

Although the starting salary of a junior designer is just at the minimum, you can always work towards excelling and becoming one that stands out in the crowd of young fashion designers. Eventually, you may become the head designer of a big brand name or create your own brand. The future of this career is promising and the income can be remarkable. The average annual salary of a fashion designer is $72,720. 10% of these people earn the lowest salary, $36,420 at the least, and the top 10% earn more than $155,470.