“I have been passionate about fashion from an early age.  Born in Montreal, raised in Nigeria and educated at York University in Economics, I started my career with an insurance company and quickly realized I was happiest designing and sewing in my spare time.  I researched the best fashion colleges and George Brown came up, so I took a risk, quit my job, and went back to school.

Going to George Brown for the Fashion Design and Techniques program was the best decision I made for so many reasons and here are a few:

• The professors are extremely supportive and helpful- they are always there to answer your questions and provide advise to be successful in the fashion industry. 
  • I remember in particular a conversation with Ross Mayer at a time I was experiencing challenges in my business.  He paid attention to all my questions, advised me on what to do and made me understand I had to value my products more. He also made me realize making mistakes is normal and I should not let that stop me.
• I had the opportunity to participate in the African Fashion Week, Student Designer Competition, in 2021. And I won!
• Marilyn McNeil nominated me as one of the top two students in the School of Fashion for The Canadian Arts and Fashion Awards (CAFA), The Swarovski Award for Emerging Talent, Fashion award.
• I had a class with Winnie Leung organizing THREADS 2021, the School of Fashion year-end event, which gave me experience organizing an event, meeting new people and going out of my comfort zone. 
• The fashion team, Rosa Fracassa, Sarah Hood and Ingrid Wagemans, supported my pop up by providing a venue (The Fashion Exchange) and mannequins.  This allowed me to focus on developing my menswear collection.

For this, and so much more, I am grateful!”

“There’s a reason why George Brown College is constantly being ranked as a top fashion school in Canada. During my last week of classes I was able to secure a career in the fashion industry due to the skills I've obtained from the Fashion Techniques and Design program. The in-depth curriculum mimics the fast paced fashion industry and provides amazing opportunities to its students. The creditable staff truly cares about student success and there are often keynote speakers, competitions, networking opportunities, and events they advertise year round. Besides academics, George Brown College also offers a great student life. Moving to a new city where I knew no one, I was able to meet new people outside of my program through the Athletic Association and numerous events hosted by George Brown College. If you want a successful career in the fashion industry, I cannot recommend The School of Fashion at George Brown College enough. It truly immersed me in this field and it turned my dream into a reality in just a few years.”

"I am thankful for all the learning opportunities I have been given at FX and School of Fashion and Jewellery, George Brown College. I have been lucky to have such amazing teachers and mentors. Ula Zukowska was my Industrial Power Sewing instructor at FX and later taught me construction sewing at George Brown College in the Fashion Techniques and Design Program. Ula hired me upon graduating from the Fashion Techniques program and I am deeply grateful. I would also like to acknowledge Berta Pavlov who is the instructor of the PAD software certificate program who gave me the skills to become a technical designer in fashion. I am fortunate enough to be able to work at FX and be surrounded by experts and masters in the fashion industry and be able to help the team create such amazing new designs and products."

“My success at George Brown College was facilitated by the supportive professors genuinely invested in my progression, a diverse community of passionate students I connected with, and extra-curricular opportunities for growth. Within the Fashion Techniques and Design program, I was able to gain the skills necessary to actualize prior concepts. Professors such as Cynthia Givens-Sanford offered me inspiration, opportunity, and mentorship and were consistently supportive of my creative strides both within, and outside the classroom.  When challenge and genuine support are experienced in tandem, it is a recipe for success - I experienced this throughout my studies at George Brown, and I will continue to pursue this balance within my career. “

"I entered George Brown College without any fashion design experience. The technical curriculum left me finishing each day with a new skill at my disposal. Alongside guest lectures, competitions and paid work experiences granted through the school, my George Brown education helped take me all the way to Belgium to continue my studies at the prestigious Antwerp Royal Academy of Fine Arts (although this decision was almost swayed by an amazing job offer in Toronto)! I can't express enough my gratitude for having learned so much in just two years."

"The George Brown grad show was pretty much the first time I saw something that had gone from my concept to actually walking down a runway. It was a huge moment for me. Going from not knowing how to use a sewing machine to coming up with a 15-piece collection right out of school that showed in Vancouver Fashion Week is all credit to my alma mater." Read more of Gargi Ghugare's story.

"My advice to students is to take as many opportunities as you can. Apply for events, awards and shows. I was able to be in the Global Edge program and go to India, but was also shortlisted as one of five new menswear designers to showcase at the first Toronto Men's Fashion Week. I actually won the Emerging Menswear Designer Award that year! That wouldn't have happened if I didn't apply for the opportunity in the first place." Read more of Joao Guedes' story.