Four VCC Fashion students presented their collection on the runway at the 2024 Vancouver Fashion Week on Thursday, Apr. 25 at the Chinese Cultural Centre.
This experience is the culmination of two-years’ worth of work in the VCC Fashion Design and Production diploma program, which mimics the real-world fashion industry. The self-directed final garment project is an opportunity for the students to express their sartorial interests and hopefully draw attention from industry, media and possible employers.
This year’s graduating designers included Jul Oliva, who takes her inspiration from the rich colours and textures of the coral and marine sanctuaries of her native city, Cebu in the Philippines. The yellow-lipped sea krait (or sea snake) served as the muse behind her puffer jacket and column dress ensemble.
Arianne Calvez presented her Dear Diari collection, an intimate journey through the seasons of her life, which encapsulates her growth, experiences and bold leaps out of her comfort zone. Inspired by the myriad of emotions and adventures she’s encountered, each piece in the collection is a reflection of her personal narrative.
Vancouver-based Japanese fashion creator and embroidery artist Oyamada was influenced by Zen culture and meditation. She used the Japanese dried garden Karesansui as a motif for her collection, and embroidered and beaded 108 circles by hand on her selection of zen wear.
Last but not least is Mian Lam, who upcycled a number of fabrics for her final collection. Using Albert Einstein’s quote “Creativity is contagious”, she brings elusive fantasies to life as wearable garments, constructing a total of 14 looks of her whimsical birthday party theme for the runway.
Dare to be different. Express yourself through fashion. Learn more about the Fashion program available for International students in an online information session.
