Top 10 Fashion Design Schools in Canada

by Suki Zhang June 08, 2019

This might be a notion that not a lot people think about, but fashion is an art of its own. You can totally make a dress as though it were an artwork that will elicit some form of reaction from other people. You can also express your thoughts and feelings on the way you dress up or the clothing you wear. Long story short, there is a lot of creativity that goes into fashion, thus making it its own kind of art.

And it seems like nowadays, more people are starting to really get into fashion. Why not? After all, aside from being a great outlet for creativity, fashion is also a multi-billion-dollar industry. So, aspiring fashion designers unapologetically dream about creating dresses and clothes that will take everyone’s breath away. They may also dream about making their own fashion line and be famous all over the world.

All these dreams can truly become a reality, but it won’t be that easy. Why? Simply because fashion design is not an easy piece of work.

It takes a lot of skill and hard work to be able to master fashion design. And how would an aspiring fashion designer be able to do that? Simple: they have to attend a fashion design school to study all about the field and hone their skills.

10 Reputable Fashion Design Schools in Canada

Ryerson University School of Fashion

Location: 40 Gould Street, Kerr Hall South, Toronto
Programs: Bachelor of Design, Masters of Art (Fashion Design or Fashion Communication)
Length: Full-time 4 years (Bachelor’s), Full-time 2 years (Masters)
Tuition: $27462 (4-year Bachelor’s), $30,707 (Master’s of Art)
Requirements: Portfolio, resume, short essay. Mail-in submission. There is a non-refundable $50 non-academic required assessment fee.

The Ryerson University School of Fashion has been around since 1948, and over time, it has kept its mission of helping aspiring designers out there. At this school, students will learn how to use fashion to promote body confidence, inclusion, and sustainability. They will even get the chance to meet with top class fashion experts all over the globe!

Aside from that, students will also learn how to nurture creativity and talent to design clothing, accessories, and media. So, not only will they be fashion-show ready, but they will also be knowledgeable about creating fashion apps. They really will be able to hone their skills to a whole new level.

Humber College

Location: Toronto — North (205 Humber College Boulevard) and Lakeshore Campus (3199 Lake Shore Boulevard West)
Programs: Fashion Arts, Fashion Management and Promotions, and Bachelor of Commerce — Fashion Management
Length: 1 year (Fashion Management and Promotions), 2 years (Fashion Arts), 4 years (Bachelor of Commerce)
Tuition: $5,349 (Fashion Management and Promotions), $7,370 (Fashion Arts), and $27,485 (Bachelor of Commerce)
Requirements: A bachelor’s degree is required for the Fashion Management and Promotions course.

Humber College is known to be a pragmatic and highly competitive school. It focuses heavily on hands-on career-focused learning. In other words, this school focuses heavily on the business and marketing side of the fashion industry. Basically, it teaches the students all the practical information that a student will need in their future fashion endeavours.

George Brown College School of Fashion

Location: Casa Loma Campus, Toronto
Programs: Fashion Techniques and Design Program, Fashion Management Program, Fashion Business Industry Program, and International Fashion Development and Management Program
Length: 1 year (International Fashion Development) and 2 years (Fashion Techniques, Fashion Management, and Fashion Business Industry)
Tuition: $3,498 (International Fashion Development) and $7,000-$7,300 for the other programs
Requirements: Grade 11 or 12 Math and Grade 12 English

With over 800 students in this institution, the George Brown College School of Fashion focuses more on the practical side of fashion training instead of theoretical. Aside from that, it also seems to center a lot on the commercial aspect of fashion.

So, basically, in George Brown, students will learn all about fashion technology and the fundamentals of design, marketing, merchandising, manufacturing, and fashion management. Some programs will even give them the chance to exercise their personal fashion sense through work placements with fashion designers, retailers, manufacturers, and distributors.

Coco Fashion Design Institute

Location: 348 Ryding Avenue, Toronto
Programs: Patternmaking and Garment Construction Certificate, Pattern Development for Fashion Design Diploma.
Length: 1 year for the diploma and certificate program
Tuition: $4,000 for the diploma program, and $4,500 for the certificate program
Requirements: Ontario High School diploma or a qualifying test if applying as mature student

A private career college, Coco Fashion Design offers various courses to those students who are interested in designing and creating clothes. The instructors here are incredibly well-qualified, and they are extremely knowledgeable of the current trends and technologies. Aspiring fashion designers are definitely in good hands here.

Fanshawe College

Location: London, Ontario
Programs: Fashion Design Program, Fashion Studies, and Fashion Marketing and Management Diploma Program
Length: 3 years (Fashion Design), 2 years (Fashion Merchandising), 1 year (Fashion Studies)
Tuition: $14,037 (Fashion Design), $8,806 (Fashion Merchandising)
Requirements: High school diploma is required. But the Fashion Design Program also requires a Grade 12 English credit and a Grade 11 or 12 math credit.

In Fanshawe College, their fashion programs provide a supportive and nurturing environment for aspiring designers out there. They make use of a hands-on approach, teaching students the necessary skills to creating a garment from idea to a finished product. Aside from that, they also get to learn about visual communication, business marketing skills, and apparel production technologies. The students will have the opportunity to learn practical skills like fashion illustration, computer-aided design, pattern-making and draping, and garment construction.

Kwantlen Polytechnic University

Location: Richmond, British Columbia
Programs: Fashion Marketing Diploma, and Bachelor of Design — Fashion and Technology
Length: 2 years (diploma), 4 years (Bachelor of Design)
Tuition: Cost is per course, not for the whole program. A three-credit course costs around $350.
Requirements: High school diploma with grade 12 English with a minimum B grade for the degree program and a minimum of C+ for the diploma program. The degree program will also require a portfolio review and orientation session. The diploma program requires a letter of interest.

In the hands-on fashion programs that Kwantlen Polytechnic University offers, students will learn practical skills in business, fashion, communication, and marketing. They also get to make industry connections that will launch their careers in the future. This institution is also highly competitive, as they only accept 30 people per year for the Fashion Marketing Diploma. Kwantlen also has a fashion show every year, attended by over 2,000 people, including industry leaders and the media, and students have the opportunity to showcase their final collections there.

LaSalle College

Location: Montreal, Quebec
Programs: Fashion Design, and Fashion Marketing
Length: Both are 3 years in length, but you can choose an intensive option so that you can finish the program in 2 years.
Tuition: $42,108 (Fashion Design), $40,272 (Fashion Marketing). $28,964 (Intensive Fashion Design), $27,704 (Intensive Fashion Marketing)
Requirements: A secondary school diploma with following courses or equivalent: Language of Instruction, Second Language, Mathematics, Physical Sciences, and History

The LaSalle College has over 900 students who are taking their fashion programs in the Montreal campus. Additionally, this institution has made a number of partnerships with some fashion companies and fashion brands across the globe. As a result, they provide their students with the opportunity to make diverse designs on clothes and garments for these brands and companies.

Seneca College

Location: Newnham Campus, Toronto
Programs: Fashion Arts, Fashion Business, Fashion Business Management, and Fashion Studies
Length: 1 year (Fashion Studies), 2 years (Fashion Business), 3 years (Fashion Arts, and Fashion Business Studies)
Tuition: $10,618 (Fashion Arts, Fashion Business Management), $7,078 (Fashion Business), $3,539 (Fashion Studies)
Requirements: All programs require a high school diploma with a Grade 12 English credit. The Fashion Business and the Fashion Business Management also require a Grade 12 Math credit. Mature students can also apply if over 19 years old.

With Seneca College’s fashion programs, students get to immerse themselves in the design, production, business, and communication sides of fashion. They also allow the students to explore their creative potential as they learn in-depth all about design research, craftsmanship, and industry-oriented production skills. Seneca simply offers an exciting environment for aspiring designers to learn and grow.

Lethbridge College

Location: Lethbridge, Alberta
Programs: Fashion Design and Sustainable Production
Length: 2 years
Tuition: $11,865
Requirements: High school diploma is required with a minimum of 50% in math.

Lethbridge College’s Fashion Design and Sustainable Production focuses on design, production, sustainability, business, and technology to prepare students for a future fashion. Students will receive their training in sustainability research and industry appropriate technology. They will also learn to recognize efficient sewing and drafting techniques and to research and analyze trends, sample room production, logistics, and sourcing.

Richard Robinson Fashion Design Academy

Location: Downtown Ottawa
Programs: Fashion Designer, Couturier programs, and several part-time courses (Fashion Sketching, Haute Couture, Pattern Making, Textiles, Lingerie, Draping, Hat Making, and Marketing/Merchandising)
Length: 2 years for each program, 4 months per part-time course
Tuition: $12,000 (Fashion Designer), $6,500 (Couturier), $295-$1,000 (Part-time classes)
Requirements: High school diploma and basic knowledge of sewing

In Richard Robinson Fashion Design Academy, students will get the chance to develop their creativity to the fullest, learning and creating fashion trends, and mastering high standards in all techniques. This institution also has Grande Premiere, which is the school’s end-of-the-year fashion show. This gives the students the opportunity to showcase their designs to a wide audience.

Takeaway

Fashion is a booming industry, and of course, there are people who dream of becoming a designer one day. But fashion design is not an easy piece of work, and one must work and study hard to succeed. Thankfully, fashion design schools exist. And they are here to help make your dreams come true.

So, think it through and take the pick of your desired school. Then begin your fashion designer journey.