George Brown College’s Centre for Arts, Design and IT (CADIT), in collaboration with Robin Kay, are pleased to announce MAKECanada™, a multidisciplinary, innovative clothing and jewellery design initiative to inspire our students for the regeneration and reshoring of the Canadian Fashion Community.
MEANINGFUL: Clothing and jewellery with purpose
AWARE: Economic and Regenerative Sustainability
KEY: Disruption crucial to driving positive change
ESSENTIALS: Fashion's New Function
MAKECanada™ is launching the second annual Design Challenge (2021/22) this winter as a design program created for the GBC students of today, the designers of tomorrow. Supported by state-of-the-art material fabricators, manufacturers, cutting-edge technology, and industry-leading mentors, MAKECanada™ invites students to innovate solutions to answer Canada’s need for MEANINGFUL clothing, accessories, and jewellery with purpose.
MAKECanada™ will offer a vital impetus for all participants in the fashion process as we become AWARE of new practices, driving a trend towards a positive fashion and jewellery landscape, while creating a true economic and regenerative sustainability.
MAKECanada™ will be the KEY disruption crucial to driving positive change that will inspire and empower our future designers, inviting innovative ranges of concept clothing, accessories and jewellery for our current and future realities, to address local and international challenges in fashion.
MAKECanada™'s mandate will innovate intelligent material, regenerative production and embedded technology as the ESSENTIALS of fashion’s new function, empowering designers to harness the newest abilities, technologies and knowledge, positioning them as pioneers of the regeneration and reshoring of the Canadian Fashion Community.
The global need for innovative clothing, accessories, and jewellery presents an unparalleled opportunity for Canada to demonstrate our skill and expertise. Now is the time for Canada to step into the lead and showcase our own country the skills, passion and creativity we possess right here at home. MAKECanada™ will help Canada Rebuild, Regenerate and Reshore our Fashion Community by providing the meaningful, aware, key essentials as the cornerstones of a vital Made in Canada label.
George Brown College's Centre for Arts, Design and IT will include a team of faculty, technicians, staff and students from its fashion, design and multimedia programs to support the coordination, technical support and design of the website and content management. The Centre offers real-world learning opportunities in creative fields including design, fashion, jewellery, drama, dance, digital production and gaming. The Centre also hosts many exhibits including installations with Nuit Blanche, DesignTO and Sur Gallery.
George Brown College's Fashion Exchange aims to model and foster innovative, ethical, and environmentally and socially sustainable production. FX is a vibrant hub where fashion education, design, production, entrepreneurship and engagement come together under one roof in the heart of downtown Toronto. FX brings together fashion educators, industry partners, community organizations, and fashion graduates to innovate for an increasingly sustainable, socially-conscious, and economically vibrant fashion industry.
Luigi Ferrara, Dean, Centre for Arts, Design & Information Technology, arrived at the college in 2002, and has since broadened the programs within the Faculty of Design more than threefold. Under Ferrara's guidance the Centre for Arts, Design & Information Technology, which includes the School of Fashion, was ranked as one of the Top 60 Design Schools in North America, according to Business Week magazine and its Institute Without Boundaries was ranked as one of the top four Urban Design programs in the world by Azure magazine.
Rosa Fracassa is the Chair of the School of Fashion and Jewellery at George Brown College. Rosa has been a Professor and Program Coordinator at the School of Fashion at George Brown where she has been teaching for many years in the Fashion, General Arts and Science and Theatre departments. Rosa's academic background includes a Master Degree in Italian Studies and a two year Master degree in Drama; she is at the dissertation stage of her PhD.
In 1999, Kay was asked to chair “Designers Ontario” (established in 1963) and reinvented it into what is known as the Fashion Design Council of Canada (FDCC), a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization. At this time, there were only four fashion weeks in the world and Kay was determined for Canada to be the fifth. Toronto Fashion Week (TFW) launched in the fall of 1999 at The Windsor Arms Hotel, and significantly grew over 12 years under Kay's direction. TFW nurtured new design talent, connected stakeholders, built community and awareness driving a Made in Canada fashion economy. Kay continues to foster the growth of Canada's fashion sector, currently working as Sector Liaison with George Brown College to help improve their Fashion & Design curriculum to ensure grad students are set for Fashion's future opportunities.
Paul McClure is a visual artist and designer of contemporary jewellery. His work is represented in public collections such as the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts; Canadian Museum of History; Design Museum of Barcelona; and National Museums Scotland. He is professor and program coordinator for the School of Jewellery at George Brown College. In 2015, McClure received a Governor General's Award, Canada's foremost distinction for excellence in the visual arts
Cynthia Givens-Sanford holds a Bachelor's Degree (with distinction) in Adult Education from Brock University, as well as a Diploma in Fashion Studies from Sheridan College, where she received the Board of Governors' Silver Medal for Academic Excellence. Previous studies also earned Cynthia a Diploma in General Arts & Science from Georgian College, with studies in Graphic Design, Illustration and Fashion Management. Professional experience, within the garment industry, included design and pattern drafting positions at Lindzon, Kira, Marilyn Blumer and Lady Western, where she concentrated on collections in leather and outerwear, as well as day and evening wear. Recognized for engaging, challenging and encouraging students to achieve their best, Cynthia has mentored students through numerous regional, national and international design competitions, culminating in success and recognition for the students and College alike.
Through George Brown College Fashion Exchange (FX), Marilyn led the development of innovative curriculum to address fashion sustainability, technology adoption and manufacturing skills. FX provides sample and short run manufacturing services for emerging designers. Applied research projects through FX Leading Innovation in Fashion Technology (LIFT) assist industry partners to test new technologies for a circular textile economy, digital manufacturing applications, or technical, functional apparel solutions.
