March 18, 2011
Media contact: Leslie Courchesne
Office: 604-864-4611
Mobile: 604-302-6257
leslie.courchesne@ufv.ca
 |
| Sabrina Breitenmoser, right, on the runway at Montreal's Fashion Week with her award-winning Great Canadian North design. |
UFV fashion student makes her mark at Montreal Fashion Week
University of the Fraser Valley fashion design student Sabrina Breitenmoser was named one of the top five designers at the prestigious Canada’s Breakthrough Designers competition held recently in Montréal.
Breitenmoser won an all-expense paid trip to Montréal to be a finalist at the competition, hosted by Télio. The two-day contest recognizes the top fashion design students from across Canada.
“The fashion design business is very competitive and students must work hard in order to succeed,” explains UFV’s Fashion Design department head Deanna Devitt. “Competitions like Télio provide our students with an opportunity to challenge themselves while providing a real-world experience.”
Breitenmoser is one of seven students chosen by UFV fashion design department to enter the competition. The student’s drawings were submitted to judges in Montréal and 25 finalists were then selected to present their designs on a runway during MontréalFashion Week. It was tough competition as there were 116 design sketches submitted by 21 Canadian fashion design schools.
The challenge was to create an original design for a high-end, retail company with a maximum of six meters of fabric supplied by Télio. The garment was to match this year’s theme, the ‘Great Canadian North.’ The finalists had the opportunity to win one of five scholarships totaling $10,000.
As one of the top five finishers, not only has Breitenmoser won a scholarship, but she also won the prestige of coming away a Télio winner.
“To have one of our students be a finalist and win a scholarship speaks to the talent of our students as well the quality of education provided by UFV’s fashion design department,” adds Devitt. “The Télio competition provides students the opportunity to use their creative and technical design skills. There are specific guidelines and a tight time frame that students must follow — so time management is key. And this is the reality of the fashion design business.”
“Being in Montréal for Fashion Week was an amazing, yet surreal experience,” Breitenmoser says.
Télio, a leading textile company based in Quebec, is a proud supporter of Canadian designers. The annual design competition is well-recognized as a prominent fashion event, explains Devitt. Over the course of two intense days, the students experience the world of fashion — meeting with industry professionals, touring Télio’s Montréal offices, and enjoying behind-the-scenes experiences at Montréal Fashion Week.
Breitenmoser was able to connect with people who make headlines in Canada’s fashion industry. Her contest entry focused on the Inuit culture; it’s a strapless dress with a quilted igloo-style skirt, accompanied by a pleated jacket. She won the Creative Use of Fabric category and a $1,000 scholarship that she will use to further her education.
Breitenmoser says she has always had a passion for fashion. After graduating from Agassiz Secondary School she wanted to explore the world before choosing a career. She travelled to Switzerland where she worked as an intern for one of Europe’s most recognized fashion houses. When she returned from her travels, she registered for UFV’s Fashion Design program and is now only a few weeks away from graduating.
The young designer says she wanted to challenge herself creatively and technically and that’s why the Télio competition is so exciting. Sewing is second nature to her; as a youngster she made clothes for her dolls, and then moved on to creating her own outfits. Earning her diploma in Fashion Design from UFV was a natural step in her chosen career.
“I love the program at UFV,” says Breitenmoser. “It is very well-rounded. You get a good sense of the different areas in the fashion business.”
Although still unsure exactly where she’ll end up in the fashion industry, Breitenmoser is leaning toward the marketing sector. She is now focused on completing her collection for UFV’s Absolute Style fashion show, which takes place Thursday, April 28 at UFV’s Abbotsford campus.
For ticket information contact Corinne at 604-864-4669 or corinne.richardson@ufv.ca .
-30-
