As Chef d’Atelier at Vancouver fashion label Jason Matlo, Wen-chee Liu takes a hands-on approach with everything her role requires. Which leads to the obvious question, what exactly is a Chef d’Atelier?

“It’s a very fancy name!” laughs Wen-chee. “People think that I cook. I don't! It actually means that I head up the studio. It’s Jason’s name on the label, but we have about six people here all working together. The creative process is very exciting. We all pitch in design ideas, do research, draft patterns and sew. The eventual decision of what we create depends on what looks good, what’s cost effective, and what fits into our customer profile and brand DNA. Everyone that works at Jason Matlo contributes to the design process from conception of design to finished product. And when Jason isn’t in the studio I’m responsible to act on his behalf.”

Chef d’Atelier is actually a highly revered French term; the most important position in a design house. The role embodies much more than just designing. A Chef d’Atelier needs to possess many skills and aptitudes: expertise in drafting, draping, garment construction and production. Working with a team, training, insuring proper execution, and managing deadlines are essential. The Chef d’Atelier must have style and a level of taste as the decisions they make contribute to the final look of a collection. It’s Jason Matlo’s name and reputation that’s at stake with every garment that leaves his Gastown Atelier, and the designer puts plenty of responsibility on Wen-chee’s shoulders. 

“She’s my right hand in here,” explains Jason. “She can almost complete my thoughts. We’ve been working together for so many years I don't even have to articulate what I need. She can read my body language and know what I need before I actually ask for it. 

“She has a lot of great attributes. She’s very honest. She knows what she wants and she has incredibly good taste. She’ll let me know when something’s not working, believe me! We’re designing a lot of pieces so it’s good to get that honesty quickly. She has a great eye, and is incredibly fast and detailed. You can always tell which pieces she’s worked on. They don’t look like they’ve been touched by human hands.”

Jason isn’t the only person blown away with Wen-chee’s sewing, creative and organizational skills. They were evident even before she arrived to take the Fashion Design Program at Canada’s #1 Fashion School.

“I’ve always loved sewing,” continues Wen-chee. “My Mom taught me hand sewing when I was young and I’d make little pouches for my Kleenex. I’m glad she taught me, as I still have to do a substantial amount of hand sewing working with Jason. I took Home Economics in high school where we’d do simple projects. I loved the process of it. I’m still fascinated by how you start from a design, then draft a two-dimensional pattern, and turn it into a three-dimensional garment. I would study patterns and sewing instructions growing up. I was intrigued why the patterns curved at a certain point on the body. You can have the most amazing design, but if you don’t have the execution skills, it will only ever be a design on a piece of paper. 

“I did an internship with a local tailor in Grade 12. That’s when I started using a sewing machine regularly. It was at this time that my passion for garment construction and the world of fashion really began.”

After graduating from UBC with a degree in English Literature, Wen-chee’s parents let her know that she had their blessing to follow any career path she chose. She decided on Fashion Design, and immediately found her ideal school at Blanche Macdonald.

“I liked the program. I liked the way the courses were broken down. It was only a one-year program, and very intensive. I really liked the facilities. I already had a foundation in sewing, but pattern drafting with Brenda Swinglehurst was really challenging for me because I’d typically worked with the metric system before that. Brenda is an amazing teacher. I would recommend her to anyone. When we had the Graduation Fashion Show I chose to do eveningwear. I did beading on all my garments and I remember all the nights I spent embellishing them. Seeing them onstage on real models was a great feeling.

“Going to Blanche Macdonald definitely prepared me for this industry. It’s only a one-year program, so everything happened very quickly. You get a real sense of what’s happening at an industry pace. We’re always looking for interns and Blanche Macdonald students have the strongest skills. I went to this year’s Grad Fashion Show and it was amazing!”

Wen-chee had decided that she would make fashion her career, and with the help of Blanche Macdonald Career Director Joy McLean she interned at Gucci in Vancouver, learning about receiving merchandise and organizing stock, while furthering her sewing skills at an alterations shop (“I had to be very fast and very accurate”).

Soon after that Wen-chee took a job posting from Blanche Macdonald. Working as a designer’s intern she had the good fortune to be introduced to Jason. 

“I was very star-struck when we met,” admits Wen-chee. “I couldn’t look at Jason at all! I’d watched the TV show ‘Making it Big’ when I was a student. Jason was one of the contestants doing the fashion challenge and he won the competition. This was years before Project Runway. I found out he had a studio in Yaletown and was looking for help. I sent him an email and that’s how we connected.”

“Wen-chee was interning for another designer at the time and I placed her on a short contract,” explains Jason. “As soon as I saw how good she was I thought, we better offer her a job and put her to work straight away! She just stayed on with us since then.”

Wen-chee has played an integral role in the label’s expansion. When she began, Jason Matlo was only producing a ready-to-wear collection. Since then they’ve added a bridal line, a range of cocktail dresses in their own secondary label, Babe and an ecommerce division.

“I started on a short contact with Jason and never left! I have a motto I live by, which I think is applicable for every field. Make yourself indispensable and you’ll be moved up. Act as if you’re indispensable and you’ll be moved out! I’m willing to put in the time. I missed many nights out and worked countless weekends. I’m prepared to work if it’s needed. I believe in our products, I take pride in what we do and I always try to exceed expectations.

“Every day is different. I love the people I work with, I love the creative process, and I still get excited about the art of garment construction. Whenever I start a new garment I’ll map out a sequence of procedures in my head, and try to think of the most efficient way to achieve the end result. I’m constantly thinking about sewing and a critical path to the finished product.”

Looking at these photos of Wen-chee enjoying fashion events you might think that every day is draped in glamour. The true pleasure, she insists, comes from the satisfaction of a job well done.

“Going to parties and events is one of the perks, but it’s a very small part of what we do. At events we network, build contacts and increase our brand profile. Most of the time we spend working in our studio in jeans and t-shirts covered with bits of thread and paper. Summer is our busiest time – so we miss out on a lot of sunny days. Sometimes I have to work through the weekend, or I get called into work at the last minute because a client wants something on a short deadline. I have to sacrifice a great deal, but Jason is always appreciative and really fun to work with.

“One of our proudest achievements is seeing our clothes hanging in The Room at The Hudson’s Bay Company. The Room is considered one of the most prestigious stock lists in the world. Knowing that I’ve been involved in the process of elevating our brand to this esteemed position within the Canadian fashion industry, feels like the icing on the cake.”

Ana Luisa Valdes always loved cutting hair. Now she gets to share that passion. As the BC Educator for the globally distributed, environmentally conscious Hair Line Davines, it’s Ana’s job to travel to salons around the Province, teaching professionals advanced cutting, styling and colouring techniques, along with how to best use the brand’s wide range of products. It’s a fabulous position, ideal for a stylist whose gift for making people look and feel great was apparent even before she arrived at Canada’s #1 Hair School.

“I really don’t remember how I started cutting hair,” she laughs, recalling her time growing up in Tampico, Mexico. “I had no training. It was something natural to me. My aunts would get me to cut their hair with the same scissors they used in the garden. My sister-in-law ran a hair salon in Tampico. She saw me doing hair and said that I should help her in the salon.”

When the suggestion came that she should enhance her natural talent with some formal training, Ana Luisa investigated the possibility of a dramatic change of scenery.

“I’d been to Vancouver before, and I’d always liked it. One of my girlfriends from Mexico lived here and said that I should try Blanche Macdonald. I heard it was one of the best schools. And the brochure they sent me looked really interesting.”

With Associate Director Mary Hombrebueno making sure Ana Luisa’s student visa came through with minimal fuss, two months after that brochure arrived in Tampico, Ana Luisa was starting classes in Vancouver. The weather wasn’t the only shock to the system.

“I wasn’t prepared at all,” she admits with a broad smile. “I thought I’d take a one-year hair course and see what happened. I just wanted to learn and have fun.

“Oh my god! It was totally different from what I expected. It was tough. I had to wake up early! If I was late three times I’d have to go back home, so I learnt to be on time.”

Despite the early mornings, Ana Luisa found that her interest in hair was turning into a passion. And with Blanche Macdonald’s training, the skills she’d taught herself back home blossomed.

“I started getting it, and I started getting excited about hair,” she recalls. “I was having so much fun learning about everything, and I wanted to know more. The photo shoots opened a door to show me what I was capable of. I’d never done avant-garde or fantasy styles before. I’d only seen that in magazines. I didn’t think I could do that type of thing myself.”

Ana’s ability and newfound sense of determination were evident before she’d even graduated. Recruited by the award-winning Toni&Guy salon, she quickly blossomed, being named as one of the Top Ten Hairdressing Newcomers in Canada at the Contessa Awards.

After five happy years at Toni&Guy, Ana felt the time was right to start seeking new opportunities. The discovery of a new product line and an encounter with her hair hero, three-time British Hairdresser of the Year Angelo Seminara, sent her career in an exciting new direction.

“I’ve been Angelo’s fan forever,” continues Ana. “When he came to Vancouver I was able to go backstage and meet him. Oh my God, I have never been so inspired! He told me that he is inspired by nature. Me too! Then he told me he was going to Mexico to do an exhibition in Frida Kahlo’s house, taking inspiration from her hairpieces and her real dresses. When he said that my jaw dropped. I love Frida Kahlo!

“Angelo is the Artistic Director for Davines, and the more I learnt about the company, the more I thought it was what I was looking for. The quality of the products was the first thing I noticed. The line is almost completely natural and all the packaging is totally recyclable. It’s a hair product line that isn’t bad for you in any sense. I threw out all my products from other companies. Now it’s the only line I’ll use with my clients. I need to believe what I work for and feel it in my heart. If I can’t feel that connection I can’t be passionate about it. And if I’m not passionate about something it just won’t work. I’d love to work with Angelo one day too. Now I’m part of the Davines team, I think that dream will come true.

“It’s also a multicultural company. They have offices in Mexico, Paris, London, Italy and New York. Knowing that they have offices in Mexico is huge for me.”

Ana approached Davines, and the team were immediately struck by her artistry and enthusiasm. Now she’s passing both onto stylists across BC.

“Right now I’m going to salons to teach. I’ll use several products and explain why I’m using them. It’s always fun. It’s inspiring to see people sharing the same passion and the love for what we do. It’s like sharing something that you really love. When you share you keep learning and keep inspiring each other. And there’s more people walking around looking better too!”

Ana still has a hands-on role making people look great. After leaving Toni&Guy she was looking for a salon with a fresh environment and Davines on its shelves. She found Sutro.

“The first day I stepped into Sutro I loved it. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming. I just knew that this was it. We don’t have apprentices here. Instead, we help each other. Someone will always help clean a station or get clients a drink. It took me a while to get used to it, but now I love it. I get a full hour with every client. I don’t leave them the entire time. That way they’re getting my full attention, which creates even more of a bond.

“I’m here five or six days a week. I’m often busy with Davines, but I don’t want to neglect my clients. They’re so important to me. I want them to feel that they can come see me any time. A lot of them followed me here from Toni&Guy. That’s when I realised they’ve become real friends.”

Talk to Ana for even a few minutes and you realise you’re in the presence of a young woman blessed with the power to inspire. For her, hair is more than a job; it’s a way of making the world a more beautiful place. To absolutely no-one’s surprise, sharing that enthusiasm with the next generation of super-stylists comes easy.

“My grandma was a teacher and my sister runs a Montessori school back in Mexico. She wanted me to become a teacher before I became a hairdresser. I told her that it wasn’t happening! I never thought that I’d end up doing hair in Vancouver or be an educator, but she could see it all along!”

Although Ana spends her workdays with clients and experienced stylists, that commitment to inspire is on 24-7. Naturally, she has warm words of advice for anyone taking their first steps in the industry she loves.

“If it’s really your passion, do anything to make it happen!” she insists. “Be friendly. Be positive. If you have to apprentice or clean toilets don’t complain. We’ve all done it. Keep observing the stylists around you and do as much as you can.

“I want to be the Educator for the whole of North America eventually, but I know I’m in the right place now. And I love what I do!”

Nicole Harvie always expects the unexpected. As a makeup artist specialising in the twin environments of live and reality-based TV, she knows that on any given day, tension and nerves are potential hurdles that need overcoming. Which is why her job means making sure everybody on screen feels as great as they look.

“I’m the cheermeister!” she laughs. “When I did a stint on the Citytv Morning Show I had to wake up at 3.45am five days a week. No-one feels that good early in the morning. Your responsibility as a makeup artist is to get everyone’s day off to a good start. Pretty them up and cheer them up. How are you today? What have you got planned? People feel great when they get their face on and feel taken care of. I want people who sit in my chair to leave with a little extra energy as well as a bit of colour.” 

Delivering that shot of energy comes naturally to the graduate from Canada’s #1 Makeup School. It’s noticeable the minute you meet her; a combination of warmth, charisma and gentle professionalism that’s led her from Blanche Macdonald to the studios of Shaw, Citytv, Global TV and CTV, and has taken her behind the scenes on some of Canada’s most entertaining lifestyle and reality TV shows, including Take it Outside with Kelly Deck, She’s Crafty, and Urban Suburban for HGTV Canada, Smart Cookies and The Cupcake Girls for the W Network, Crash Test Mommy for the Slice Network, and Million Dollar Neighbourhood for the Oprah Winfrey Network.

“For the most part, these reality-based shows are pretty real to life. I love being on set in the fervour and all the ups and downs. It’s rewarding to see the final result. And it still excites me to see my name roll on the credits.

“I’ve been on camera on Anna and Kristina’s Shopping Bags and Anna and Kristina’s Beauty Call, talking about how to do red lips, concealer and so on. For a number of years I did segments on MTV Canada and Citytv on beauty and fashion. I like being on screen when I know what I’m talking about, and I know what I’m talking about when I talk about makeup.”

That confidence comes from experience. Having worked with some of Canada’s biggest TV stars (“I recently had the opportunity to work with Arlene Dickinson from Dragon’s Den and The Big Decision. I was her personal artist while she was in Vancouver and she was lovely!”) Nicole is equally comfortable on camera or behind the scenes. It’s impressive stuff for a makeup artist who only decided to enter the beauty industry midway through a successful career in marketing.

“Growing up I thought I needed to get a ‘proper job’,” she explains, “but I always wanted to do makeup and wardrobe styling and be in the arts. I have two younger sisters, and I’d always done their hair and makeup. But they sounded like dream jobs you couldn’t make a living at.”

There’s one more unmistakable personality trait you’ll notice in Nicole. Her drive.

“Life is short. If you don’t go after the things you really want, life can pass you by. I decided that I really wanted an artistic career after I’d finished my formal education. I did my research and Blanche Macdonald was obviously the leading school. It still is. It has great people, great history and a proven track record. Going to Makeup School totally exceeded my expectations. It wasn’t like work in any way. I couldn’t wait to go to class. It was a beautiful creative outlet and it was so much fun.”

Nicole took three things from her time at Blanche Macdonald: the techniques of the professional makeup artist, the attitude necessary to succeed and the benefits that sprang from the School’s lengthy list of contacts and opportunities.

“I learnt to be prompt and prepared, to have a great attitude and to put your best foot forward. I volunteered to do a lot of fashion shows whenever I could fit them in. I did the makeup for Fanny Kiefer on Shaw TV on a volunteer basis and I volunteered to do some styling for Susie Wall from etalk and The Province. She had contacted Blanche Macdonald to find someone to help her. We’ve worked together for nine years. We’re dear friends now and I’m forever grateful for her mentorship and support.

“At the time Susie was making guest appearances on the Vicki Gabereau show on CTV. I would help her prepare. I got a chance to meet Rebecca Simmons, the makeup artist at CTV, who needed some help at the time. The rest is history. I ended up working on the Evening News, The Vicki Gabereau Show, Weekend News and loads of promo material. I was lucky enough to work on the Olympic broadcast with CTV at the International Broadcast Centre, making sure all the presenters and athletes were camera-ready.

“It was a privilege to work at CTV. I’ve met a lot of people and had the chance to work with a lot of celebrities. Jon Voight, Angelina Jolie’s dad, was in my chair when he was in Vancouver. So were Michael Bublé, Jann Arden and Elvis Costello.”

Away from TV studios Nicole has collaborated on editorial spreads for magazines including Hello Canada, Wedluxe, Fresh, Vancouver Lifestyles and TV Week. As an in-demand freelance artist, Global TV is another channel that have called on her talents.

“I keyed the makeup for ET Canada at the Gemini Awards when they were in Vancouver. I had the chance to work with all of their beautiful personalities including Cheryl Hickey, Kim D'Eon, Rick Campanelli and our very own Erin Cebula! I feel honoured to be chosen to take care of people at the top of their game. I really love my craft and I think that shows.”

Nicole’s now sharing that love across British Columbia as a new "About Face" Beauty Columnist for The Province newspaper.

“I’ve had opportunities over the last ten years to do makeup and style spreads for The Province, and I’ve styled for the lifestyle section too. The Lifestyle Editor contacted me to ask about writing a beauty column. It’s called About Face, and it’s focused on people’s makeup looks, giving them tips and tricks to improve their own application skills. It’s like a beauty boot camp. I’m going back to my beauty junkie roots – getting inspired again by all the new products and technologies. I share a page with Dr Oz, so I’m in good company!”

Nicole’s enthusiasm for her job is impossible to suppress. Put simply, she cares; about the work she’s doing and the people she’s working on. It’s what she was looking for when she was looking for a new career direction and what she’s found as a makeup artist.

“I wanted to have a career around creative people who inspired me. Hopefully I can inspire some people too. When you’re a makeup artist you chat on a really personal level with people. It’s one thing to just love the craft. It’s another thing to love the people you’re doing the craft on. My feeling is you have to be a people lover to work this closely with people. You have to care about how people look when they’re going out on camera.”

Is there a secret to Nicole’s incredible success? She doesn’t think so. She would say that though. That’s all part of the Harvie charm.

“I don’t think there’s a secret,” she smiles. “People know that I love what I do, and people want to be around people who love what they do. That’s the crux of it. Hopefully I’m pretty decent at it now too.”

Every year, the Blanche Macdonald Centre looks forward to celebrate the next generation of emerging Fashion talent at their hotly anticipated annual Fashion Design Graduate show. With a strong reputation as being the breeding ground for some of the nation's brightest future Designers and setting Canada's standard for globally-recognized education, the school's Fashion Design program has helped launch thousands of exciting and successful careers in the Fashion industry. Last fall, we transformed our new Atelier campus into a full-fledged runway and presented two stellar fall/winter graduate shows - one to top Industry Professionals and Fashion Media and one just for family and friends. This year, with the usual fresh and optimistic flair, we're proud to celebrate the huge accomplishments of our talented graduates on two separate occassions with both a fall and spring presentation.

"Last week was our spring graduate showcase and it turned out to be a lovely affair. The intimate atmosphere set for these five special women was the perfect start to the summer season.  The fifteen looks shown were as diverse as they were detailed; hand beaded lace dresses with Swarovski crystals, fringed and studded leather coat dresses and even in intimate apparel that was hand dyed using crushed berries and beetles were executed with such individual flare.  'Overall Achievement' winner Daniela Reiser was the only designer to feature menswear and the accolades for her year long performance was most certainly deserved.  I look forward to seeing where these five talented young women go in the next few years," says Blanche Fashion Director and Creative Consultant, Tyler Udall (whose international credits include Senior Fashion Editor in London for publications such as AnOther Magazine, AnOther Man and Dazed and Confused, Contributing Fashion Editor for L’Officiel and Teen Vogue and Creative Director for the Agency Fred and Associates in New York).

Right next door to the school's Downtown Robson Campus where Fashion Design graduates Sheryl Decterow, Nikita Coles, Jordanna Hardy, Sharon Zhang and Daniela Reiser spent the last year surrounded by immense creativity, knowledge and hard work, spotlights illuminated the Blanche Macdonald Atelier Campus catwalk once again. With cupcakes and wine in hand, and in the company of their closest friends and family, each Design graduate showcased an edited selection of their hard work, unveiling three looks from their debut collection.

One of the stars of the night was graduate Daniela Reiser, whose "Overall Achievement" award win encompasses her outstanding achievement in every subject throughout the school year. Her collection, based on her native Switzerland, was a beautiful interplay between textures and genders. She even designed a miniature replica of her stunning lace gown for her lovely eight-year-old niece, her date for the evening.

Take one look at Sheryl Decterow's portfolio and you will see how she took home the prize for "Special Achievement in Illustration". Her nature-inspired fall/winter resort lingerie and loungewear collection graced the runway with hand-dyed fabrics and breezy silk layers draped over delicate two-piece and fitted bodysuits.  The erratic designs and colours she created through countless hours of hand-dye experimentation was a visual treat for everyone.

Black leather, dark denim, studs and exposed zippers sum up grad Nikita Coles' collection, "Anarchy". Largely inspired by the 1970's punk revolution, her debut collection showcased her love for cropped, fitted leather jackets embellished with carefully placed hardware, and stretch denim and wet look spandex with leather trim detail. Nikita received the award for "Special Achievement in Garment Construction".

Sharon Zhang's collection, titled "Yuan: a circle. destiny" was a fascinating collection using innovative techniques in garment construction. The circles within circles embedded in dresses and tops were a contemporary twist that we had never seen before.

Jordanna Hardy’s evening gowns that closed the show had a gothic romanticism to them that made all our hearts flutter.  Her ivory silk dress adorned with a customized chain mail gillet had everyone wanting more.  Her use of contrasting fabrics and textures really set her apart.

On behalf of the family and friends of the Blanche Macdonald Centre, we send our warmest congratulations to the Spring Fashion Design Graduate class of 2013!!!! 

Many thanks go out to the fabulous Blanche Macdonald staff and teams of volunteer graduates and students from the Blanche Macdonald Makeup, Hair and Fashion Schools whose efforts and hard work helped make this event happen seamlessly. Special mentions to Program Director/Show Coordinator Peggy Morrison, Program Director Donna Baldock, Fashion Director Tyler Udall, Fashion Department Career Director Mel Watts, Sewing and Pattern Lab Instructors Brenda Swinglehurst and Jenny Hedberg, and creative catalysts Lisa Gellert and Dana Johnson. Special thanks must also go to Blanche Macdonald Centre's President Lily Lim, Instructors Rose Aiello, Kimberly Law, Emmanuel St. Juste and Wanda Sustersich, Lab Assistant Whitney Phuong, Creative Director Kelly Schmidt, and Host and Q Talent Leader Jaylene McRae.  

Full List of Award Winners

Overall Achievement: Daniela Reiser

Special Achievement in Illustration: Sheryl Decterow

Special Achievement in Garment Construction: Nikita Coles

Walk through the doors of Langley BC’s Rejuva Medispa & Laser and you’re immediately transported into a world of professional serenity; the kind of space that fills clients with confidence that any skincare issues they have will soon be in the past. It’s not a coincidence that Rejuva looks that way. It’s exactly what the owners, and Manager, Skincare Specialist and Technician Suzanne DiMichele had in mind.

“The very first time I met with the Doctors we came here and it was completely empty, except for the beautiful paint colours on the wall,” explains Suzanne. “I could tell they were wonderful people straight away. I wanted the opportunity to open and manage the clinic, and treat it as my own. They trusted me with their vision, allowing me the freedom to do my job and run their business. Two months after I was hired, we opened the doors to the public. It was really exciting!”

That was four years ago. Since then, Suzanne’s watchful eye has aided Rejuva’s success. But her own esthetics journey began years before that; at the precise moment she decided that the Medispa business would be her future career.

“I moved from Canada to California in the early 90s with my husband of the time. That’s when I saw all these Medispas. They weren’t in Canada back then but they were all the rage in California. Women were flocking to these places.

Right then I decided that Medispa was what I wanted to do. I knew it was going to boom. If you can reverse the aging process it increases people’s confidence and improves their outlook. People feel good when they leave, and making that happen is a very rewarding career.”

Determined to be at the cutting edge of an emerging industry, Suzanne knew that starting with the right esthetics education was absolutely essential.

“I did my research and Blanche Macdonald came up as the #1 Esthetics School over and over again. It’s such a great education. My year there was fabulous. I liked being a student, and immersed myself in the program. I was older than the majority of the students, but it didn’t matter. I was thankful the skin physiology part of the program was so detailed. You really need to understand the skin to succeed in this industry.

“I often spoke with Program Director Debbie Nickel about getting into the Medispa business. I was very focused on what I wanted to do. Debbie was great in giving me direction. She would always make time for me.”

Debbie Nickel is still making time for students and graduates as an Executive Program Director. It was her encouragement that led Suzanne to Yes Medispa in Langley, where repeated visits and conversations with its Doctor led to a position as a Skincare Specialist, Laser Technician and Medical Esthetician.

“My job was great and challenging, but you reach the point when you feel you’ve gone as far as you can. I wanted to do more. A friend of mine heard that Rejuva was opening soon and looking for a manager. I knew the doctors were wonderful and with the opening of a new clinic, this was the opportunity I’d been looking for.”

Once Suzanne had everything in place to open Rejuva’s doors, the time had arrived to put her esthetics experience, and some newfound marketing expertise, to good use.

“We started building the clinic, networking and gathering clients. I’d never marketed a company before and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Once we were up and running, my role consisted of behind the scenes work from daily clinic operations to payroll and orders, in addition to my skincare and laser work. I enjoy wearing several hats. I have three projects on my desk all the time. There’s never a dull moment!

“I’m still seeing clients every day. I assist the doctor with CO2 laser resurfacing. We also offer laser treatments for pigment and veins, as well as chemical peels and laser hair removal. Hydrafacials, which are medical grade facials, are very popular, along with Botox and filler. We carry a complete line of mineral makeup as well, which compliments our skincare and treatments nicely. I want my clients to know that when it comes to their skin, we have everything they need, including sunhats!

“We really focus on education here at Rejuva. When I’m with a client I’m a teacher, and the education doesn’t stop at the skincare treatments we’re providing. It’s about every aspect of their lives: sun exposure, stress and how healthy their diet is. Our Advanced Skin Analysis is a mandatory step in setting up a skincare regime. If clients want to achieve certain results we’ll tell them what they need to get there. Sometimes people aren’t aware of all those things. We do our best to educate people properly. We teach them that results don’t happen overnight and help them understand how the skin works. The more they understand, the more loyal they become to the program.”

Suzanne’s favourite part of the job is still the time she gets to spend with clients creating life-changing long-term skincare solutions.

“It’s amazing when you see clients looking at their ‘before and after’ photos. They can get very emotional and excited. Being a part of that journey is what it is all about for us. We want everyone to leave with a smile on their face.

“Clients come to see us because they have concerns. No matter how big or small, my job is to help find a solution that will best fit the client’s needs. There are a lot of hands-on aspects to the job, even going as far as putting your hand on someone’s shoulder when they lie down to help them relax. We begin with education and always follow up with clients after the sale. That’s when they understand that we really care about what’s happening to them.”

It’s hard to separate Suzanne and Rejuva’s triumphs; they’re so tightly connected. The Medispa is now an established part of hundreds of wellness regimes for clients throughout BC and even the USA.

Away from the Rejuva’s economic successes though, there’s something magical about a story of a woman who saw what she wanted and made it happen. For anyone in need of a burst of personal or professional inspiration, Suzanne is a perfect example of what’s possible.

“It’s never too late to go into this fabulous industry,” she insists. “I must have been almost 40 when I went to Esthetics School. If you want to make this your career sink your teeth into as much information as you can. Decide what you love about the world of esthetics and specialise in it. Be your best, believe in yourself and have a passion for what you do!”

Creative phenom Maneli Nourbakhsh brings her international experience and creative genius to the next generation of fashion warriors at Blanche Macdonald Centre, Canada’s Top Fashion School.

“Instructing is one my favorite things I have ever done.  I love my students. Teaching is just so inspiring”.   That is genuinely saying something, coming from the Iranian born beauty Maneli Nourbakhsh. From the Lab at Lululemon to the design studios of the late Alexander McQueen, Maneli’s accomplishments and imprints on the world of fashion will be echoed throughout time.

Having graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in political science, Maneli Nourbakhsh was on a fast track to law school before dramatically shifting gears to the world of fashion design.  Crediting a long overdue visit to her native Iran as the catalyst for her brazen move, the would-be lawyer threw caution to the wind and gave up the slick veneer of a political science career for the glossy pages of fashion magazines and Paris runways. 

“Everything in Iran was so beautiful. I completely realized I was burying my artistic abilities and there was no way I would ever be able to go to law school… so I went to design school instead.”

Despite her intensive studies throughout University that would make most keel over with exhaustion, Maneli coasted through with ease earning an impeccable straight A average.  It wasn’t until starting design school would she be put through her paces.

“When I was in grade 6, I had a really difficult teacher… an amazing teacher, but very difficult. Her classes were so demanding that relatively speaking, I found I never had any hard times throughout high school and UBC.  I had straight A’s and it was very easy for me… until I went to fashion school. As soon as I got there I had to work extremely hard. It was good! I liked it, I loved it and I needed it!”

With a design diploma under her belt and visions of grandeur, Maneli made the bold move across the Atlantic to try her luck with the fashion giants of the United Kingdom.

“My two favorite designers at the time were McQueen and Dior.  I graduated in June and I was in London by the end of August. I felt like I had to prove to myself and possibly to my family and friends who said I was crazy for dropping out and not going to law school, that I made the right decision.  I saw London giving me that validation, so I moved there.”

Like most roads less traveled, the journey can be tumultuous and tiresome. Getting your foot through the door in a fashion capitol as competitive as London can be arduous at best.  Maneli certainly rose to the challenge.

“At first I wasn’t getting call backs. I kept applying to so many different places and I got to the point where I was questioning myself. 'Why did I come here? Oh ya, McQueen!' I hadn’t applied, so I decided to work my butt off and get there. If it didn’t work out I would know that I tried my best and would come back to Vancouver.  I researched them, found their contact details and got a call back!

I started off at McQ, the diffusion line, and it was a very small team.  The lead designer quickly got promoted to Alexander McQueen ready to wear and asked to take me with him.  At that same time, McQ offered me a studio manager position, which was an amazing role. It was conflicting because I wanted that job but at the same time I wanted to go to McQueen ready to wear.  I thought to myself  ‘I have come this far… I need to move up.’  So, I joined the print design team at Alexander McQueen.”

Working with fashion legend Alexander McQueen is something nearly every fashionista dreams of yet very few had the chance to experience.  Her collaboration with the fashion maven will quite literally be etched into the fabric of fashion history; with iconic dresses she helped create living in museums and art books around the world. 

As a member of the print design team, Maneli illustrated a stunning array of prints for Lee McQueen’s final full collection before his untimely passing; an honour that simply cannot be topped. “Plato’s Atlantis”, one of McQueen’s most directional collections broke through barriers, being the first live-stream fashion show in history, bringing his genius to an entirely new audience. 

The collection that fills Maneli with the most pride is the AW 2009 “Horn of Plenty” show.

“I have a lot of memories from the Horn of Plenty collection. There was a tribal looking dress that I did most of the prints for.  I worked a lot of hours on that one.  There was another red feather dress I worked on and sketched a lot of the birds for the collection. It was so much fun. We would sketch things, send it to the Gucci factory and two days later they would send it back on silk fabric. So amazing!”

After leaving McQueen, Maneli began working with the Iranian Film Festival in London doing original costume design and studio management duties.  Wanting to focus on her own line, she decided to return to the west coast, but the Iranian beauty didn’t let the urgent pace of London leave her. 

Since her return, Maneli has been busier than ever. She hit the ground running, landing a lead costume designer role for the film Ambrosia, which was recently nominated at the Montreal film festival.  Shortly after she found herself on the design team at iconic yoga wear giant Lululemon to which she credits an intangible amount of personal and professional growth.

Maneli’s need to design could not be bound and has recently been balancing multiple consulting gigs. She is currently working with Season 9 So You Think You Can Dance winner Chehon Wespi-Tschopp, designing his first capsule collection of multifunctional dance/ street wear.

“As long as the universe is sending me these amazing projects I am going to do them. But at some point soon I am going to start my own label.”

Between her current Fashion Editor role at Hush Magazine and myriad design gigs, Maneli still finds time to teach future generations at Blanche Macdonald Centre, Canada’s Top Fashion School.

“We recently did this project about inspiration and future goals.  One of the students had me crying! Her presentation was so amazing, and I am not an emotional person! It’s just so rewarding. I don’t think people understand.” 

As Maneli’s accolades and accomplishments pile higher and higher, we look forward to her classes and contributions as one of Blanche Macdonald’s many bright and rising stars.

Kumi Craig makes men look great for a living. As one of America’s go-to Male Groomers, she’s the woman Hollywood and New York Agents call when one of their A-list clients have a shoot or event where they need to look their very best.

Even though she’s brought her considerable skills to some of the World’s most famous men, for this Blanche Macdonald Makeup Graduate A-list clientele doesn’t come with an A-list ego. Instead, Kumi attributes her amazing success down to a commitment to professionalism and a few well-timed bursts of good luck.

“A big part of this job comes down to personality and how you deal with clients,” she explains. “My mother’s Japanese. When I was little she’d always say to me, ‘Kumi, don’t make dust!’ I stand by that. You don’t overstep. You watch people and see how they react. Certain people might be really private about their personal lives. Some want to be friends. I’m there for all of them.”

That’s the essence of Kumi’s professionalism. As for her good luck, that started soon after she left her native Prince Rupert and arrived in Vancouver, looking to figure out what she wanted to do with her life.

“I was brand new in the city and was walking down Robson Street after I’d applied for a job at Milestones when a handsome gentleman started talking to me. I told him that I wanted an apprenticeship in either makeup or baking. He said he lived near this great Makeup School and walked me down to the Blanche Macdonald campus. I had a tour, and thought, I want to go here. I did, and it was great!

“The training and education at Blanche Macdonald was an excellent learning experience. It's a great way to get your foot in the door. A large amount of this profession is based on practice; the hours you put into it and building your confidence as an artist. I really enjoyed the creativity of special effects makeup but I found I had more of an interest in makeup for photography. The training I received there gave me the confidence to actively pursue a career in New York. Providing a kit with the basics was a big help too.” 

Two months after graduating from Vancouver’s Top Makeup School Kumi had secured a student Visa, arrived in New York City and started networking like crazy.

“I met some photographers and started to assist and test. I assisted a Japanese Makeup Artist called Jun Funahashi for a few years. She can do anything with colour. I would prepare the girls’ skin, and she would do the art. I liked really clean, classic beauty makeup so Jun’s agent starting sending me out on editorial jobs for indie art and fashion magazines.”

The moment had arrived for the meeting Kumi describes as her second great piece of good fortune.

“I ended up on a ‘Sex Section’ shoot for Men’s Health. That’s where I met this photographer, Matthias Clamer. We instantly hit it off. He would call me for jobs when the opportunity was there. His photo career blew up and we would shoot for British Q, ET Weekly, and Spin. We worked with The Killers, The Hives, Michael Stipe, so many bands. It all happened organically. I never said I wanted to do men. But by then my name started going around as a Groomer.

“Matthias called me one day and said, ‘We’re shooting this guy. He’s supposed to be really good looking. He just started on Saturday Night Live.’ That was Jimmy Fallon, my first full-page portrait editorial. We’ve worked together ever since. I’ll fill in for Jimmy’s hair and makeup team on his show if they’re unavailable. I’ll also accompany clients who appear as guests. Jimmy’s still my favourite person in the world. His studio has such a fun energy.”

With an agent on board, Kumi had turned from aspiring Fashion Makeup Artist into an in-demand Groomer, a must-call name for superstar men needing to look their best.

“I did any job that came my way. The booker at GQ, Richard Blandino, liked my book and after a few shoots he called me to work on a cover story with Michael Phelps, who had just won a bunch of Gold Medals. 

“He’s in chlorine all day and to be honest he’s a little pasty. GQ were looking for their patented ‘healthy glow’ and Richard asked me what kind of bronzers I used. At the time I had a roommate who didn’t like to go out in the sun. She asked me to put this bronzer cream called DuWop on her. That was exactly what I was looking for – totally flat and natural. Michael Phelps was in his Speedo with his arms out and I was on my hands and knees bronzing his legs. I thought, wow, this is my job!” 

Not every job involves intimate access to Olympian thighs, but the vast majority still come with unique perks.

“One of my favourite people is Michael J Fox. We have that Canadian bond! I’ve had the pleasure of working with Leonardo DiCaprio, Jude Law, Mark Wahlberg, Tommy Lee Jones, Jerry Seinfeld! Suraj Sharma is the star of Life of Pi. We’ve worked many hours together, including for the Golden Globes. He’s become a friend I care about. I worked with Russell Crowe for the Les Miserable press and he was great! I did a Men’s Fitness cover with Michael Strahan. He was so cool. One of the first things my Agency, The Wall Group, asked me was how I am with African American skin? It’s actually the easiest! It’s the most naturally beautiful skin. I’ll fill in lighter spots and add anti-shine if it’s needed. I’ve shot with Jay-Z and Rick Ross, which is incredible.”

The way Kumi tells it, luck’s played a huge role in her success story. That’s modesty. So much of what’s made Kumi’s a favourite with America’s A-list is her understanding that Grooming is an aspect of makeup artistry with its own unique requirements.  

“I love the look of natural skin. Less is more. I use concealer. I never use a liquid foundation. Men don’t want that. They’re terrified if they sit down to be groomed and you bring out too much make up. I’ll have an eyeliner on hand. I’ll give guys little grooming tips. I understand that men are different. You can’t give them a five-step skincare regime.

“I’m not trying to enhance a feature or make anything pop like a regular Makeup Artist. Men’s grooming is simpler. I’m going to make a guy look more presentable and make him feel great. It is a luxury job. I know I’m not saving any lives. But if I work with a client for Good Morning America and there’s a 7am call time I can’t put that man in front of a camera at 7.30am and have him look the same as he did when he rolled out of bed. 

“Hair is an important part of grooming too. I had the honour of meeting Losi on a GQ shoot years ago. She may have created the term ‘Groomer’ as the first hairstylist to say ‘I only do men’. She took me under her wing and was gracious enough to invite me to train with her at a men’s salon in New York. It’s people like her that you meet along the way that you never take for granted.”

The reality is that there is no single secret to Kumi’s amazing career. She’s worked hard to get where she is, and she continues to bring the highest level of professionalism to every client she meets. A-list stars can work with anyone they want. The fact that they keep asking for Kumi proves she does a great job every single time. 

“I go into every job because I want to work with the client and make them happy. It’s not because I’m making ‘x’ dollars. Being on time, being respectful and keeping my kit immaculate are important. I keep my kit in Rimowa luggage and all the contents in clear makeup bags. Everything is fresh, clean and organised. And the first thing I do when I see a client is clean my hands.

“I’m not saying I’ve never been late for a job, but the further I get in my career, the earlier I am. Even if the client is early, if they arrive and you’re already there and set up, it makes such a great impression. It shows you’re there for them.”

We are so proud of Blanche Macdonald graduate Anna Thorsen, Creative Director of 'by post street' & founder of The Social Life - a fabulous guide for all things social (current hangouts, events, lifestyle and culture) in major cities around the globe. She's exuberant, strong and a fearless face in the fashion industry and she has proven that passion can definitely lead to a rewarding, exciting and fun career.

"Blanche Macdonald was a blast! I took it back in 2003 right out of high school. My experience was fantastic and the introduction to the makeup industry was phenomenal.  I loved how I naturally got exposure to the hair, aesthetics and fashion industries just by being at the school everyday and from the variety of teachers we had.  It was eye opening for me to see the other paths, which I could take my life.

"My absolute favourite course was the 'Drag Makeup' course. My teacher was hilarious. This course had a profound impact on me as I have been dressing as my persona 'Anna T Fabulous' for the LGBT community for almost seven years now.  'Anna T Fabulous' could be classified as a 'female drag queen' and I have always done all my own Makeup. Blanche definitely helped shape me into who I am today, Creative Director for my apparel & music company by post street and founder of The Social Life!"

Shout-out to TSL's Editor-in-Chief/man-about-town/Vancouver "IT" Guy, BMC Fashion grad Josh Langston & Content Editor, grad Jacky Le! 

Photo credits: backdrop, illustrations & dress created by Kat Thorsen (mom) and Anna in support of 'by post street', San Francisco. And selections of Anna's Makeup over the years.

Every hair stylist faces challenges.

For Dale Ewing, Stylist at Vancouver’s Salon 6 Twelve and Educator for global professional hair product brand Goldwell, his greatest challenge was getting his six foot five frame into a comfortable position to cut hair to begin with.

“It was tough when I started,” he laughs. “Yoga works! I’ve been doing that for three years now. I’ve turned bending over from something painful into an exercise. I use a lot of power stances when I’m working and sit on a wheelie stool when I’m cutting bobs. It’s not even problematic now.”

Now he’s working comfortably the graduate from Canada’s #1 Hair School has been able to fully focus his energies on his dual careers. By day he’s a stylist with a rapidly growing clientele at Salon 6 Twelve. On weekends and evenings he’s a ‘GTA’, a Goldwell Technical Associate, sharing his vast knowledge and limitless enthusiasm with professional stylists across Vancouver.

“Teaching is my passion,” explains Dale. “I used to teach kids camps. And I love hairdressing. So I figure that if I can teach hair I get the best of both worlds!

“Our work goes beyond how much I know the products. It’s also about letting stylists see how excited I am about it all. Our sales reps will introduce the product and ask if the salon wants to have an educator. That’s where I come in. The more salons like me, the more they request me. It’s great to teach people who are already passionate about Goldwell, teaching them more about what they’re excited about.

“It can also be terrifying. The scariest audiences are people who don’t have Goldwell. They’ll have a lot of challenging questions, but that nervous excited feeling is what gets us going. Once we get comfortable we can fall into a comfort zone and get boring. Being a little scared is what pushes us.”

Education has always been important to Dale. After deciding that he wanted to be a hair stylist (narrowly beating out a career in the culinary arts) Dale had already graduated from one hair school and was working at Thrive Hair Company in his native Nanaimo when he heard about the Pro Hair Program at Blanche Macdonald.

“I wanted more experience. Blanche Macdonald had a great reputation was more high-end than my first Hair School. So I moved to Vancouver and took the Pro Hair Program. It was awesome! There was stuff that I’d already studied, but I was trying to get as much out of the program as I could. I made a lot of connections and met the people that helped me get into Goldwell and my Vancouver salons. I’m a very technical person. I need to know exactly what’s happening when I’m doing a cut, whereas a lot of hairdressers are more visual and artistic. I was already technical from my first school, but coming to Blanche Macdonald transformed the creative side of me.

“The photo shoots were a great start to my portfolio. Coming into the Avant Garde shoot I made these big pieces that were black, purple and white sheets of hair. It was a lot of fun.”

The work placement part of the Pro Hair Program took Dale to the Richard Jeha Hair Company in Kitsilano. They liked Dale so much that they offered him a job after he graduated, and he stayed there for two years, specialising in colour (“It’s all chemistry; all about technicalities and ratios.”) and building his clientele. One of his co-workers there was an Educator for Goldwell. She encouraged Dale to head down that path. The rest, as the cliché goes, is history.

“I’d loved Goldwell from my first time at Hair School. It was only when I started working with other brands that I realised how much I missed Goldwell. One of their sales reps had seen my work and she knew how excited I was about the product. Once she referred me it all happened very fast. Twelve people across Canada were chosen to go to the training at their Academy in Coquitlam. It was a five day course and it was intense: a combination of training seminar mixed with American Idol, because there were more candidates then there were jobs. We were trying to be not competitive, but we all knew not all of us would end up with a position.

“It was the most terrifying experience of my life, but it was also the most fun I’ve ever had. They checked our hands-on applications, but the toughest things would happen in a classroom environment when we were learning about products and we’d suddenly have to stand in front of the class and give a ten-minute presentation on what we’d just learned. They wanted to see how we worked under high-pressure stress. It turns out I do really well under pressure.”

Dale has been doing fabulously ever since, taking his passion for the brand into salons across Greater Vancouver, teaching at the Goldwell Academy, and answering questions via email on a daily basis.

“The next level is a Field Education Manager. That’s when you go into different cities and hold classes for educators. The future is an open door for me. I enjoy the education business. I could own my own salon one day, but right now I’d rather pursue education and teaching.”

That doesn’t mean Dale plans on stopping seeing clients any time soon. He enjoys his days too much to give that up.

“I love it here at Salon 6 Twelve! We’re all a big family. If the boss is busy and I have a spare second I’ll wash out her foils. And if I’m busy and she has a minute she’ll pass foils to me. People like to see stylists working together and helping each other. We have everything Goldwell here. Anything we didn’t have I brought in! We’re right on Broadway, so we have tons of exposure and it’s easy to pick up new clients. We’re a big retail location too, so we get a lot of people walking in off the streets. If I’m not with a client I’ll come up and talk to them. I’ll recommend a hair spray and get them to sit in my chair so I can try it out on them. The more they see me excited about hairspray, the more they want me to cut their hair. I do approach people on the street and compliment them on their hair sometimes. It takes some guts but can be awesome.

“My favourite thing about this job is making people feel good. A lot of hairdressers when they’re in hair school think a career is going to be shaving one side of clients’ heads, and putting bright colours on the other side. It’s tons of fun for photo shoots and expressive clients, but realistically most clients want to look professional and feel sexy. You can do that creatively too.

“The moment when it starts to feel really good is when clients open up to you about something they wouldn’t open up to most people about. It’s amazing that they value my opinion about their relationships or their kids. I feel honoured that they’re sharing these things with me. That gives me a warm, tingly feeling.”

Whether he’s working with clients or fellow hair professionals, Dale’s enthusiasm towards his chosen art, his fellow professionals and his clients never wavers. 

“Our Education Manager at Goldwell left us with this quote and it’s inspired me ever since. ‘People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care’.” 

Where will you be on Saturday and Sunday July 27 and 28th? We are all going to be at IMATS VANCOUVER!!! The International Make Up Artist Trade show hits the Vancouver Convention Centre with all out makeup demos, master classes, and huge huge makeup discounts. This event is open to everyone! For those Makeup students and Makeup junkies who want to scoop up deals like Make Up For Ever products with show prices at 40% off or Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics, Eve Pearl, Kevyn Aucoin at 25% off etc., then you better get your advanced tickets.

Check it! http://www.imats.net/vancouver/vancouver_index.php

Vancouver Convention Centre East Exhibit Hall B
1055 Canada Place, Vancouver BC (Map)
Saturday, July 27th, 8:30-5:00pm
Sunday, July 28th, 10:00-5:00pm

Held yearly in six major cities worldwide, the IMATS is an enormous Makeup playground boasting one of the largest gathering of Pro Makeup Artists on the planet. Award-winning Makeup Artists, Legends, top YouTube beauty gurus, vendors and thousands of Makeup lovers from all over the globe unite to showcase incredible artistry, learn from the best, discover exciting new beauty techniques and products, shop for cosmetics and tools at fabulous discounts and battle it out in one of the industry’s most prestigious competitions – the International Makeup Artists 'Battle of the Brushes' Student Competition.

Keynote Speakers

Oscar winner Barney Burman · JoJo Myers Proud · Taylor Chang-Babaian · Kevin James Bennett · Siân Richards 

Show Schedule

We're thrilled to announce that six of sixteen finalists (chosen from hundreds of applicants around the world) will represent Blanche Macdonald and demonstrate their skills within three hours of chaos and extreme pressure in front of a handful of the industry’s top Makeup Masters! Watch out for the creations from these Blanche competitors on the 'Battle of the Brushes' competition stage: Jenny Tseng, Fiona Cheng and Hailey Lovas (Day 1, Beauty/Fantasy) and Dora Tsai, Angie Balbon and Jamie Minnie (Day 2, Character/Prosthetics). We can't wait to cheer them on! 

Since 2009, Blanche Macdonald Makeup program graduates have competed and placed in multiple IMATS competitions all over North America and our award-winning graduates have wowed IMATS attendees with stunning demos including a world first - a mind-blowing 3D Makeup technique discovered by Makeup grad and instructor, Ashley Forshaw! At the 2011 Vancouver IMATS, our talented artists owned the podium with a historic triple home run as Blanche Macdonald students swept all three trophies in the Beauty/Fantasy Competition on Day One and a 2nd place tophy in the Prosthetics competition on Day Two. With solid wins in Toronto and LA, Blanche Macdonald Makeup graduates also impressed the judges of Make-Up Artist Magazine in both the 2012 Vancouver and New York IMATS where three graduates scored a phenomenal 1st, 2nd and 3rd place win!

Join us at the Blanche Macdonald booth to check out all five phenomenal Makeup graduates we've lined up to demonstrate their incredible talents live! 

Here are a few snapshots from past Blanche Macdonald IMATS Student Competition wins in New York, Los Angeles, Toronto and Vancouver and stunning live demos from some of our school's top talent.

We are also excited to have our very own Beauty Store CurliQue Beauty join us again at the Blanche Macdonald booth! The Q Team will be bringing in their best-selling makeup, nail, skin and hair care products from their Downtown Robson boutique for all IMATS attendees at 25% off! Come by and play with OCC Lip Tars, stock up on the cult-fave Embryolisse Paris, gorgeous Kevyn Aucoin Beauty, Oribe and Kevin Murphy hair care, Cozzette brushes, Sappho Organic Cosmetics, Eve Pearl, Face Lace and many more!  

Can't make it? Don't miss out on the action. Follow Blanche Macdonald on Twitter @BlancheWorld and on our official Facebook page for live updates, photos and more.

“The best part of this job,” insists Erykah Tam, Nail Artist and proud owner of Lokelani Lacquer Lounge, “is inspiring others and transforming the way residents of Yellowknife think about Nail Art. It’s great to see women here try something other than the French manicure and the squoval nail shape.”

Blanche Macdonald Nail Parlour graduate Erykah Tam is the only Nail Artist in Yellowknife to provide a mobile, all gel service, and she’s rapidly changing the way an entire Territory thinks about their nails. Spreading sunshine across one of Canada’s chilliest cities, Lokelani (which is the pink Damask rose in Hawaii and the official flower of Maui) launched in January this year. You can tell business is booming. She’s already booked for the rest of the summer. 

“When I first started in Yellowknife, it was a challenge trying to introduce women to other styles of nail art,” explains Erykah. “It’s a small town and the people who live here tend to be stuck on certain shapes and styles. Women who get their nails done in Yellowknife had always requested the same look. Now, my clients give me creative freedom. I get to play with different nail shapes and patterns. It’s awesome to finally being able to express myself artistically and get paid for it!”

Working in the Northwest Territories means that Erykah’s mobile service only runs in summer (“Too much snow in winter!”). But whether she’s on the road or working from her own Nail Parlour, the end result is the same: inspiring, artistic creations. It’s what brought her into the business, and Canada’s #1 Nail School, to begin with.

“I’ve always loved art and fashion. I’m the weird one in my family! After I graduated high school, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. It wasn’t until I moved back to Yellowknife that I realised I didn’t have anywhere to do my nails. Right when I started thinking about Pro Nail schools, I knew I wanted to go to Blanche. So, I looked at what Blanche Macdonald offered and that was it!”

“I especially loved the Business Module with Simona Gozner. It was so good to hear another woman’s perspective on life, growing a business and becoming a successful entrepreneur. I didn’t grow up with any mother figures so I really adored and looked up to all my instructors. I really admire Chika Nagai and her story of how her journey in the Esthetics industry changed her life and how she came to Blanche Macdonald to share that knowledge. I make sure to visit her whenever I'm in Vancouver.”

Simona’s lessons clearly proved effective. In slightly over half a year Lokelani has become a Yellowknife beauty fixture.

“I have spas coming to me asking me to bring my business cards and postcards to them because they have so many requests for nail art. Most of my new clients come from word of mouth and from people noticing my crazy nails wherever I go. I get a lot of new clients from people who see my work on my clients around town as well!

A lot of my inspiration comes from fabrics in the fashion world. I also like to follow many nail artists around the world to see what’s on trend. I like Clara H, from Melbourne, Australia for her hand-painted work and 3D nail art. GlamSusie on Instagram does beautiful 3D acrylic flowers and, of course, my fellow Blanche Macdonald graduate Steph Berry (Haus of Lacquer) has been extremely inspirational as well. I like to flip through Nails Magazine. You can find a lot of cool tips on health issues and they have a great nail art page. I sleep dreaming of nails and wake up drawing ideas on my sketchpad.”

Taking her nail skills to the True North has been a life-changing decision for Erykah. She’s forged a career as an artist and a businesswoman. Which makes her advice worth its weight in gold polish.

“Don’t be afraid to take the risk! I know that when I first started, I was nervous yet also very excited. If you know what you’re getting yourself into, if you can do it on a daily basis and if you’re client-oriented and customer-service oriented, then just try it! It’s a lot of work but it’s very rewarding. I’m a people pleaser; I really enjoy seeing people happy! And if I can put a smile on their face, it's that much more rewarding. And hey, I get my daily exercise carrying my suitcase, too! I have amazing arms, legs and buns because I carry my kit and suitcase up and down steps and pretty much everywhere. Bonus!”

Follow Erykah on Instagram!

The fourth annual Vancouver edition of the International Makeup Artist Trade Show (IMATS) has come and gone in a flurry of glamour and creativity, and exhibitors and attendees were in near unanimous agreement that this was the busiest and best Vancouver IMATS yet. 

Perhaps the happiest person at the entire Show was recent graduate Angie Balbon, who took a fabulous Second Place in the Battle of the Brushes Character Prosthetics Student Competition. 

“I would always read the success stories of Blanche Macdonald grads that have become accomplished artists and I thought, that’s going to be me!” she beamed while still clutching her trophy. “If you follow your dream you never know what’s going to happen. Don’t think it’s out of your reach, because it happens! You think, pinch me, because this is too good to be true!”

Taking the competition theme of ‘Oz’ as her starting point Angie created a trophy-winning Winkie Guard (that’s the real name of the Wicked Witch’s troops – seriously!) in three hours.

“I wanted to do something that appealed to me. I have an affinity for green people. I have two of them tattooed on my arms! I did my own depiction of a Winkie Guard. I wanted it to have elements of me in it, but people could still see that he’s from Oz. When they were giving out the prosthetics I got a nice big nose, a pointy chin and an eyebrow piece that was already full of texture so I just had to highlight and shadow and contour it. Just what I wanted! The universe was smiling on me!

“I was here at the Tattoo Convention a few months ago, where there was a Zombie Pageant competition. I entered that and came second for Favourite Zombie – not everyone liked my disco zombie concept – but I won Best Zombie Makeup! That was one of my entry photos for the IMATS. Out of the hundreds of entries, only eight people get picked, so I’m hoping having this on my résumé will take me places.

“Competing was amazing. I really put it out there. I have a whiteboard at home where I’ve written ‘WIN THE IMATS’. The standard today was amazing. Everyone was original and creative. I couldn’t pick a favourite. 

“I’m going to be in Makeup Artist magazine, which has always been one of my goals. I loved seeing the creativity coming from my fellow Makeup Artists. Looking around, that was inspiring. Sharing that passion is how we’re going to learn. Share the love!”

Congratulations are due to all Blanche Macdonald Vancouver Battle of the Brushes finalists, Angie, Jamie Minnie and Dora Tsai in the Character Prosthetics Competition, and Hailey Lovas, Fiona Cheng and Jenny Tseng in the Beauty/Fantasy Competition, who all delivered incredible work under the most high pressure conditions. Reaching that stage of excellence is a remarkable achievement and a huge step towards great things.

The next round of menswear shows in Paris is looming for Daniel Peters. As the buyer for Vancouver’s cult favourite men’s boutique Roden Gray, Daniel will be living and working in the Parisian pinnacle of fashion, Place Vendome, and meeting with some of fashion’s major players: Dries Van Noten, Raf Simons, Kenzo and Mihara Yasuhiro.

As you’d expect, he’s understandably enthusiastic about the task ahead of him.

“I’m really excited about my trip but when you are buying a 100-piece collection for a year ahead, it can be a bit stressful!” he admits. “I’m really looking forward to seeing Dries and Raf. They’re probably my two favourites. Dries is just so amazing!”

This French work trip is one of the career highlights (so far!) for the Blanche Macdonald Fashion Merchandising graduate, who came to Canada’s #1 Fashion School three years ago with his best friend (and fellow graduate) Stephanie Smith. 

“Stephanie and I waited six months to start the program and we had the opportunity to do a lot of work together before starting school. The two of us were heavily involved in Vancouver Fashion Week and we were doing a lot of freelance photo shoots even before our year at Blanche Macdonald. It was great to finally get to school and learn from people who were in the industry. I really appreciated learning how to write about fashion from Tyler Udall and I enjoyed Peggy Morrison’s classes too. Exploring the in-depth history of fashion was fascinating and enabled me to understand its evolution. So many people only care about Karl Lagerfeld because of Chanel, but he did a lot before that!

“Towards the end of my time at School I started interning with the design team at Vancouver/Tokyo label Wings and Horns. It was really cool to witness the production and the design process of it all. Seeing how they picked colours, fabrics and to finally see the samples come in was a totally new side of the fashion industry for me. I did an entire season at Wings and Horns, from the research phase all the way to market. It was a really great experience.”

In addition to his work at Wings and Horns, Daniel got a job on the floor at Roden Gray. A shopping hot spot for any fashion aficionado living in or visiting the West Coast, the Gastown boutique is the destination in Vancouver for the most current men’s fashion trends. The popularity of the one time elusive store has been garnering global attention with its sleek design and diverse product range. Hard work pays off, and when preparation and opportunity intersect, great things happen.” 

“When I started at Roden Gray I would work on displays. I wasn’t the best salesperson but I made myself useful and needed. I would organize the back room and later started handling the look book shoots and ultimately I oversaw the creative content for our online store. The owner. Rob Lo, was doing sales for Wings and Horns at that time. He saw that I was really into the job and every aspect of the business. Luckily for me, he took me under his wing.” 

Rob recognised Daniel’s talent and enthusiasm, handing him extra responsibilities within the luxury menswear boutique.

“I’ve always been very organized. Rob could see that as I was managing the shoots. One day he just said ‘Hey, you are coming to New York for Fashion Week?’ and I just sort of went! That was last summer. It was good that I went to New York and not Paris first. New York is much more sport and commercial oriented and I was able to learn a lot. The following season I went to Paris and since then things have become a lot busier for us. Roden Gray is moving into more and more designer wear. We used to go to 16 appointments in New York and maybe six in Paris but now we go to 16 appointments in Paris and maybe ten in New York.”

“We carry Dries Van Noten, Raf Simons, Mihara Yasuhiro, Kenzo and several more. This next trip we’re going to see Balenciaga. I’m excited to see what Alexander Wang is doing. We’re also going to see Marni, Color and Jil Sander. Within two seasons we’ve transitioned to a much more fashion forward demographic. It’s important to evolve. Being a small boutique we can adapt to fashion’s rapid changes quickly, which is exciting. As the seasons have gone by I’ve become more confident and Rob has trusted me with a lot more responsibility.”

Daniel doesn’t hesitate to credit his time at Fashion School for preparing him for his rapidly evolving career. Executive Program Director Donna Baldock’s buying classes have proved invaluable.

“Donna’s classes taught me so much. I learned how to write an order. Super useful! It would be ok if I was buying with my own money, but there are three owners at Roden Gray and I’m working with their resources! It’s important if you are a boutique store to purchase certain pieces that have curb appeal. It might be a jacket that sells for $3,000 that barely anyone could wear, but it was in the runway show and people recognize it.”

Daniel’s sophisticated approach to life among the European high flyers demonstrates that the leap from Fashion School to the Fashion Industry isn’t nearly as daunting as many students anticipate.

“School is pretty much like real life, especially in a store where we want to sell clothes in an intelligent and stylish way. I find it fascinating because you can never fully predict what’s going to be cool. It’s still men’s fashion we are dealing with, but it’s moving and changing faster than ever. Our most expensive and fashion forward brands, Givenchy and Thom Browne, are our best sellers. That’s something that genuinely pushes us. I’m learning something new all the time in this job, and that’s really important to me.” 

International beauty superstar Judy Travis of It’sJudyTime made her debut appearance in Vancouver this weekend, filling CurliQue Beauty and Blanche Macdonald’s Atelier Campus with around 500 fans for an unforgettable meet and greet and Q&A session.

The fans’ enthusiasm was understandable. Judy is a new type of global beauty guru: a charming, down-to-earth and resolutely honest on-line tutor who uses her life as her creative palette. Her original youtube channel together with her newly expanded lifestyle brand and channel, It’sJudy’sLife has gathered over 200 million views.

Seeing and hearing fans wait in line around the block for up to an hour and a half ensured that Judy was blown away by the entire experience.

“It’s been amazing!” she smiled. “This is the largest meet up that we’ve ever done. There were 200 people in Dublin, which I thought was exciting. At first I thought an event this big might be a little overwhelming, but because CurliQue and Blanche Macdonald opened up its doors for us, it’s been well organised and I’ve been able to spend quality one-on-one time with my viewers. That was really great. Meeting everybody and putting faces behind the comments I receive is truly a blessing. It’s the viewers that keep me inspired.”

The occasion was the brainchild of Blanche Macdonald graduates Trina Duhra, Q Talent at CurliQue Beauty, and JoAnn Fowler of Sappho Cosmetics.

“When Judy announced that she was going to have a Vancouver meet and greet,” explained Trina, “I thought that there’s no better place than CurliQue and Blanche Macdonald. We’d met at the Vancouver IMATS and I’d introduced her to JoAnn Fowler. I told a couple of people here at CurliQue how great it would be for everyone to host Judy and immediately everyone at Blanche Macdonald was totally on board.”

It made perfect sense for Blanche Macdonald and CurliQue Beauty to host Judy’s Vancouver debut. As Canada’s #1 Makeup and Fashion School, Blanche Macdonald is permanently tapped into who is making waves in the Beauty Industry, with our Makeup Program including modules analysing the importance of self-marketing on social media and new media channels. 

As Vancouver’s most stunning retail space, CurliQue, along with Trina and JoAnn, left a powerful impression on Judy.

“This is my first time at CurliQue,” she continued. “The first thing that came to my mind was, ‘Holy Cow! This is gorgeous!’ This space is beautiful. It’s clean. It’s open. It’s such an ideal spot. We’re really lucky to have this space for the meet and greet.

“My husband Benji is a major hippy. He’s an organic freak. When he found out that Sappho is 100% organic and vegan he was all for it. He told me I needed to try these cosmetics, and I’ve been wearing them ever since. I love it! Sappho foundation is not only really high quality with really great coverage. It has a pleasant scent to it. JoAnn is a really sweet person. You can tell she cares so much about her makeup. It’s an honour to be working with her.

“Since we met Trina and JoAnn at the IMATS on the Blanche Macdonald booth the three of us have been communicating. I’ve been watching Trina’s demonstrations on her YouTube channel Makeup by Trina. They are so useful. She’s a natural!”

You can see Judy’s view of her time at Blanche Macdonald and CurliQue here… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtSH9tXyNRk

It doesn’t take long to be swept up by Leanne Rae Podavin’s enthusiasm for her art. It’s a passion that students at Canada’s #1 Makeup School get to experience on a regular basis.

“I’m always saying to my students, ‘Isn’t this awesome? Isn’t this so much fun? Imagine if you could do this every day?’ It’s like Halloween every day!”

For Leanne, Halloween still comes daily. When she’s not inspiring the next generation of movie magicians the Blanche Macdonald graduate-turned-instructor is working at the cutting edge of the Makeup Effects industry. Her incredible résumé includes stints on series including Millennium and Masters of Horror, alongside movies like X-Men 2 and Thir13een Ghosts, and an impressive Emmy Award nomination for The X Files. Her perpetual enthusiasm is understandable. Growing up, she didn’t know her amazing career was even possible.

“I always loved creature movies, but I never thought it could be a job. My favourite movie of all time is Jaws. And I loved Alien and Aliens. Those monsters looked so real. I did well at art in High School and won a scholarship for Fine Arts, but after two years I didn’t feel that was what I wanted. My friend, Deanna Milligan, was teaching at Blanche Macdonald and said, ‘Why don’t you come and do makeup?’ Growing up in North Delta I’d do makeup on my friends so I thought, why not? I knew I wanted a career in art. I could have a career on faces instead of canvas.

“The entire program was awesome and I had a great time learning beauty makeup. I was there early, always asking questions. Then on the first day of Makeup Effects our instructor, Michelle Pedersen, showed us how to do a cut with wax. That’s when the light bulb went on in my head. Fireworks actually! I thought, right there on that first day of Makeup Effects, that this is what I’m going to do for the rest of my life. I put up my hand and said, ‘When do we get to make werewolves?’” 

Back in the mid-1990s Blanche Macdonald’s Programs didn't teach prosthetics effects (Leanne and her colleagues do exactly that now), so she headed to Los Angeles to continue her Makeup education and career.

“My first job was a month in Fontana, California on a low budget action movie called Deadly Currency, starring Deron McBee, who was an American Gladiator. After that I got a temporary job painting teeth at Matthew Mungle’s studio. He’d won an Oscar for Dracula.”

Blanche Macdonald watched Leanne’s career blossom while she was south of the border, and when she returned to Vancouver she was offered a teaching position to cover a maternity leave. She’s been a proud member of the team ever since.

“I loved it from the get go! I realised I had a passion for teaching. I loved seeing the excitement from taking a lump of wax, showing students what you can do with it, and their excitement when they catch a bit of my passion. My classes were super fun then and they still are.”

As Leanne’s career in education began to bloom, her film and TV career exploded too.

“I was doing a short film at the time with David Ray. He saw my book and said that I should go work on The X Files. I said, ‘No kidding!’ It turned out he was the key PA on The X Files and one of his best friends was Toby Lindala, who did the Makeup Effects for the show. I was too shy to phone Toby, but I colour photocopied my pictures, put them in a book, and sent it to Toby by registered mail. About a week later I got a call from Toby’s shop asking me to come in the next day.

“I brought my portfolio because I thought it was an interview. A guy called Mike Fields met me at the door and said ‘Are you Leanne? You better put a smock on and clean those masks.’ I worked the whole day and had so much fun. Around five that afternoon Toby came in, told me he liked my stuff, said that everyone liked me and asked when I could start. I was cleaning buckets, sweeping the floor and making gelatin. It was on the job training and it was incredible. Toby was busy with lots of shows, so I had the opportunity to move up fast. We were working on shows like The X Files, Millennium, Poltergeist, and movies like Disturbing Behaviour. It was actually better than I thought it would be. I couldn't believe you could have so much fun doing a job!”

Leanne eventually left Toby’s shop to become a freelance applicator, specialising in creatively applying prosthetics to actors, stuntmen and stuntwomen.

“X-Men 2 was a lot of fun. Thir13een Ghosts was probably the most fun I had on set because there were so many ghosts. That’s the show where I became good friends with my idol, Howard Berger. I worked with him on Ginger Snaps 3, which was a hoot, and a TV show called Masters of Horror. I did a whole year on Special Unit 2, where every week there was a different monster.

“My favourite thing even now is the reaction when people see what I’ve done. I did a series called Harsh Realm with Chris Carter, who created The X Files. I was working on Terry O’Quinn. Bill Terezakis and I transformed him into a completely different person with new hair, and a different forehead, nose and chin. One of the Assistant Directors asked me when I’d be done with Terry. I said, ‘He’s done. He’s over there having a coffee.’ No one realised it was him. That was awesome!”

Even though Leanne was always a natural artist, she doesn’t feel that her talent has been the key to her success. It’s all about the right attitude. 

“Professionalism is actually more important than artistry,” she insists. “Toby Lindala hired me because the people there liked me. I was fun and easy to work with. As a Makeup Artist you need to be a people person. Your artistry will follow, and you’ll get better as you go along. Makeup Artistry is a work in progress. You’ll never know it all. Every day you learn something new. Having a positive attitude and being professional is the most important thing. It’s so enjoyable and so much fun, but you still always need to be polite. Howard Berger has a quote. ‘Take your work seriously but don’t be serious at work.’ That’s what I tell my students.” 

Leanne’s relationship with her students goes beyond the classroom. If you’re ready in her eyes, you’re ready for the industry.

“When I’m teaching all the exercises are timed, so students get used to working under pressure, in a friendly way, of course. You have to be efficient. Céline Godeau was one of my students. We asked her to join us on Special Unit 2 and she was with us for the whole year.

“I got a call from Masters FX asking if I knew a student who could be a runner and help them out? I was like, ‘There’s a great girl graduating tomorrow’. That was Sarah Pickersgill, and she’s still there!”

It’s hard to figure out what Leanne loves more – working on new projects like the Official Selection at the Comic Com International Independent Film Festival horror short Trash or bringing her inspirational artistic approach to the next generation. For Leanne, they’re two sides to the same coin.

“I tell students, even though you were only in my classroom for two months, I’ll be your teacher forever. So if you have any questions email me any time. And then I usually cry a little! I get emails all the time from students from years ago. Things like, ‘I’m in Taipei. I’m doing a movie and they don't have 99% alcohol here. What kind of product can I use?’

“The students that are successful are the ones who won’t take no for an answer. They keep practicing, they stay positive and they keep trying. If it’s truly what you really want to do you won’t stop at anything. You just need to keep going.”

Poised, sophisticated and radiating enthusiasm for all things fashion, it’s immediately apparent how Fashion Merchandising graduate-turned-instructor Lyndi Barrett became one of Vancouver’s most celebrated Public Relations mavens. Students at Canada’s #1 Fashion School can sense her success the moment they meet her.

“I’m a people person and I love problem solving!” smiles Lyndi, the founder of Public and Media Relation Agency Lj PR and the secret weapon behind countless runway shows and choice events across Canada. “Working in a collaborative environment that requires organization and on-your-feet decision-making is definitely my thing. Whenever there’s a VIP attendee without a front row seat, I’m the one who jumps in to figure it out. I absolutely love solving on-the-spot problems.”

Still in her 20s, the South African native has already amassed a clientele of internationally renowned fashion heavyweights, including H&M, L’Oreal, BCBGMAXAZRIA and Le Chateau. When she isn’t working with leading brands at Lj PR, Lyndi is sharing her expertise at Blanche Macdonald, where she teaches Runway Show Production and Public Relations classes.

“At Blanche Macdonald, I speak with so many enthusiastic young people and am able to share everything I love about the Fashion Industry,” continues Lyndi. “My mother is a teacher so I’ve always liked being in that environment. The students always remind me how exciting our job can be and help me recognize just how far I’ve come!”

Lyndi understands her students’ hopes and dreams. Less than ten years ago she was in their shoes arriving at Blanche Macdonald as an enthusiastic Fashion Merchandising student.

“The great thing about the Fashion Merchandising program is that it covers so many different aspects of the industry. When I graduated I wanted to try everything. And I did. I worked at a wholesaling agency, a modeling agency and even shadowed a buyer. I wanted to get a grasp of the fashion community in its entirety and hone in on what I genuinely enjoyed. I think that the key to being successful at any job is finding something that you love. Even though I ultimately pursued relations, I understood all the other facets of the industry. It’s all intertwined.”

Lyndi was volunteering at BC Fashion Week when a chance introduction started a highly fruitful working relationship with Vancouver designer Jason Matlo.

“Jason and I worked together for a few years, which led to the opportunity to go to New York for trade shows. My work would also see me travel back to New York to work backstage at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. I began picking up pieces of paper and making sure all the chairs were in perfect rows, but worked to progress to work on the PR side of the events. I was able to be a part of some amazing productions like Ports 1961, Michael Kors, Vera Wang and even Christian Siriano’s first show.”

Armed with the twin weapons of education and experience, Lyndi knew that starting her own business would be the best place to channel her freshly ignited passion for PR.

“I knew I wanted to start my own agency. I felt that there was a space in the Vancouver market that would benefit from a company with a focus on fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. I had the resources and a wonderful support network to make it work. It took a huge leap of faith to start my company, Lj PR, but it has been the best decision that I have made.”

Lyndi’s effervescent energy is palpable and seemingly boundless. Her reputation for throwing world-class events is richly deserved.

“I’ve always loved event planning. The projects I get most excited about tend have an event woven into them. I just finished working at the Deighton Cup at Hastings Racecourse, which was an incredible experience to be a part of. Putting everything together – organizing a guest list, deciding what kind of flowers we were going to use or what the sounds were going to be like – is very exciting to me. Seeing the final product is exceptionally rewarding.”

Lyndi knows her PR apples and is happy to share that expertise with the next generation of fashionistas. Her formula? Hard work and tenacity in equal measure, along with a willingness to cultivate your own opportunities.

“You have to be willing to put in a lot of time,” Lyndi shares. “The students with the most wonderful success stories are the ones who really put in the hours and effort. Seeing my former student Josh Langston at New York Fashion Week talking with Joan Rivers was incredible. He’s worked so hard and now he is the Editor in Chief of The Social Life! It’s great to see students rewarded for their hard work.”

As if the twin workloads of PR and teaching weren’t enough, Lyndi has somehow found the energy to explore the worlds of publishing and social media.

“About a year ago I started my online publication, Style Calling. It’s been a real passion project that I’m growing to love more and more. The idea came out of the concept ‘From the desk of a Fashion Publicist’. I work with so many incredible people. When I teach I get to share these great stories with my students. Now I get to share them with a much broader audience.

“I’m a true Gemini!” she laughs. “I like to have many different things going on all at once. Each aspect of my job seems to compliment the other aspects. Everything I do with Lj PR and Style Calling I use in my classes at Blanche Macdonald. When students tell me things like ‘You inspired me to go into PR,’ it’s so flattering. It’s awesome to hear that I’m lighting a fire in people.”

“We try to bring Downtown Vancouver style to North Delta here at The Colour Room,” explains Senior Stylist and Blanche Macdonald Pro Hair graduate Heather Hall. “Our clients appreciate that. There’s a misconception that you can only get style from high-end areas. If you know what you’re doing and you’ve come from a good educational background you can create style wherever you are.”

Heather speaks from experience. While she was studying at Canada’s #1 Hair School she was fortunate enough to enjoy work placements at one of Vancouver’s top salons, Avant Garde, where she was able to mine the expertise of one of BC’s hair superstars, Jon Paul Holt. 

“When I met Jon Paul I began to understand that personal relationships play such a big role in the industry,” continues Heather. “He had hand-written cards with notes on all his clients. That’s how I started to get to know people. I was Jon Paul’s assistant for two days a week all the way through Hair School. It was a lot of fun. I was doing four or five blowdries a day for Jon Paul, and I was assisting his other stylists too. I was offered a chair at Avant Garde and had to weigh up whether I wanted to be Downtown or here in Delta at The Colour Room.” 

Heather is sure she made the right decision. She’s still the youngest Senior Stylist at The Colour Room, and her rise to that esteemed position has been swift and richly deserved.

“When I arrived at The Colour Room nobody could believe I was straight out of Hair School. People knew I’d worked in Downtown Vancouver because I couldn’t stop talking about it!” she laughs. “I was so excited. I knew I could cut, colour and finish. Clients could see that I could do updos, blowouts and curls. Sometimes people have to book a month in advance for a colour service now. I’ve been lucky enough to get a lot of brides too. People trust me. I’m forever a perfectionist. I like to explain to my clients how to do their own hair at home, so I try to get them to watch what I’m doing when I blow dry and how I apply product. I want them to be my best walking advertisements.

“We’re an education-based L’Oreal Professionnel salon. I went to Paul Miller’s wedding class, he’s a L’Oreal Professionnel Platform Stylist, and learned a technique that I’ve used consistently – creating flowers with hair. I’m honing my skills through The Colour Room and L’Oreal Professionnel Training. 

“I wouldn’t say it’s my job. It’s part of my life. I live and breathe hair. I do it on my days off for my family. We do a lot of volunteering too. There are five high schools in North Delta and we help on their grad fashion shows and plays. I don't do it to get clients, but it happens. It’s nice to see students’ gratitude when they have a professional hairdresser coming in to help them.” 

It isn’t that long since Heather was part of her own High School’s drama team, putting on plays in her hometown of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.

“I didn’t know that I would be a hairstylist. Although when I was doing theatre in high school I would do hair for everyone. I had long hair and collected curling irons. I would search on-line for how to do different hairstyles. 

“I was really academic. We moved to Vancouver when I was 17 and I studied to be an elementary school teacher for a year until I realised I didn’t want to write any more essays. I started looking into doing hair, because I enjoyed doing my own so much, although I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy it. And then Blanche Macdonald happened.”

There were many reasons Heather chose Blanche Macdonald for her hair education. But one that spoke directly was the link to Heather’s own Metis heritage.

“Blanche Macdonald was founded by an aboriginal woman. When I made my case to BC Metis Nation to sponsor me it was for a Hair School that offered so much more than everywhere else. I pleaded my case, BC Metis Nation started talking to Blanche Macdonald and everything went from there. I went for an interview at the Robson Campus and after that I didn’t even go to the other schools. I liked the salon and how clean it all was. I really liked Phil Loiselle. At the time I was a client at The Colour Room. Carleen Bazowsky, the owner here, knew Phil and she told me that he’s a great guy. That sealed the deal for me.”

Heather shone at Hair School. Being assigned for work experience at Avant Garde proved that she was a star student. At the same time, she’s the first to admit it didn’t exactly come easy.

“There were times when I was happy to be there and times when I thought I wouldn’t be able to do it,” she explains. “When we had to do a roller set wrap I was convinced that my hands did not know how to do hair. I would have occasional meltdowns in Phil’s office. I realised that it takes time to get these skills. That’s when it started to happen. I would practice the techniques on my own hair and my sister’s hair and my confidence would build.

“I was always asking for the next technique. I was always after extra skills. I wanted to excel and learn more. Working from 9-to-5 was a big part of it. I enjoyed that discipline. It all started to come together for me. We started to develop really good friendships within the group and we had a good camaraderie in the salon. You had to learn how to hone in your personality with people next to you who might be completely different to you. Your client base is going to be like that as well. I met Ana Luisa Valdes and thought, ‘Wow, people are coming from Mexico to go to Blanche Macdonald!’”

Heather enjoyed her work experience placements at both Avant Garde and The Colour Room. Three weeks after graduation she made her choice and started working close to home in North Delta.

“I was offered a chair at Avant Garde, but Phil had also told me I could learn a lot about colour theory from Carleen too. I really started to get along with the girls here and it started feeling like family. I knew it was the best fit for me. Right from the start Carleen would say, ‘How do you have so much education already on colour?’ I’ve been on the floor for five years now.” 

It was a smart move. Heather has loved working at The Colour Room ever since.

“One of my favourite clients is taking me to Niagara to do her hair for her wedding. We created this amazing bond and hang out all the time. I’m going for a hike with another client today. Once clients have confidence in the technical service you’re providing they stop thinking that they’re having their hair done. It’s more like seeing a friend. We’re a small community here and I’ve been able to meet so many people. Relationships you develop go beyond hair. It’s nice for me to walk around the community and people I’ve never even met know who I am.”

When Joshua Langston returns to Blanche Macdonald to speak to Fashion Merchandising students, they listen. It wasn’t long ago that he was in their position, eager to enter the Fashion Industry and hoping to sample the glamour it promises. 

As Editor-in-Chief of the on-line fashion publication The Social Life, Joshua is now responsible for a team covering fashion events in Vancouver, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Toronto and even Europe. He’s one of Vancouver’s style leaders and on his multiple fashion-based trips to New York (nine and counting at present) he’s attended some of the biggest shows and even been interviewed by Joan Rivers for Fashion Police. He’s demonstrated that graduates from Canada’s #1 Fashion School can step directly into the pulsating heart of the Industry.

No wonder current students are so eager to hear how he did it. 

“Fashion was always huge for me,” smiles Joshua. “I’d put together outfits for my Mom when she’d go on business trips. When I was a little boy I’d take GI Joe’s clothes and style them on Barbie. Military chic! 

“I studied law at college for a year. It was so dry and boring. All I wanted to do was play with clothes and style people. I felt like I was missing a creative charge. I told my Mum, ‘I’d eat macaroni and cheese every meal for the rest of my life if I could work in fashion’. That’s when she understood.”

Parents persuaded, where to attend Fashion School was never a question.

“I’d heard so much about Blanche Macdonald from friends that had done the Fashion Merchandising program. There was so much to learn from the course. I knew I could try a bunch of different things and see what I wanted to pursue at the end of it.” 

Joshua wasn’t sure exactly where he was going to fit into the Fashion Industry, but he was determined to explore as much of it as possible, even before his actual program had begun. 

“Once I’d signed up I went to the Career Director and asked her if I could get my feet wet. She said that there was a fashion show in a couple of weeks and would I want to dress. I said, sure!

“On the day I had to dress one male model. 15 minutes into the show another intern started freaking out about how she didn’t feel confident dressing her model. The producer, Tracey Pincott, came over and we explained the situation. I said, ‘I’ll straddle both models. I’d straddle and dress an entire football team if you asked me to!’ which made Tracey laugh. Afterwards I wrote her a nice email thanking her for the opportunity, and from there I was able to work with her on editorial shoots and a ton of fashion shows. I was able to work with Leila Bani and Claudia Da Ponte, Blanche Macdonald grads who both have an incredible body of work. Working with them made me want to excel and work even harder.”

By the time Joshua started attending class he’d already had his name in print. That didn’t stop his drive to learn everything he could about his chosen industry.

“Peggy Morrison’s classes were amazing. The things she brought into class are iconic pieces of fashion history. She has a genuine love for anything to do with fashion. She knows what’s happened at every show. She has cultivated so much talent in this city. It’s truly remarkable.

“Any time I learned anything new or fascinating, it just gave me a broader perspective. I got to learn about all these facets that I wasn’t familiar with. I was leaning towards the PR side of thing because I’d worked with Lyndi Barrett and I loved communication – going out and talking to people.” 

Joshua’s consistently excellent grades meant that when an opportunity arose to intern at New York Fashion Week, he was one of three students chosen to make the trip across the continent.

“It was an incredible experience, but it was difficult,” he admits. “It was my first time in New York and my first time in a challenging environment. It showed me how strong I could be. I was part of a show from beginning to end; in the same room as people I’d seen on TV or in Vogue. It was incredible and definitely an eye-opening experience. It felt like the whole world was watching.

“My Fashion School experience taught me how to communicate with people and get them to respond; how you conduct yourself on-line and in person. I was trying to build a brand for myself. Going to Fashion School was a journey of self-discovery. Even though I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, I knew I wanted to build myself. That’s when I stumbled into what I’m doing.” 

A mutual friend introduced Joshua to The Social Life’s founder, Anna Thorsen, who was interested in a story about his trip to the Coachella Festival. The feature was a success, and when she was looking for someone to cover Vancouver fashion events, Joshua was already on the guest list. 

“I had friends going to events so I would go with them as a plus one,” he explains. “I’d always leave with a PR contact and make sure I sent polite emails the next day. I would get involved on social media and get the publicist’s attention. That’s something they can show their clients.

“Once I started at The Social Life I covered events at The Room at The Bay and Secret Location. I covered Derek Blasberg, The Sartorialist and Jason Wu to name just a few. It was incredible going from the plus one to the invitee. It made me feel like things were going in the right direction. It was hard work too. I was writing and editing photos and posting. I was trying to build relationships with brands and PR companies. These are important things to do if you want to be a fashion blogger.”

Joshua has been building relationships ever since. Since he’s become Editor-in-Chief he’s been busy forming teams of bloggers and photographers across the world. Not that he’s ignoring everything that’s happening in his own back yard.

“The Social Life is a platform where we’re able to share what inspires us and build an awareness of what’s happening in our host cities. Highlighting Vancouver has been huge. I’m getting to show people a side of Vancouver that people think isn’t happening. People who say there’s no fashion scene in Vancouver? That’s bullshit! The Bay has brought in iconic figures within the industry and hosted incredible events. Secret Location carries some of the most exclusive brands you’ll ever see. They brought in people like The Man Repeller, who I got to interview along with the Vancouver Sun, Vitamin Daily and CTV. I’d covered a lot of events for Secret Location, so they gave me the chance to do the interview.

“It goes beyond high fashion too. I can walk down the street in Vancouver now and see some incredible looks. Anyone can buy fashion, but style is something you need to create. It’s how you put something together.” 

Filling the Editor-in-Chief role isn’t just an endless stream of champagne and models (although both definitely exist). There’s also the responsibility for growing The Social Life’s brand. 

“I’m still getting my feet wet getting more involved in the business side of it. I want The Social Life to be a source, like style.com or Wikipedia, for fashion, culture and lifestyle within the social scenes of the cities we cover.” 

As The Social Life grows, so does Joshua’s role within the brand. The lessons he learned during his time at Blanche Macdonald continue to provide both success and further inspiration. 

“Be polite. Work hard. Enjoy the sleepless nights. Be open to possibilities. Collaboration is everything in fashion. So be nice to your fellow students, because you might be working with them a few years down the road. The foot you step on today could be the ass you’re kissing tomorrow!” 

Looking around the bohemian chic and retro fittings of Edmonton’s Vanity Corner Hair Boutique, owner and stylist Erin Koslo is fully aware of how far she’s come. Seven years ago the idea of a career in hair had just come to Erin. Now she’s a successful business owner with a stunning salon whose biggest concern is finding new stylists to keep up with growing demand.

It’s been a journey that’s taken Erin from Edmonton to Toronto to Vancouver and back to Edmonton, all marked by a determination to succeed that began with the decision to attend Canada’s #1 Hair School.

“I grew up on an acreage 20 minutes south of Sherwood Park,” explains Erin. “When I was in high school I was the girl in the group who would experiment on her friends’ hair. I enjoyed doing it, but I never thought I would become a hair stylist. I left Alberta and lived with my Aunt in Toronto for four months. She works as an actress in the theatre and I got to see behind the scenes. The time and effort put in to the hair and makeup before each show was so interesting. That’s when I thought I might want to get involved in hair. I liked the excitement of it. I moved back to Edmonton and realized that if I was going to go to hair school, I wanted to go to the best of the best. I worked three jobs for eight months in Edmonton to save up for the move to Vancouver. I got accepted to Blanche Macdonald and went from there.”

Erin was used to hard work in Edmonton. Hair School wasn’t going to be any different. 

“I guess I would consider myself a natural with hair,” she laughs. “There was a lot more bookwork than I expected though. Learning colour formulations and the reasoning behind them were difficult at first. I wasn't the greatest science student in high school, so it was rewarding to know that I could push myself harder and succeed. Once I really like something I practice it a lot, so when I started having clients in my chair I don’t remember being nervous. It felt natural.” 

Looking back, Erin understands how her education provided an ideal springboard into the industry.

“The Pro Hair Program touched base on a lot of things. Since then I’ve met stylists who studied at other schools and I realized how much more you learn at Blanche Macdonald. For example, I can do so many different types of hair extensions. I learned that at Blanche Macdonald. I didn’t have to take an extra course. I was really happy with what I’d learned once I finished Hair School. I was ready to move on and watch myself succeed.”

Erin excelled on her four work placements, with all four salons offering her positions on their staff. She knew what kind of salon she was looking for, and explained to Program Director Phil Loiselle that she wanted to get on the floor and start cutting and colouring hair from day one.

“I wanted to be busy as soon as possible,” she continues. “I wanted to get good quick! Phil set up an interview at Hennessey salon in Park Royal in West Vancouver for me, and I got the job. They allowed me to be a stylist from the start. I knew I had practiced enough in school and I wanted to get better as a full-time stylist. It was a great spot for me to advance because they had so many walk-ins there. The people I worked with were amazing. I still keep in touch with almost all of them. We rocked that salon!”

After two years at Park Royal Erin realized that she was missing her family more and more. Hennessey has a branch in Edmonton, so she requested and received a transfer. A little more than nine months after Erin’s move back to Alberta a new arrival provided the catalyst for the decision to start a business of her own.

“I got pregnant not even a year after I’d returned to Edmonton. My boyfriend Jason is also a hair stylist and we thought it made sense for us to open a hair salon to do the best we could together for our daughter. In Hair School we’d made a portfolio of how we’d open a salon with a business plan, floor plan, budgeting plan, and so on. So when we started this process I went back and looked at my notes for references.

“We had to find a place first. Then we did mad renos. It was ridiculous. My daughter, Zoe, was six months old and my Mom had to watch her more often than not during the day for a few weeks. It was a really busy emotional time for me. If I ever open another salon I’ll give myself at least two months rather than three weeks to get ready. It was basically three weeks of not sleeping. The space wasn’t a salon before we opened. We needed to get an electrician, a carpenter, a plumber, a welder, and a group of friends and relatives. I changed my first toilet and hung imported Spanish wallpaper with my brother. That’s hard work!”

Equally important as creating the perfect space was deciding on Vanity Corner’s salon philosophy.

“Going into it we knew what we wanted it to look like in terms of colour and vintage pieces, although we didn’t talk that much about our salon concept. We just knew we wanted to have great stylists, reclaimed wood throughout the salon and awesome music at all times. We wanted to achieve a soulful boutique vibe. We knew we didn’t want to create a pretentious environment.”

Vanity Corner opened its doors over a year ago. Now it has four stylists (including Erin and Jason) and they’re looking for someone else to join the team.

“We’ve been busier than I expected,” smiles Erin. "It’s great, I get to make people look and feel good for a living! I like the creative aspect of styling, but I love the relationships I form with people even more. I have the greatest clients that have become such good friends. I hug almost all my clients at the end of their service.

“As the boss, I love being able to create a salon and the atmosphere how I feel it should be. For me the hardest part of this process was finding a happy medium when it came to speaking with my stylists, balancing professionalism and friendliness. And not taking too much of my work home with me. That’s my daughter’s time. I can look back at what I’ve done and feel proud. Before we opened we were on our knees scrubbing the floor, not knowing if we would make our deadline; now the salon is going great!”

As a successful hair professional and businesswoman, Erin insists that at the heart of her twin triumph is a desire to be the best stylist she can be.

“Practice makes perfect. And if you have a dream, never give up. When I came to hair school I knew I didn’t want to be a mediocre stylist. I was excited about working for someone to get to the next level. Blanche Macdonald, Hennessey Salon and Spa, and having my daughter were all steps in my life that helped get me to where I am today.” 

Jill Bryan wasn’t sure exactly where she wanted to take her career when she graduated from Canada’s #1 Makeup School. After weighing her many options she started working as a Makeup Artist at the Absolute Spa in Downtown Vancouver’s Century Plaza Hotel.

A decade later she’s back there at least once a week, having risen to the lofty position of Regional Manager for Absolute Spa’s Downtown and West Vancouver locations, a role that’s seen her build personal and professional connections with Blanche Macdonald’s incredible Esthetics Department.

“We host an open house for Blanche Macdonald Esthetics students about four times a year,” explains Jill. “Simona Gozner, the Esthetics Program Director, will let me know the class size and I’ll do a presentation about what we have to offer and what’s happening in the industry. Then we’ll do a spa tour and a mini-trade show for Soluzione Spa Products, which is the manufacturing and distribution wing of Absolute Spa’s business.

“I coordinate the spray tan training for the instructors at Blanche Macdonald too. We have so much respect for Simona and Blanche Macdonald students. We guarantee grads an interview at Absolute. They come out of school ready for the industry with an incredible knowledge of skincare and anatomy. They’re always eager and on board with what we’re trying to do. We’re looking for estheticians that are warm and friendly. Obviously they need skill and passion for the industry, and flexibility with scheduling is a big one too!”

Jill’s connection with Blanche Macdonald goes back to her time as a young makeup fanatic from Delta looking to takes her first steps into the beauty industry. 

“I’ve been a product junkie my whole life,” she laughs. “I was a dancer and figure skater, and I loved trying on new products. My Mom recommended Blanche Macdonald to me. She knew its reputation as a Vancouver institution. I went in for an interview with Jill Wyness and she told me about the different avenues I could take.

“Once I started it was fabulous. I loved my teachers and my fellow students. I still have a relationship with some of the Makeup Artists who were in my class and have gone on to be really successful. I’ve worked with Nicole Harvie and she’s also one of our spa guests here. The instructors gave us a good indication of the career options out there. I knew I didn’t want to go into the film route. The early mornings and long days weren’t for me. I felt that a spa would be a good fit.”

Jill faxed her résumé to Absolute Spa after graduation, and received confirmation of her interview that same day.

“They were hiring in the run-up to Christmas. I became a full-time Makeup Artist on the floor at the Century Plaza, providing complementary Makeup touch-ups for all our guests and doing a lot of bridal Makeups. I knew what I was doing. My techniques were good. I understood what colours would work with certain people. It was fun to create the art, but I loved the reaction from clients. They’d love the way they looked and feel good about themselves.”

After a few successful months of Makeup Artistry, when the opportunity arose to advance within the company, Jill was happy to take the chance. 

“The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver spa was opening up and they wanted a front desk concierge. I did that, along with a bit of Makeup on guests. From there I was promoted to Spa Supervisor at the Century Plaza and my first Spa Manager role was at the Airport. That only lasted about three months, because they missed me Downtown!”

Soon Jill was back in the heart of Absolute’s Vancouver business, managing at Soluzione in a role that was eventually taken over by colleague and fellow Blanche Macdonald graduate Sally Sue. That job ended two years ago, when Jill was promoted to her current position of Regional Manager, in charge of the Absolute Spas at the Century Plaza, the Hotel Vancouver and the Park Royal location in West Vancouver. 

“I make sure the spas runs smoothly, watching costs and payroll and inventory. It’s a bit of everything. Working hands-on with the owners, Wendy Lisogar-Cocchia and Sergio Cocchia, has taught me so much. I’ve learned every step of the way, knowing what their expectations are and fulfilling them with the managers. You need to be a sponge and absorb everything. Absolute Spa has always been very keen on promoting from within the company and grooming the right candidates for management positions. I’m proof of what’s possible. 

“I’m always concerned about the guest experience. Guests come first for me. We create the standards to ensure our service levels are met and our guests feel warm and welcome. I’m working hands-on with the front desk team and our estheticians. We have a lot of mini-meetings to make sure the standards are always met and obviously who we hire is incredibly important. I’m setting those standards with Wendy and Sergio. We have to make sure everyone is on board with what we’re about.”

Unsurprisingly, Regional Manager comes with multiple and highly varied responsibilities.

“A lot of my role is selecting the right products, developing training, protocols and the steps for treatment for our new menu. I have key responsibilities that I’m always focussed on, but I always have special projects on the go too. I’ve been doing some product production with Soluzione recently. I always have new projects on the go for guest initiatives. I like that no week is ever the same. I enjoy the variety of projects I do. We do a lot of work with the Pacific Autism Family Centre, so I assist there where I can too. I try to be in every location at least once a week. And if someone needs makeup I still love to get my brushes out. To see guests so happy about their treatments; it’s so gratifying that our team members can achieve that level of services.”

Although professional etiquette means that Jill can’t reveal the details of many of the celebrities who have walked through Absolute Spa’s doors, a wall of star photos, the majority of which are signed with messages of gratitude, tells its own story.

“No, I’m not Beyonce’s personal Makeup Artist when she’s in Vancouver,” laughs Jill. “But I do get to meet a lot of celebrities, and often will do some Makeup for VIPs. I went to West Vancouver to spray tan an A-list actor who was filming a big movie here. We did it as a trial for the movie and he liked it so much I had to go back to give him personal tans several times.” 

Even though esthetics has become the focus of Jill’s professional life, that doesn’t mean she’s left Makeup behind.

“Wendy Lisogar-Cocchia has been featured in a lot of publications, and I’ve done her Makeup for photo shoots with The Province and BC Golf Magazine. I’ve been to more than a few Black Tie Galas with her. Outside my work with Absolute Spa, I did more than a dozen weddings this year for family and friends.” 

With a foot in both the spa and beauty industries, Jill has proved how far a career can grow when an individual is open to opportunities.

“Make sure this is something you’re passionate about,” she insists. “It can be long hours and hard on your feet, but the rewards are there as well. The Industry has changed. People understand how important it is to take care of their stress levels and have some ‘me time’. So many of our guests are buying gift cards for their friends and family to come in and enjoy the treatments. It’s not a luxury to have your nails done any more.”