PROFILES
ALORA ARNOLD
As a creative individual I find myself drawn to elements of Aboriginal cultures. Both the methodology and the aesthetic aspects of these cultures inspire me and subconsciously influence my lifestyle and my creativity. With this inspiration comes great respect. I would never wish to offend or harm a culture that inspired me, so my Capstone research focuses on cultural appropriation and exploring the possibly of respectful appropriation. I conducted this research with two goals in mind. First, to utilize the research finding and apply it to the creative portion of my Capstone, which is a jewelry collection. The second goal was to create a simple and cohesive framework that might lead to more cultural understanding, consideration, and respect within the design world. I want my Capstone to bring attention to cultural appropriation, and hopefully lead to more consideration and respect for other cultures within the fashion and design world.
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Alora Arnold
ANNALIE CHERNIN
I am an avid reader of fashion magazines, often purchasing four or more a month and finishing them within a few days of purchasing them. As I read, the content and words begin to blur and the descriptions and headlines always seem to be the same. I found inspiration in the language used in fashion magazines. I chose to investigate the role that language plays in creating meaning in what we understand to be fashion. For my Capstone I decided to create a book based on fashion language with the objective of confronting the reader with the use of language in fashion. The book deals with highlights and visual disruption that urge the reader to investigate how words are used to articulate fashion, their multiple meanings, implications of use, context, and expression. I hope that my Capstone will inspire people to think critically about the use of language in fashion and the influence that language has on the creation of what we have come to understand to be the world of fashion.
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Annalie Chernin
AVERY HAMELIN
My capstone was inspired by feeling’s of disassociation from what being Canadian denotes, and a desire to understand what characteristics inform Canada’s national identity. The focus of my capstone topic were to explore themes of national identification, and the elements of branding essential for the creation of a successful Canadian men’s athletic brand that would target a youthful demographic. I aspired to create a brand that was identifiably Canadian, and to learn what elements would highlight and promote our national identity. The aim of my capstone was to illicit feelings of national pride in viewers, by creating a brand that celebrates regional differences as part of Canada’s larger identity. I aspired to create a brand that would encourage the viewer to identify with sports as one of the uniting pillars of our nationality; a passion that bridges regional barriers. I hope that my capstone will ultimately invoke a sense of national consciousness.
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Avery Hamelin
BIANCA CARREIRO
My capstone project is inspired by hip-hop and fashion. Specifically, how the two industries are interrelated and influential to one another. The goal of Exedra magazine is to showcase urban and street style trends through a high fashion perspective. Ultimately, it should abolish the social stigma associated with hip-hop culture and serve as a platform that celebrates the positive influence that hip-hop and fashion have on each other.
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Bianca Carreiro
BIANCA VENERAYAN
My capstone is inspired by a huge shift in my lifestyle. After coming to a realization that I – as well as those around me – consume unethically and excessively, I began to move towards a more sustainable way of living. Though I am still in the thick of discovering new ways to source locally, eat organic, contribute to my community, support social justice movements, and way more, my capsule collection is meant to reflect these changes — and moreover inform, inspire, and invite others to consider them as well. The entire purpose of my capstone is to change the way people consume fashion. I want them to realize the importance of – and be inspired by – sustainable design, production, distribution, and product lifespans. If I could get just a handful of people to begin considering these more ethical and eco-conscious means, I would consider my project immensely successful.
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Bianca Venerayan
CARLY BLACKMAN
I will show how colour is a universal language and how to utilize it. My exploration of colour and how humans perceive it started when I became aware of my Synesthesia, where some individuals visualize colours when interacting with other forms of communication. The idea of researching hormonal responses to colour started after I had a tumour removed from my thyroid, which caused behavioural changes due to hormonal imbalances. Hormones drastically affect human behaviour and change in the presence of different colours. Colour indicates the atomic structure of objects humans perceive via light wavelengths. Because this is a very scientific topic most designers do not understand the effect colour has in their work. My goal is to explain how colour affects humans on a neurological level and which behavioural reactions to expect when using specific colour combinations. Ideally, I would like my book to change the way the entire world views colour. If not the entire world, I hope to engage the minds of the creative youth, which would lead to a shift in how colour science is used in design work as well as fashion. The potential that colour science has in design is endless; I believe it could benefit individuals as well as large corporations. An understanding of how light energy becomes visible to humans and why different objects appear various colours will help designers create a unified response to their creations. Colour can impact the world from science to design. It opened my mind and I hope to inspire my readers and open their minds too.
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Carly Blackman
CATRINA CHEN
Inspired by a user defined experience, I wanted to make a garment that was able to create a personal experience for any user. A modular garment that can be deconstructed and reconstructed to emulate masculinity or femininity as well as both. By removing sleeves, moving hemlines and adding components this garment acts as puzzle pieces that are waiting to be put together by the user, and define the user’s own definition of masculinity and/or femininity. I hope to inspire individuals to define themselves and challenge the conventions in our society when it comes to ‘men’s’ or ‘women’s’ clothing. Furthermore I want to challenge the conventions in gender itself, and what it means to be a gendered individual in today’s society.
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Catrina Chen
CHERYL LAM
My Capstone is inspired by the trend of e-commerce in fashion industry. Lots of online shopping sites have been launched and existing brands have also started to launch their online store, e-commerces are omnipresent. Under this modern transaction of shopping experience from local store to online store, the buying process has dramatically changed. The stages of purchasing are no longer through a salesperson but a monitor. E-commerce no doubt creates value for both the consumers and retailers, however it also comes along with limitation. My creative project will be launching an online shopping site. Through a series of pixels on the screen, my aim is to trigger customers’ goals in “being and doing”. Establishing a platform not solely for online shopping, but promotes lifestyle. Different website elements will facilitate communication with customers and go beyond what is visible on the page that customers are browsing. The shopping platform will encourage customers’ involvement and revisit. I want my capstone to inspire e-retailers to go beyond selling a product. It is important to understand what motivates consumers to buy online and how do they make buying decision? The shopping platform should encourage customers’ involvement and participation. In order to make the buying experience escalate, marketers need to create meaning for online shopping. With that saying, a site should go beyond what customers see on the screen, it should not be limited to a buy and sell process. In long term, a successful online shopping platform should create a brand that has its own value and style.
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Cheryl Lam
CI LILY YAN
My capstone is inspired by my love and curiosity for the beauty industry. My capstone will look into how the power of marketing combined with beautiful packaging could play a huge role in a consumer’s purchasing decision. Words like “all natural” written across a box paired with “dermatologist tested” labeled on the back can really make people believe in the magic of these products and overlook the more important details. The average shopper doesn’t feel the need to take a closer look into ingredient labels because they are brought up to believe the products sold in stores are safe. My capstone will shine light on the dark side of this glamourized industry in hopes to educate consumers on what is really in their make up bags and help them discover healthier ways to treat their skin (and health). I want my capstone to educate, help and inspire everyone to be smarter consumers. Even though my capstone primarily focuses on the cosmetics and skin care industry, the importance of knowing what is really going into and on one’s body can apply to many aspects of life (i.e. clothing, food, antibiotics) If I’m able to spark just a little bit of interest in someone who can then spark a little more interest in someone else, who can then influence a few people around them, then I think my capstone’s purpose is fulfilled. The key to this lack of information in average consumers is the lack of awareness. Knowledge is power and this type of knowledge must be shared to truly make a impact and help shape a healthier future for everyone.
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Ci Lily Yan
CLEO PETERSON & CATHERINA WALROND
Our capstone is inspired by storytelling of all kinds and, in particular, how stories are told. We are exploring transmedia storytelling where our narrative will be told through various media. Our narrative influences are drawn from stories about adventure and mystery, while our creative aspects draw from cartoons, comics and even social media. We want our capstone to challenge the boundaries of storytelling with the use of transmedia. By utilizing improved technology we want to showcase that storytelling can be told through various medias and still be cohesive. Through this project we hope to engage our audience to participate with our narrative and receive a more rewarding experience.
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Cleo Peterson & Catherina Walrond
DALLAS BUGERA
The inspiration for my capstone comes from the iconography and archetypes born of early “Gay Culture” in 1970s North America, resulting from the Stonewall Riots and other progressive social changes of the era. My campaign combines the appeal of the Castro Clone’s rugged and unapologetic masculinity, with the unmistakable color palette and style of men’s underwear design of that decade. I have integrated these concepts with the hyper-sexual imagery of today’s LGBTQ+ Culture to create a guerilla marketing campaign aimed at gay men. My capstone will have been a success if it proves my ability to design and execute an innovative marketing campaign that I can showcase as a professional achievement moving forward.
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Dallas Bugera
DANIELLE REYNOLDS
While the love affair between fashion and music is nothing new (heck, music literally married fashion in 1992 when David Bowie and Iman got hitched) the trend in created songs for sartorial sake is relatively recent. After being exposed to apparel campaigns like Anna Dello Russo’s “Fashion Shower” for H&M (which FYI can be purchased on iTunes alongside the greatest albums of all time) I was intrigued to investigate the industry-blending advertising trend further. Dividing into neuroscience and environmental psychology, my capstone examines the effects of music on consumer behaviour and ad perceptions. I hope that my findings inspire retailers to tap into the true persuasive powers of music when marketing their apparel brand. Chronicling the symbiotic relationship of music and fashion from the 1970s punks to 2013’s rap royalty, I explore the marketing phenomenon of creating music for fashion’s sake. My findings will be illuminated in a collage-style documentary on the emergence of the genre, also known as fashion’s greatest hits. Press play.
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Danielle Reynolds
EMILIA DALLMAN HOWLEY
I’ve often been apprehensive to identify as a “fashion student”. When asked what I’m studying, I would vaguely reply “communications”, wary of fashion’s reputation for being an industry light on intellect and heavy on consumerism. Like every stereotype, there’s an element of truth to this: for all the good it provides, there is irrefutable evidence of fashion’s excesses – characterized by overconsumption and wastefulness. My capstone research explores what the industry is doing to combat these allegations by delving into the burgeoning practice of corporate social responsibility (CSR). I hope to find where CSR fits in to the fashion design process. I aim to explore fashion’s innovation process, value and supply chains, and how the industry’s conscience and profit motives are aligning to create socially responsible products that do good (as well as look good).
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Emilia Dallman Howley
EMILY FERRARO
Storytelling is the backbone of my capstone, and my inspiration came from reading my brothers first novel from which I became intensely immersed and creatively charged. Literature allows the imagining of other worlds and lives parallel to our own, in which we can escape, connect, hide in, grow from, and begin to see the world in new ways. Captivating language and relatable themes drove my creative inspiration for imagery. I pulled components of the story from the novel itself and simultaneously created conceptual reflections which embodied the heart of the story and its thematic message. I want my capstone to primarily inspire the imagination of viewers. As a result, I hope the campaign will create intrigue in the novel itself, offering an opportunity for a young unpublished author to have his work seen and appreciated by the public.
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Emily Ferraro
EMILY KOWALIK
My capstone is a study of social and cultural beauty ideals that are reflected in the cosmetic industry, and how specific individuals relate and identify themselves within it. I have worked in the cosmetic industry for several years, having consultations with all sorts of clients who confide in me as a makeup artist with their insecurities. My capstone is a comment on the flaws of the makeup industry, and a representation of insecurities and vulnerabilities people may have about themselves. Makeup artistry is my passion and I will continue doing creative works to communicate ideas. If you are interested in seeing my other work, please check out my Facebook page, Instagram, and Youtube channel. I want my capstone to captivate the audience and communicate issues about the world of cosmetic beauty that we live in.
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Emily Kowalik
GAGAN BASSI
My capstone is a jewelry line that is inspired by protective armour from the medieval era. The collection is created using the technique of croatia knitting, to replicate the element of chain mail from armour. This jewelry is designed to empower and motivate women to take control of their lives. I wanted to create a collection that made women feel confident within their own skin. This collection embodies how jewelry does have it’s own language, and that individuals can alter and adopt meanings in ways they wish to be perceived. This jewelry is designed to empower and motivate women to take control of their lives. I wanted to create a collection that made women feel confident within their own skin. I want to inspire women to be exactly what and who they want to be. This collection embodies how jewelry does have it’s own language, and that individuals can alter and adopt meanings in ways they wish to be perceived.
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Gagan Bassi
GIANNA RITACCA
The idea for my capstone is inspired by the effect that social media has had on the fashion industry. I wanted to explore who consumers trust to dictate fashion in an age that is highly interconnected and assess how different social media platforms have affected the way individuals interact with fashion media online. Through my research, I want to address how fashion marketing in the twenty-first century places the consumers’ trust in the seemingly authentic reality of social media platforms, which are ultimately untrustworthy and inauthentic.
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Gianna Ritacca
JACLYN HUDSON
My capstone process began with a strong interest in minimalism. As my research progressed I began to see a correlation in current trends in User Interface (or UI) design. With the overall goal being “less but better”, UI exemplifies how form and function come together. The modern application of UI has been further explored through JACK, my personal promotional website, using an iterative process of intrinsic UI design exploration. I want my capstone to inspire others in the industry to create user interfaces that work in an intuitive and fluid way.
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Jaclyn Hudson
JANE ESPIRITU
The Google Fashion Collaborative is an interactive application that will serve as a central hub for showcasing fashion both as a business and an academia. It will help to enhance awareness for, and embrace, cultural differences worldwide. It is the ultimate access to fashion right at the consumers’ fingertips. The Google Fashion Collaborative archives the history of fashion dating back to pre-historic costume to the 21st century. The Google Fashion Collaborative also serves to predict the future of the fashion industry as consumers and creators help shape it through the communities they create and foster in this digital platform. I want my capstone to help enhance awareness for, and embrace, cultural differences worldwide.
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Jane Espiritu
JAZMIN WELCH
The inspiration for my capstone evolved out of my passion for publication design. Now that digital technologies have become so prevalent, I wanted to make it my job to understand how content should look on a digital device. Although the experience of using a digital device is fundamentally different from the satisfaction of turning pages, the smell and weight of a book, and its overall design, there is no reason why the experience cannot be just as rich. With my research, I would like to inform designers about the differences of reading and engaging with a book and reading and engaging on a digital device. I want to contribute to the field of digital user experience and provide designers with resources and insights on how to treat and design for reading on digital platforms, specifically the Apple iPad, and how those design decisions need to be different than with print media.
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Jazmin Welch
JED HEINRICHS
My capstone explores how gay male identity is defined through dress and beauty. In doing so, subject matter of masculinity, femininity, shifting body ideals and tribal structure of gay communities is addressed. The purpose of my capstone is to create a dialogue in the viewers about dress and beauty limitations based upon gender and sexuality.
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Jed Heinrichs
JENNIFER ISELER
My capstone was inspired by my curiosity about the fast fashion phenomenon. I began by exploring how fast fashion has influenced the luxury fashion industry. In recent years, the line between these business models has blurred, as luxury brands have moved towards their fast fashion counterparts. From this idea, I created a guide on how to navigate through today’s luxury fashion industry. I hope that my capstone will teach you more about fast fashion and the luxury fashion industry, as well as their joined relationship. Whether you are a student, marketer, entrepreneur or casual reader, you will find that my capstone is a handy tool to better understand the fashion industry.
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Jennifer Iseler
JESSICA HERRNDORF
Green washing is all around us, especially in fashion products and fashion goods. I am interested in sharing the process in which ‘eco-friendly’, ‘local’, ‘organic’, ‘green’, and, ‘sustainable’ fashion goods are actually made, not how we think they are made. Using semiotics and allegories I have created a series of illustrations that are a representation of the harmful process in which fashion products are created. From a first glance these illustrations look bright, fun and full of life. Taking a closer look reveals the harmful and dark process in which each item was created and its detrimental effects to the earth. We as a society need to be aware of this process and of greenwashing. These pieces should spark conversation, questions and awareness about our society’s mass consumption for products that appear to be eco-friendly, but that are actually just using green washing to fool us.
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Jessica Herrndorf
JESSICA ORENSE
The inspiration of my capstone stems from the lack of recognition fashion designers in Toronto face. I wanted to create an online platform where up and coming designers could be celebrated. Through my capstone I hope to showcase up and coming designers on a website called PROPEL. With detailed interviews focusing on three main topics: their inspirations & design process, their business practices and lastly their future goals and endeavors, I hope visitors will discover Toronto’s local talent as well as ways to improve Ontario’s method of support for it’s fashion designers.
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Jessica Orense
JIALI OU
The inspiration for my capstone stems from a recent event, where a close family member suffered memory loss due to a stroke. My Capstone research explores the many avenues of memory rehabilitation, especially those in a digital environment (i.e. games). The creative is an inclusively designed memory focused app-game. I want my capstone to be developed and used in the future as a plausible method of memory rehabilitation, and improve individuals’ daily lives.
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Jiali Ou
JILL REDDEN
My capstone is inspired by my appreciation for the art of craft, in particular for shoe construction. The techniques and tools used today by craftspeople have been around since the early 1600’s with very little change. The Logic of Craft aims to shed light on the dying art and evoke a renewed appreciation for the craft. This book takes you through the construction process from start to finish. I want my capstone to bring awareness to the art of craft and to revive an appreciation for handcrafted goods in a society of mass production and consumption.
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Jill Redden
JULIA FERRANTE
My capstone is inspired by the relationship between a woman and her wedding dress. The white wedding dress, in particular, has become a cultural phenomena that women normally gravitate towards without even wondering why. Delving into narratives and life experience, conclusions are made that the dress fulfills the role of the bride in various ways. The bridal magazine will explore themes in these narratives and try to create a dynamic interaction for the reader. I want my capstone to create an exciting experience for brides-to-be, as well as whoever flips through the magazine. I want the real life experiences included to inspire the readers to truly think for themselves instead of showing them what they want.
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Julia Ferrante
JULIE URSEL
Man, Redefined is inspired by the booming menswear industry and the growing debate of the “crisis of masculinity”. It explores the relationship between stereotypical masculine ideals and the shift in societal norms and expectations. My capstone aims to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a man, in order to redefine it and allow others to do so as well. Through editorials that manipulate and challenge current masculine ideals, I hope to provoke the viewer’s understanding and interpretations of masculinity.
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Julie Ursel
KATE O’REILLY
My capstone will examine the role of the dog in fashion, particularly their symbolic role as an extension of owner’s self image. The inspiration to study dogs for my graduating capstone came from my experience fostering dogs for various shelters during my time at Ryerson University. Dog ownership has never been more fashionable, and the trend has spawned a multi-billion dollar pet care industry. Even major fashion brands such as Ralph Lauren, Acne, Trussardi, Gucci, Lanvin and Issac Mizrahi have recently featured dogs in their runway shows, look books and campaign ads. Public interest has even seen dogs become social media sensations. Dogs today could not be more fashionably bankable. While the pet care industry rakes in billions annually, in the words of Russell Brand, wherever there is profit there must also be deficit. My research will therefore address how the dogs’ role within fashion can harm the species such as the beauty culture of pedigree breeding and resulting genetic defects, the puppy mill industry spawned by the demand for fashionable breeds without the breeder price tag, factors involved in adopter purchasing decisions, and entertainment industries such as dog fighting and greyhound racing. I will be establishing a charity called Fashion for Friends that will educate the public on the dog’s role within fashion and how commodifying dogs impacts the species. Fashion for Friends will sell products and fundraise money to donate to shelters and rescue groups.
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Kate O'Reilly
KATHERINE GHAZZAWI
My childhood was spent as an expat living in the Middle East. The most evident difference between the Middle East and the West was the emphasis on a woman’s appearance. My worry free mentality when it came to my body and looks changed coming to North America. In turn my confidence decreased. There is a great emphasis on the perfection women must achieve. These messages have been drilled into my thoughts consciously and subconsciously causing me to question myself; whereas before this would not have been the case. I often ask how this is possible and the troubles focus in on one key variable – the media. The purpose of my capstone is to enlighten viewers as to how influential media can be on human behavior, which includes how we think, act and consume.
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Katherine Ghazzawi
KATRINA PENZIWAL
My capstone is inspired by a common item of apparel, the sneaker, and the ‘sneaker enthusiast’ subculture that it has spawned. This product, originally designed to enhance athletic performance, has unexpectedly created it’s own community. My capstone explores factors that contributed to the rise of this subculture, the ideologies, values, behaviours and rituals of sneakerheads and its effect on fashion and individuals outside the culture. The creative portion of my capstone replicates one of the practices of sneaker culture known as ‘customization’ – a process portraying values held by sneaker enthusiasts. By deconstructing and reconstructing two pairs of sneakers I will incorporate into them elements and values of my own personal style and interests. I want my capstone to inform people about sneaker culture and the effect it has had on the fashion industry.
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Katrina Penziwal
KELLY LEASK
My fourth year capstone project is a student documentary called, Launching Luxury, featuring industry insiders such as Bonnie Brooks. The film focuses on the repositioning of the historic Canadian department store, Hudson’s Bay, in the fashion department store retailing market and the subsequent effects on consumer shopping habits. Launching Luxury brings awareness to the repositioning of this Canadian department store and its influence on the Canadian retailing industry. The film also provides insight on how Hudson’s Bay has positioned their business in anticipation for the arrival of American competitors such as Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue. It is evident the fashion retailing industry has been changing over the past few years within Canada and through Launching Luxury I hope to bring awareness towards the changing position of Canada’s oldest department store, Hudson’s Bay and how this has shaped the Canadian fashion retailing department store industry as a whole.
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Kelly Leask
KENIA AVENDANO
My Capstone involves academic research based on creative art therapies; specifically dance movement/sound therapy and how these expressive psychotherapies can assist in healing a traumatized body. Further exploration has been conducted into somatic psychology and expressive art forms that are related to this field such as butoh dance. My creative project is presented as a fashion/dance film that incorporates movement, binaural sound and butoh influences. My work has constantly been influenced by the psychology of fashion and as such I wanted to amalgamate psychological theories and fashion into my capstone. With this in mind, I would like to present a film that communicates how different fields such as psychology and its various psychological practices can influence fashion.
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Kenia Avendano
KIERSTEN HAY
My capstone is based in the experience I had in Loodariak, Kenya with the SupaMaasai Foundation, where I worked with Maasai women on new beadwork projects. I found the women there to be beyond inspiring, and I was intrigued by the trends that seemed to occur without external influence. While looking for more data, I found similar stories and history with the Tuscarora Indians in New York, and decided to compare the two. My capstone captures the passion derived from my anger at some of the things these women need to deal with, both currently and historically, and drives it into a creative route by forming the female craft biker gang, Mothers Arms. By using a range of media, I hope to present the lives and work of these women with the strength and skill inherent to them. I hope my Capstone allows those not privy to these women’s stories to understand their lives better, as well as to inspire my audience with the amazing quality and beauty of these women’s work. In addition, I would love to help eliminate the idea of craft as a “traditional women’s role” (and all the connotations that go with that).
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Kiersten Hay
KIRTHIGA RAJANAYAGAM
I felt excitement and renewed interest in fashion when I didn’t see the same type of model on the runway. That feeling inspired my capstone. I want to disrupt the norm in the industry. No matter the age, gender, race, size, appearance or ability – everyone deserves the spotlight.
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Kirthiga Rajanayagam
KITTY CHAN
The luxury fashion market has always been of fascination to me, probably due to its fantastical and illusionary nature – as I know many others who feel the same. Yet, as mesmerizing as it is, I wanted to understand what it is about luxury fashion that makes it so unique and so much more appealing than other brands. This question ultimately led to my critical analysis of the sector from a business perspective. The decision to create a hardcover book stems from my love of coffee table books curated by prominent luxury designers, which are so profound and mesmerizing even amidst their simplicity. From my Capstone, I hope readers will learn to critically examine the business of fashion, luxury or not, through an objective lens in order to understand the myths and truths behind this elusive industry. For many reasons, it is important to remember that the fashion industry is entrenched in its fabricated images and messages, and therefore, any discrepancies between their ideals and our reality is not only normal, but, what makes the industry so fascinating and entertaining in the first place.
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Kitty Chan
KNOX ADAMS
My capstone inspiration came from my long-standing love of clothing, makeover shows, online media and how people are judged based on their appearance. I look at how peoples clothing choices, in relation to their age, gender, size, race and environment effect the perceptions strangers have about them all through a makeover web series: Knoxxtyle. Knoxxtyle is a webseries about style, with me as your host, Knox…yah, you get it. The series premieres on www.youtube.com/TheKnoxxtyle. SUBSCRIBE AND WATCH! I would love for people to watch the series and start to really think about what they are putting on and how it may be coming across to strangers. Yes, I want everyone to know what size fits them and what colour goes with their complexion but more importantly I’d like people to have a style that shows the world exactly what they want the world to see. A stranger one day could be your future boss or your one true love… well, not if they see you looking like “that” the day before! Also, I want to show my viewers that finding clothes that feel and look good can be fun and it doesn’t have to be a chore. Everyone has what it takes to be Totes Fabu – what ever that means to them!
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Knox Adams
KRISTINA MCMULLIN
My Capstone is inspired by my two life long loves: fashion and politics. I have always loved fashion, as it is the most immediate form of communication. My love of politics originated with the experiences I had growing up, living in parts of Europe, the United States, and Canada. Living in countries with different political structures fascinated me, and motivated me to learn as much as a could about politics. Throughout my first three years of studying fashion I fused my two loves by taking political electives. My capstone has provided me with an opportunity to explore my two loves in depth. “How do politicians use dress as a form of communication?” is the question my Capstone seeks to answer. I have been exploring the answer through a series of interviews that I have portrayed through a documentary. The aim of my final capstone is to stimulate thought about how dress can be used as a form of communication outside of the fashion context. Typically when people think about the communication of dress they associate it with the fashion industry, however, dress is used a form of communication regardless of one’s profession. I want my capstone to encourage critical thought towards how politicians represent themselves through dress, and how their visual representation is a construct of the media narrative.
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Kristina McMullin
LAURA GULSHANI
During my semester abroad, I was given the chance to illustrate work for a retail store, and that got me thinking about how hand worked illustration is lacking in today’s fashion brand experiences. I wanted to experiment with traditional artistic mediums and demonstrate that they still have a place in today’s digital heavy graphics market. I hope my capstone will inspire others to step away from the computer and start painting again.
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Laura Gulshani
LETITIA CHAN
The motivation to pursue my capstone stemmed from the fashion industry’s ability to motivate consumers to fulfilling purchases. It explores the psychological processes and social impacts we have as consumers before, during, and after buying goods, with emphasis on shopaholics, or compulsive shoppers. With a term as amusing as shopaholicism, I am tackling this capstone with media culture inspiration, and youthful delight. I would like for others to gain self-awareness, and to challenge our growing materialistic society. Fashion not only represents the people, but it also impacts our social values. It is a battle to change companies’ pushes to keep buying, but understanding our triggers can shape our desires internally, which places control back into consumers’ hands.
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Letitia Chan
MADISON MCLAUGHLIN
Punctuation marks are visual symbols that indicate the intonation, pauses, and stresses in our written language. These marks are rarely noticed instruments of structure and organization which hold the power to change the way that we read and interpret words in text. My capstone book provides a platform to highlight the letterforms of punctuation and allow the viewer to truly appreciate their significance. Through this exploration, I attempt to communicate these symbols as representations of visual design, rather than expressing their literal intentions. Constantly out of the spotlight, punctuation marks are finally able to be brought to the foreground and acknowledged for their literary importance. This investigation of quotations, examples, and questions, seeks to alter the viewers perception of punctuation marks. With the emergence of new technologies – especially social media and blogging platforms – the use of proper grammar and punctuation has been drastically diminished. Our conversations now take place through blogs, tweets, and Facebook posts, and as a result, the application of proper grammar is being strongly neglected. Through my creative process, I aim to inform readers about the significance of punctuation in our written language.
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Madison McLaughlin
MARIA BEAMISH
I am in awe with how the Internet and Social Media have changed the way people interact, communicate and share with each other around the world. Inspired by bloggers, entrepreneurs and artists who have harnessed the Internet in order to connect with like-minded people and share their work globally, I decided to research exactly how they engaged and caught the attention of so many people online. My capstone project investigates how Internet user habits and Social Media platforms are changing the relationship between brands and consumers and what those changes mean to advertising, marketing and branding industries as well as for entrepreneurs. By creating and branding a T-shirt company called Old Soul, I will be exploring how to promote, advertise and market a grassroots brand completely online. I hope my capstone inspires others to take a chance and to put themselves and their message forward, whether it be art, a business, music…anything; by helping others understand how to strategically leverage the broad reach of the Internet and Social Media.
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Maria Beamish
MARIYA MOROSOVSKA
The subject matter for my capstone project is focused on understanding the intrinsic value of fashion as a medium for social change, particularly through the lens of the relationship between an individual and organized structures of power. In this project I ask how fashion affects the ability of an individual to express themselves as an autonomous being in a society and study the instances where fashion has been used to empower and disenfranchise an individual’s sense of political autonomy. The aim of this project was to better understand the conflicting messages of fashion discourse and attempt to assert the power behind fashion theory and its application to modern life. The goal of understanding why we choose to participate in the culture of carefully curated self-construction is a fascinating topic as it allows us to better identify the basic impulses of human nature. With this work, I hope to have created something that helps explain, however lightly the significance of the fashionable impulse to the reader of my final capstone work.
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Mariya Morosovska
MARJORY MCCLEAN
As a student, I find popular magazines inspiring but limiting. I couldn’t afford anything close to the outfits depicted in many of the popular fashion magazines. I resented the images and viewed these publications as unvarying and exclusive. I wanted to find a publication that I could relate to, that contained products to be realistically priced and presented in a highly designed and styled fashion. In fact, I wasn’t the only one. After surveying many influential young women between the ages of twenty to twenty-nine, they all came to the same conclusion. They all wanted a publication that was inspirational, artistic, bold, influential but affordable. With these wishes in mind, Grandeur Magazine was born. I would like my magazine to fill a void that I have experienced within the Canadian fashion magazine industry. I hope that it will inspire young women who are fashion driven, but do not possess the budget for high-end designer clothing.
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Marjory McClean
MARY YOUNG
My capstone is inspired by rap and hip-hop music, specifically during their introduction stages of the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. These two genre use the theory of pastiche, defined as the art of modifying or restructuring previous in meaningful way to be combine sand to convey a new meaning, to create music. Further inspiration comes from the ill-defined genre of music created by The Weeknd and his modern use of pastiche, not only in his music but also found in his aesthetic and visual works. With these genres of music and use of pastiche, my capstone is a five piece women’s lingerie collection where different fabrics, techniques and styles are incorporated to result in each look and garment evoking the theory of pastiche.
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Mary Young
MEG CHANG
My capstone is inspired by the models that fabricate the fashion industry and how the emerging importance of social media is influencing the models of the industry today. The theory of glamour labor, or aesthetic labor, obligate to models’ interactions and presence on social media, which in turn leverages and benefits the act of self-promotion. I want my capstone to help bring awareness and understanding to the hard work models put into their work, what modelling demands from them, as well as how modelling influences their daily lives.
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Meg Chang
MELISSA LEE
I have always been fascinated by the longing desire we have for finding perfection. Whether we are looking for the perfect partner, house, or even the perfect angle to take a selfie, we cannot deny that we are not controlled by the peddlers of this desire. We are constantly searching for an “ideal”. Women place ample amounts of emphasis, anxiety, pressure, and even hate at times based on their physical appearance. The way we feel about ourselves changes on a day-to-day basis based on how we are feeling, who complimented us, what we did to our hair and makeup, and who gave us the attention we were seeking. With the amounts of plastic surgeries, beauty enhancement products, and technology, we can strive to be who we want to be. I was inspired to explore this topic on beauty as a result of my own experiences as a woman of non-Caucasian background, and also seeing firsthand how this cultural divide between the East and the West affected other ethnic women. I want each individual to realize that they are characterized as their own special, unique person. I want to share and inspire them to keep embracing themselves.
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Melissa Lee
MIRIAN NJOH
When I see a well-dressed guy, I instantly take notice. It is this instinctive reaction that led me to create my capstone. As a woman, I know why I dress the way I do, but what are guys’ motivations? How is fashion, more specifically streetwear, used as a vehicle for asserting masculinity and the male identity? How does hip-hop fit in with this process? I wanted to stay close to my personal interests, yet still explore something that was outside of myself. When I started, I only had a basic knowledge of the industry and a curiosity that I knew would last me through the competition of my capstone and beyond. My inspirations are my muses in snapback caps, dark sunglasses, Givenchy tees, leather joggers and red velvet Timberlands. I want to shine a light on this emerging industry. I think for a long time people didn’t pay much attention to it (myself included) and didn’t give it the respect of being a full-fledged, commercial fashion sector. In the past year, I’ve been following it and I’ve watched it grow immensely with no signs of slowing. I had a feeling that the industry was on the cusp of reaching new heights and these hunches were confirmed when in late 2013, for the first time, a streetwear brand won the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund. Since then my goals have been to continue to explore the industry and prove that it is a booming business worthy of global recognition and academic research.
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Mirian Njoh
NAOMI NACHMANI
“Ruby’s Rewind” is a fashion history children’s book that explores the reciprocal relationship between 20th century Western women’s wear and women’s changing roles in society. The story follows the journey of nine-year-old Ruby, who discovers a time travelling photo album in her grandmother’s attic and goes back in time through the 20th century. Through interactions with women from the Suffragette period of the early 1900s to second-wave feminist protestors in the 1970s, Ruby learns about women’s growing emancipation and the important role fashion plays on this journey towards freedom and equality. I was inspired to write “Ruby’s Rewind” as I’m extremely interested in history and how fashion has changed over time, mimicking and influencing the social-political climate of each era. “Ruby’s Rewind” is aimed at children 8-12 years old and teaches the value of relationships, opportunity, and how fashion can be used as a positive tool of self-expression. The aim of the story is to help girls and women learn that fashion is not frivolous, but reflects a much deeper relationship between personal expression, history and socio-economics. Through its engaging watercolour imagery and imaginative, informative story line, “Ruby’s Rewind” is an empowering book that appeals to both children and parents alike.
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Naomi Nachmani
NELLY AKBARI
The inspiration for my capstone came from a life-long fascination and appreciation with the intricacies of fashion styling found in both fashion editorials and within film and television. With a specific focus on wardrobe styling and costume design found in film and television, my capstone focuses on how fashion is used to support the archetypes of these fictional characters. In addition to this, it analyzes the remarkable understanding of visual information that allows audiences to subconsciously absorb symbols, iconography and conventions within fashion. I hope that my capstone will be able to move audiences from understanding visual information from a subconscious level, to a conscious level. This change in seeing and perceiving will allow them to experience the complete genius that lies in well executed styling and design.
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Nelly Akbari
RACHEL GARBUTT
My capstone is inspired by my job in public relations, and recognizing how technological innovation is forcing the industry into a state of transformation and adaption. I want my capstone to motivate others entering the public relations industry to think beyond limitations and look for innovative solutions.
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Rachel Garbutt
RACHEL JOANIS & YAZMIN BUTCHER
Our capstone focuses on the complex relationship between music and film. We want to focus on how music impacts the audience and explore research how music has become an effective tool in filmmaking. We are also exploring how the soundtrack in a film works in conjunction with the visuals. We want our capstone to educate others in the process behind composing and how the music correlates on screen with the visuals. We hope that this will help others appreciating how strong of an impact music can have on an audience’s emotions.
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Rachel Joanis & Yazmin Butcher
RACHEL WALKER
Teenagers and their struggle with identity versus role confusion. Finding out how teens navigate their sense of self. Exploring how teenagers seek and build a personal identity with fashion and beauty. I would want my capstone to reach teens and speak to them on a level that they feel is relevant and important to them. I want this book to provide a voice to Canadian teens, which they never had before. I hope that this book can become a part of being a teenager growing up in Canada.
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Rachel Walker
ROBYNNE MCPHERSON
“Tragic Reality” is an exploration into the world of data visualization. It is my contribution as a designer, to shine light on the steady decline of the world’s eco-system, including runaway climate change, loss of biodiversity, and the depletion of natural resources amongst our population. Through art direction and graphic design, visual representation is displayed in a way that pushes boundaries, and most importantly, provides new insight to the data. The world doesn’t need any more bar graphs about sustainability and environment. What is really required is to push the symbolic approach of representing the reality that is happening. “Tragic Reality” is an experience and a message to initiate behavior change. I want my Capstone to connect with a broad audience, and initiate a sustainable behavior change.
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Robynne McPherson
ROWAN MCANOY
The topic of my capstone project and the subject of my research is facial beauty amongst women. The reason I chose this subject first stemmed from me being intrigued by the concept of beauty on a whole, as I’ve always appreciated it growing up. As a kid, I was surrounded by art and that is where I was first introduced to the idea of something being deemed as beautiful. As I grew up, the idea of something being beautiful surrounded me more and now you can’t really go anywhere without it being thrown in your face, especially pertaining to the beauty ideals of physical appearance. With my capstone, I wanted to join the many other campaigns striving to tear down the homogenized message spread by the beauty industry. With that being said, most of these other campaigns predominantly target the idea of body image, which is also important, but they ignore the idea of facial beauty and that is why I’m targeting it. I would like to show that there is more than just one beauty ideal that all women must mold themselves into in order to be considered beautiful, therefore resulting in the pressure into doing so being reduced.
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Rowan McAnoy
SARAH CHANG
My blog, theshopcartgirl, embarks on a creative journey using personal branding frameworks to create an online fashion and beauty personality through social media. I want to explore my creative ability to shape an online fashion personality and learn through a personal journey of trial and errors in order to perfect the personal branding foundation.
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Sarah Chang
STACIE CAMPBELL
My capstone is inspired by what I wear every day, the colour black. I wanted to dig deeper into the meaning of the colour, and why people have various preconceived notions assigned to the colour as well. I created a book of several short essays, all revolving around the colour black, mixed with fashion and abstract editorials to create an interesting and pleasant experience for my readers. My project is both informative and artistic, the two things I love most. I want my capstone to engage people into thinking differently about a subject that most individuals think they have all figured out. I want to show that some aspects of fashion have an extreme impact on our society, many of which go unnoticed.
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Stacie Campbell
STEPHANIE MACDOUGALL
Magazines are a representation of the times that would be kept for years on a bookshelf as a type of archive or history. They possess a certain artfulness and ownership. We used to pick up a magazine from the store and look forward to feeling the pages flip between our fingers. Now, the way we choose to spread and gather our ideas has grown rapidly in the digital world. People in today’s society feel the need to have everything at their fingertips, including magazines. With the transition to digital publications, it is all about convenience. My capstone is inspired by the changing ways in which we are influenced and how we gather and spread our ideas. An individual’s background, where they grew up, and what they were surrounded by plays an essential role in everyone’s creative process and aesthetic. ‘Made’ magazine is a way to showcase and help others understand the elements of an individual’s creativity. It opens the doors to why they are who they are, and why they create what they create. This magazine explores the inspiration, heightened creativity, and influence behind six young, up-and-coming people in the three visually creative industries of art, film, and fashion. The goal of the magazine is to give readers a new appreciation and perspective to the way they look at art, film, and fashion, by uncovering the details and work behind a finished product.
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Stephanie MacDougall
STEPHANIE ROTZ
From Beyonce’s surprise visual album to Sinéad O’Connor’s open letter to Miley Cyrus, 2013 was a powerful and “controversial” year for women in music. Are women in music knowingly engaging in gender constructs or deconstructing them? Can sexuality be used as a site for power? Ultimately, why is being covered up always associated with female empowerment? For my capstone, I am creating a video series that will outline the current relationship that the feminist movement has with the pop music landscape, in order to define the fourth wave of feminism.
The video series will push the conversation of women through music in past conventional ideas of objectification and exploitation. The short series will focus on the positive presence of sexuality and agency in pop music. Fandom will be talked about as a means for change and as a platform for empowerment. The main goal is to spark and engage my audience in a new conversation around women in popular culture. By voicing my lived perspective, I hope to contribute to the evolving feminist movement by expanding the pubic opinion on what it means to be a feminist, and on the power and weight of fandom. The purpose of my capstone is to show the importance on reflecting on our commentary and critique that we give pop stars, and how this affects and creates the culture around us. Further, this capstone aims to deconstruct the notion that pop music is “bad music”. Ultimately, I wish to give voice to an “equally” feminist point of view that isn’t heard very often from critics and the media.
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Stephanie Rotz
SUSAN MOZAFFARI
My capstone is to review the history, culture and purpose of feminists zines and to create a zine profiling women artists (designers/ musicians) what inspires them to create, how they are a reflection of their own work and what influences them in their artistic practices. I want my capstone to capture emerging Canadian female artists, their identity, and create a piece of work that inspires others.
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Susan Mozaffari
TRISTA CAPITANO
With a desire to enter the world of branding and my love for relaxing with good brew, the idea came naturally; I would create my own beer brand. In recent years beer companies have identified women as a missing market in their consumer base, yet (through no lack of trying) few brands have successfully swayed their buy. Generalizations and stereotypes where a huge problem in these failed attempts. I chose a distinct target market to research; women in the fashion industry. My brand has been designed by understanding how women in the fashion industry experience beer and knowing gender-specific advertising was to be avoided at all costs. The outcome is a unisex beer meant to refresh a creative mind and invite social ability with every pour. About a year ago at this time, I said I wanted my capstone to be “loud”. In a way that’s already come true for me. When I tell people what I’m doing, no matter who it is, everyone wants to hear more. I have started a conversation, and it’s almost never a short one! It’s something that sparks intrigue and laughter. Every time I see someone’s eyes widen or head nod, I know this is something that is needed in the industry. For me, this brand means a lot more than beer; it’s something to remind you to take a breath and create work-life balance, spend time with those you love. With my last project before graduating into a big world of opportunities I want to start a conversation, and I want it to be fun.
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Trista Capitano
YUKI BARTON
My Capstone jewelry collection is inspired by Ancient Egyptian symbolic culture, the lost wax casting technique, and the relationship between contemporary and ancient designs and values. Their advanced society pioneered techniques in casting, stone setting and metal working to form beautiful, luxurious bodily adornments that contained powerful symbolism and stories. By visually incorporating their symbolic elements, I have designed a unique collection of contemporary jewelry that have abstracted and modernized ancient concepts to form minimal, elegant pieces. The collection has been hand carved in wax, then cast into sterling silver and complimented with accents of amethyst and quartz crystal. I would like my collection to inspire people to consider the origins of jewelry aesthetics before blindly buying into trends. Jewelry is a means of communication, personal identity, and contains strong symbolic value. They should be cared for, loved, and be a symbolic representation of an aspect of yourself — contained within an item that can last forever.
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Yuki Barton