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featured Sep 2 - Sep 2, 2027
Tuition
$5,442
Scholarships available
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featured Tuition
$7,970
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featured Tuition
$8,248
Scholarships available
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featured
Online
May 12 - Sep 12, 2026
Tuition
$8,248
Scholarships available
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featured
Tuition
$25,500
Scholarships available
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featured
Tuition
$29,763
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Tuition
$1,450
Scholarships available
About
A career in fashion is perfect for driven, style-savvy individuals who are both creative and business-minded. It’s one of those dream industries where your passion can become your profession – a dynamic field where you get to express your creativity, set trends, and bring fresh ideas to life. Across Canada, colleges, private academies, and fashion schools offer programs that teach the creative, technical, and business skills you need to thrive in the fast-paced fashion world.
While being a fashion designer might be the first role that comes to mind, there are plenty of educational paths depending on your skills, interests, and career ambitions.
If you’re design-inclined, you might explore fashion design degrees, which focus on creating and producing original collections, or textile degrees, which dive into the properties, structure, and production of fabrics and garments. Graduates from these programs can become fashion, textile, or costume designers, working for brands, retailers, theatre companies, design studios, or manufacturers.
On the business side, degrees in fashion management and fashion business build a solid understanding of marketing, merchandising, consumer behavior, retail buying, communication, forecasting, and supply chain dynamics. These programs prepare graduates for careers in sales and marketing, visual merchandising, retail operations, wholesale, or even running their own fashion business.
With strong consumer demand, Canada’s fashion market is projected to grow steadily year over year, reaching around US$45.6 billion by 2028. Between 2022 and 2031, Canada’s Job Bank estimates 9,400 new job openings for fashion designers and pattern makers.
Opportunities are especially concentrated in fashion hubs like Montreal and Toronto. Montreal ranks third in North America for clothing manufacturing, right after New York and L.A., pulling in $8 billion in sales annually. The fashion industry in Quebec employs over 82,000 people, with 58 percent of those jobs being in the Greater Montreal area. Meanwhile, Toronto’s fashion scene employs about 50,000 people, including major brands Canada Goose, Roots, and Joe Fresh. Vancouver, home to big-name brands like Lululemon, Arct’eryx, and Artizia, also has many fashion-career opportunities, especially in the areas of smart fabric and wearable tech, according to the BC Alliance for Manufacturing.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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What type of education do I need to work in the fashion industry?
Roles in the fashion industry usually require completion of a degree or diploma in fashion design, merchandising, fashion management, or related field. Fashion marketing may require a degree in fashion and/or marketing, while fashion writing may require a journalism degree. To break into the field, it also helps to build a strong portfolio, gain experience through internships, and build connections through networking and industry events.
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What types of jobs are available in the fashion industry?
The fashion industry offers diverse opportunities across various areas.
On the creative side, fashion designers create original clothing and accessories; textile designers focus on fabric patterns and materials; and costume designers create looks for film, television, and theatre.
On the business side, fashion buyers select and purchase clothing and accessories for retail; merchandisers develop product assortments and pricing strategies; and retail managers oversee store operations.
Additionally, there are roles for fashion stylists, who provide fashion advice and choose outfits for clients and models; marketers, who create strategies to promote brands and clothing lines; and fashion writers or bloggers who cover industry trends and news. Fashion influencers also play a significant role in the industry today, leveraging social media to showcase their unique style, collaborate with brands, and engage with followers.
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What are the job responsibilities of a fashion designer?
Fashion designers create original clothing products, along with footwear and accessories. There’s a wide range of specialized subsets of fashion, including ready-to-wear, haute couture, mass-market outerwear, sportswear, bridal wear, jewellery, and more. Fashion designers might specialize in a particular type of clothing or accessory, or design across multiple categories.
Their responsibilities include overseeing the research and development of new styles; managing the design process from start to finish; and conducting market research to identify new trends and consumer insights. Specific duties may include sketching designs, selecting fabrics and trims, creating prototypes, communicating with clients and the media, and participating in fashion shows.
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How much do fashion designers earn in Canada – and how far can you advance?
In Canada, the average salary for a fashion designer is $53,625, with more experienced workers making up to $106,490, according to Talent.com. Career advancement for designers varies greatly, but it’s possible to move up to senior and director roles, such as fashion director or creative director, who are responsible for the overall creative vision and strategy of a brand or fashion house. In Canada, the average salary for a fashion director is $92,500.
Tuition & Completion Data
Domestic
Last updated: November 26, 2024
International
See below for the latest data on international student tuition across Canada, excluding housing costs and ancillary fees.
Source: Statistics Canada 2023
Careers
According to Glassdoor, fashion designers in Canada have good job prospects with the industry growing throughout the country. The areas with the most growth are Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia. Between 2022 and 2031, new job openings for fashion designers and pattern makers in Canada are expected to total 9,400, while 8,200 new job seekers are expected to be available to fill them, according to Canada’s Job Bank. Some of the jobs you can pursue in fashion include:
Fashion Merchandiser – $41,168
Fashion merchandisers ensure the right products effectively reach consumers. They are involved in product selection, inventory management, visual merchandising in-store and online, and sales analysis.
Fashion Designer – $53,625
Fashion designers design and create original clothing, accessories and footwear. They research trends, sketch designs, develop new styles, select fabrics and patterns, and oversee the production process. Their average salary is $53,625, while more experienced designers can make $106,490 per year.
Textile Designer – $66,200
Textile designers create patterns, textures, and structures for clothing fabrics. They develop creative concepts, sketch drawings, assemble fabric samples, and oversee production.
Fashion Stylist / Fashion Consultant – $69,772
Stylists’ primary responsibilities are providing fashion advice and choosing and coordinating outfits. They may work with private clients, models on fashion shoots, or in film and television.
Fashion Influencer / Fashion Content Creator – $75,040
Fashion influencers or content creators plan, shoot, edit, and publish fashion-focused digital content including videos, photos, and articles, on social media platforms and/or independent channels like blogs or newsletters. They are typically independent contractors who partner with brands to showcase products in their content.
Garment Technologist – $76,490
Garment technologists provide technical support at every stage of garment production, from design to manufacturing. Duties include product development, material selection, fabric testing, and quality support.
Fashion Marketing Manager – $91,427
Fashion marketing managers develop and execute creative campaigns that showcase the seasonal line, using a mix of organic and paid media tactics. Fashion marketers build awareness and affinity for the fashion brand overall, establish partnerships that reach their target audience, and drive interest and purchases for their collections.
Fashion Director – $95,000
Fashion (or creative) directors oversee the creative process of a fashion company, shaping the vision and aesthetics of brands. They track and establish trends, generate ideas for collections, oversee the design process, attend industry events, and work with various teams to execute their vision.
Salaries
In Canada, the average salary for a fashion designer is $53,625, with more experienced designers making around $106,490, according to Talent.com. Here is a closer look at salary ranges based on job type, using data from Indeed, Talent.com, Glassdoor, and Canada’s Job Bank:
| Role | Average Salary in Canada |
|---|---|
| Fashion Merchandiser | $41,168 |
| Fashion Designer | $53,625 |
| Textile Designer | $66,200 |
| Fashion Stylist/Consultant | $69,772 |
| Fashion Influencer/Content Creator | $75,040 |
| Garment Technologist | $76,490 |
| Fashion Marketing Manager | $91,427 |
| Fashion Director | 95,000 |