News Article

CNA student gains national recognition


12/16/2009 10:26:22 AM


Erin Ryan, a second-year Textiles: Craft and Apparel Design student at College of the North Atlantic’s (CNA) Prince Philip Drive campus, has been selected as one of the Top 25 finalists in the national apparel Télio Competition 2010.

The competition is open to current design students across Canada. Students are given a theme and a selection of fabrics to choose from to create a unique design. Twenty-five finalists are selected and have the chance to present their garment down the runway at Montreal’s Fashion Week, March 4, 2010. Scholarships totaling $10,000 will be awarded to five of the 25 finalists. The panel of judges (Canadian fashion professionals) will choose the winners based on creativity, technical skills and respect to the theme.

“When I found out I had been chosen as a finalist for the Télio design competition, I was completely shocked,” states the St. John’s native. “For me, this opportunity was so much about challenging my own creativity and design process that I forgot for a moment that I was even entering a competition. Now that I am in the production stage I’m starting to see my two dimensional designs take shape and that is really exciting. I love the work and I’m so thrilled to be representing the college on such a prestigious stage.”

While Erin’s natural creativity and technical abilities have been recognized by the competition, her success was advanced by CNA’s Textiles program. A recent program review within the School of Academics and Applied Arts has resulted in a revitalized Textiles program. As well as touting a new name, Textiles: Craft and Apparel Design, the program now includes the new studio area of apparel design, updated curriculum and equipment with increased human resources.

This year’s Télio competition theme embraces the current fashion trend - a return to craftsmanship, handmade and the use of artistry in garments. Students were asked to design a uniquely modern, timeless, and authentic creation that will identify their garment as “art-à-porter,” the new “must have” for a high end retail company such as Holt Renfrew. They were encouraged to use intricate techniques to elevate, experiment, and explore all the possibilities that art can bring to fashion. Students are asked to: impress, astonish, and most of all differentiate themselves.

All students in the Textiles: Craft and Apparel Design program participated in this year’s Télio Competition. The 12 second-year students were asked to create three unique designs, illustrated and displayed in a professional manner. Technical drawings and chosen fabrics were attached to the back of the presentation. Seven of the 36 submissions were selected by a regional jury and were sent to Montreal for further judging. The end result was Erin’s selection as one of the 25 finalists. She has since received the material to construct her garment designs and will send the ensemble to Montreal in early February.

Design instructor, Beth Oberholtzer, and Apparel instructor, Barry Buckle, provided guidance in fashion illustration and technical drawing. The stage is now set for the many possibilities of participation in national challenges by future textile students, such as the exciting Télio competition.

For more information about CNA’s Textile program visit www.cna.nl.ca, for more information about the Télio design competition visit www.telio.com/faq2010.html.

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Media Contact:

Pamela Spencer
Public Relations Assistant
709-643-7928
pam.spencer@cna.nl.ca