Fashion design is brimming with new talent and on the cusp of an explosion of creativity, with the Suzanne Rogers Fashion Institute at the Creative School at Ryerson University being one of the driving forces.

Continuing its hallmark program for students and alumni ready to take the initial steps forward in their fashion careers and practice, the Suzanne Rogers Fashion Institute (SRFI) at the Creative School at Ryerson University recently announced its fifth group of fellows entering the program. Recent Ryerson fashion design graduates Nadine Mosallam (2017), Curtis Oland (2016) and Wanze Song (2016) will be joining the institute as part of the next generation of leading fashion designers.

Founded in 2016 and made possible through ongoing support from the Edward and Suzanne Rogers Foundation, the Suzanne Rogers Fashion Institute at the Creative School is a program dedicated to supporting emerging Canadian fashion designers nationally and internationally. Since its launch, the SRFI has contributed more than $600,000 to directly support the careers of the fellows. Serving third- and fourth-year Ryerson fashion design students and recent graduates, the institute educates new talent and provides them with mentorship, awards and international opportunities, all of which are critically important for emerging designers in the exceptionally, and increasingly, competitive world of creativity.

Nadine Mosallam, based in London, England, is the founder of the womenswear label Nadine Mos. The label’s ethos is representative of Nadine’s beliefs that fashion should be ethical, accessible, supportive and slow. The label is a celebration of femininity, subtlety and a sense of beauty within everyday life. Her work has placed a strong emphasis on the comfort and power of “home,” and she has always encouraged a conversation with her audience through connection and reflection.

Curtis Oland is a Lil’wat-Canadian garment designer and interdisciplinary artist from the Okanagan Valley and is currently based in Vancouver. Having created an essence of subdued wilderness that celebrates and honours land, spirit and materiality, he brings to his designs his personal connection to his Indigenous heritage, the mountainous landscapes of his homeland, the supernatural, and his vast experiences as an international nomad.

A graduate of Ryerson University, Wanze Song is a Chinese-Canadian based in Toronto who has already worked globally under international brands including Kiko Kostadinov, Xiao Li and Canadian brand/label/designer Beaufille. Using her extensive worldview already obtained, Song is in the process of establishing her own namesake brand, focusing on innovative pattern cutting, quality and functionality while taking a patient approach to design.

“We are excited for the unique perspectives our new fellows bring to the SRFI,” says Robert Ott, director of the SRFI. “Our program has evolved since 2016 and has become a unique entity with the potential to be transformational for our fellows. Now more than ever, the fellows are looking at the industry as entrepreneurs, energized by the changing world around them and ready to make positive impacts.”

Nadine Mosallam, Curtis Oland and Wanze Song enter the program alongside five current fellows: Alexandra Armata, Sara He, Lynda Hey, Stephanie Moscall-Varey and Olivia Rubens, all of whom benefit from the incubator that is the SRFI in promoting and supporting the next generation of superstar Canadian fashion designers.

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