LCV Talent Takes Center Stage at Vancouver Fashion Week F/W 2025
On April 9, the runway at Vancouver Fashion Week came alive with the vision and energy of LaSalle College Vancouver’s emerging talent. Current students and alumni from the Fashion Design programs unveiled their Fall/Winter 2025 collections, captivating an international audience with vibrant menswear, ethereal silhouettes, sustainable upcycling, and avant-garde statements.
At the heart of this season’s show were five rising designers. For them, this night wasn’t just a showcase, it was a turning point, marking their transition from students to designers ready to redefine Canadian fashion. Each presented a cohesive collection of eight looks, the result of years of education in concept development, pattern drafting, draping, textile science, garment construction, and visual storytelling. The result: runway collections that fused technical mastery with creative depth.
“This season’s show revealed the unique identities and voices of our designers,” said Ana D’ Carvalho, Fashion Program Lead at LaSalle College Vancouver. “Their collections reflect personal stories and demonstrate how vision and skill merge into storytelling, ideal for a runway show where designers use the platform to share their creative voice. That’s why we place such importance on the craft of design: to inspire.”A Closer Look at Our Designers' Collections
Keiya Nagai
Opening the runway with Sentimental Records, Keiya Nagai, recent graduate from our Fashion Design diploma program, presented a collection shaped by memory and cultural legacy. Drawing inspiration from his Japanese heritage, Keiya blended romantic florals, silk satin, silk georgette, and gold foil into garments that felt both personal and timelessly sophisticated. Each piece layered texture over pattern, creating a visual narrative rich in emotion and meaning.
Dana Gutierrez
Graduating from the Fashion Design program, Dana Gutierrez showcased Tactile Journeys a menswear collection that challenges conventional norms. By incorporating stretch denim and vibrant embroidery in shades of yellow, orange, and pink added a rebellious twist to classic tailoring, creating a bold and unconventional statement that redefines masculine expression.
Mathew Benitez
With Echo, his latest collection, Fashion Design recent graduate Mathew Benitez brought a fresh perspective to denim. Titled Echo, the collection explores the balance between authenticity and societal expectations. Through precise tailoring and distressed finishes, Mathew used denim to reflect emotional vulnerability and growth. Accents like chains, sheer organza, and structured corsets added contrast and strength, symbolizing the journey of self-discovery.
Anahita Heydari
Anahita Heydari, a talented student from the Bachelor of Design in Fashion Design program, presented a collection inspired by the ancient symbol of the Ouroboros, representing creation through destruction. Working with luxurious materials such as Italian wool, silk charmeuse, and lambskin leather, Anahita crafted delicate yet powerful feminine silhouettes. Each piece highlights meticulous craftsmanship, with hand sewing, pleating, and intricate details that reflect resilience and the cyclical nature of identity.
Daly Bouskill
Fashion Design graduate Daly Bouskill presented Schism, a collection inspired by today’s political and cultural divisions. Featuring both masculine and feminine lines, the designs use bold colours, red, blue, white, black, and mocha, to represent opposing views. Rugged denim and jersey bring an edge to the masculine looks, while structured poplin and suiting define the feminine styles. Through fabric choices and colour contrasts, Daly invites us to reflect on identity, division, and what shapes the world we live in.
As the lights dimmed on the Fall/Winter 2025 runway, one thing was clear—this was more than a student showcase. These five designers demonstrated not only their technical abilities but also their readiness to lead, challenge, and inspire the fashion world. With creativity rooted in personal stories and craftsmanship honed in the classroom, it’s evident that their journey is just beginning, and the industry is taking note.
