Kwantlen Polytechnic University Richmond fashion student, Nicole Boyer, was the only designer outside of Quebec to be awarded one of five grand prizes at TÉLIO's annual fashion show for Canada's top design students, held in Montreal last week.
Boyer, from Richmond, was one of 25 designers from across the country who were selected by the North American textile giant as Canada's breakthrough designers for 2014.
Her garment - inspired by the elaborate, furry coat worn by the character Rachel in the movie Blade Runner - won technical mention, a recognition that comes with a $2,000 scholarship.
"The last few days have been a dream for me," said Boyer.
"This scholarship means so much more to me than just the money. Being able to afford another semester of school is great, but really, it was all about the experience.
"It's hard to describe the feeling of seeing so many accomplished, inspiring people in one place, and getting to showcase all of our designs together. I will never forget this experience, and am honoured that my design was picked as a winner."
Boyer, along with KPU students Capri Philip and Angela Huang, was chosen to compete in November, after her design was chosen out of hundreds of sketches.
With fabrics provided by TÉLIO, each of the 25 finalists spent months fashioning their garments. Each garment was then showcased at the fashion show, attended by industry professionals and media.
