Discover the innovative work of the Technical Apparel Design class of 2026! Over 100 graduating students from across 8 programs are featured at Next Level, the 2026 KPU Wilson School of Design Grad Show. Learn more about our graduates and take a closer look at the projects they presented to industry and community.
When our students embark on a Post Baccalaureate Diploma in Technical Apparel Design, they join an industry that pushes the limits of human potential. From giving elite athletes a competitive edge to saving the lives of outdoor enthusiasts, this booming industry blends creativity with cutting-edge technology to allow humans to move faster, survive longer and explore further. Our curriculum was developed in collaboration with Vancouver-based companies like Arc’teryx, lululemon, Mountain Equipment Company, Mustang Survival and Sugoi, as well as top academics and researchers. In four semesters, students gain the research, design, business, and leadership skills needed to join the next generation of design innovators.
Meet our graduates:
Anita Wu
Contact:
Email: anitawu1992@gmail.com
Website: https://anitawu1992.wixsite.com/anitaportfolio
LinkedIn: Anita Wu
A technical apparel designer with product developer experience, focussing on translating innovative concepts into high-performing products while ensuring brand consistency and timely delivery.
Capstone Description:
An Urban Citizen Evacuation Garment aims to provide a solution that bridges the gap between disaster and resilience, helping survivors navigate the journey from chaos to recovery.
Caroline Mo
Contact:
Email: carolinemo010819@gmail.com
Website: https://carolinemo.myportfolio.com
LinkedIn: Caroline Mo
In my career in technical apparel, I hope to contribute to the development of functional todesigns empower others to try new things and achieve their goals. In addition to learning about technical apparel in the classroom, I work part-time in a retail position. In my free time I enjoy going to pilates classes and running. I previously earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of British Columbia in Art History and Commerce.
Capstone Description:
There has been an increase in concert-related injuries, accidents and deaths over the past several years, due to issues with crowd control, inadequate access to water, and excessive heat, among other operational issues. This technical apparel garment combines evaporative cooling material technologies with the construction elements of hydration vests in a trend forward tank top silhouette to help to empower attendees of general admission concerts to feel safer, by addressing heat exhaustion, dehydration and fainting.
Chakshu Mewada
I’m Chakshu Mewada, a Technical Apparel Design student at KPU’s Wilson School of Design with a background in fashion design, garment construction, and retail management. My work focuses on combining functional apparel with thoughtful, user-centred design. For my capstone, I am exploring thermoregulation support apparel for breast cancer survivors, with an emphasis on comfort, adaptability, and non-clinical everyday wear. I’m passionate about creating garments that balance technical performance with emotional well-being.
Collection Description:
My capstone project explores thermoregulation support apparel for breast cancer survivors experiencing hot flashes, night sweats, and heat sensitivity during or after treatment. The project focuses on designing soft, adaptable, non-clinical garments that support both comfort and confidence in everyday life. My current design direction is a convertible wrap system that balances technical function, emotional well-being, and wearable style, with ongoing prototype development, material testing, and user feedback shaping the final outcome.
Karen Lien
With over 15 years in hardgoods development in the beauty industry, Karen has always been drawn to how things are made. Her true passion lies in construction and technical application, and she brought that curiosity to Technical Apparel Design to explore where how a garment is built is inseparable from how it performs.
Capstone Description:
Support built in. SleeveSense is an integrated wrist support base layer designed for female functional fitness athletes. Research showed that nearly 95% of women experience wrist discomfort during training, yet existing solutions on the market fall short. SleeveSense builds support directly into the garment, eliminating the need for external accessories while maintaining full range of motion.
Mylenna Albuquerque da Silva
Contact:
Email: mylennasilva95@hotmail.com
Website: https://www.mylennasilva.com/
LinkedIn: Mylenna Silva
Mylenna Silva is a technical apparel designer, currently pursuing a Post-Baccalaureate in Technical Apparel Design at KPU. Originally from Brazil, with a background in Fashion Design and an internship at Lululemon (3D Creative & Seamless), she specializes in sustainable innovation, 3D manufacturing, and biomimicry. Her capstone, inspired by shark attacks witnessed on the Brazilian coast during her childhood, develops bioluminescent wetsuits for increased safety in water sports and marine conservation.
Capstone Description:
My capstone develops bioluminescent wetsuits to mitigate shark-human interactions, inspired by attacks on the Brazilian coast. It integrates Lux Bio technology with bioluminescent protein powder in transparent TPU/PLA cartridges (3D printed), attached to the wetsuit. It emits light in striped patterns at the extremities (arms and legs), confusing the sharks’ vision without environmental damage. It promotes safety in water sports and marine conservation through optical innovation and sustainable materials.
Paulette Chee
My path to technical apparel started with a passion for sewing and a love for the outdoors. With a background in electrical engineering, I learned how to solve complex problems, analyze information, and make decisions rooted in reason. Now I design from a place of function followed by form. As I wrap up my time at the Wilson School of Design, I am excited to design items that meet user needs and focus on innovation.
Capstone Description:
Forestry field researchers are outdoor athletes who lack the specialized equipment necessary for their dual roles as scientists and labourers. Challenged by difficult terrain and heavy tool requirements, these professionals often rely on gear that compromises their mobility, comfort, and tool security. This capstone project has redefined field utility by focusing on ergonomic fit, comfort, storage, and tool security, overall enhancing the user experience in the field.
Tiffanie Leger
Contact:
Email: tiffanieleger@icloud.com
Website: https://tiffanielegere9bb.myportfolio.com
LinkedIn: Tiffanie Leger
Instagram: @tiffanieleger
Tiffanie is a recent University of Victoria graduate in Costume and Scenic Design and is currently finishing her Technical Apparel Design post-baccalaureate. She is design-driven, with experience developing functional athletic apparel for performance-oriented, outdoor, and safety-critical environments. She brings strong leadership and teamwork experience from working with the Canadian Coast Guard Search and Rescue Teams in New Brunswick. Deeply connected to the outdoors, she has a passion for winter and summer sports.
Capstone Description:
Lacerations are the third most common and often most severe injury in ski racing, yet traditional speed suits prioritize aerodynamics over safety, leaving athletes vulnerable to cuts from ski edges and ice. Existing cut-resistant solutions like Kevlar base layers are expensive, uncomfortable, and restrictive, forcing trade-offs between performance and protection. This capstone project explores integrating a cut-proof layer into the speed suit to create a single, affordable garment that improves safety without sacrificing mobility overall.
Victoria Lusk
Contact:
Email: victoria.lusk@student.kpu.ca
Website: https://victorialusk.myportfolio.com/
LinkedIn: Victoria Lusk
Victoria is passionate about merging functionality and aesthetics. She enjoys creating technical drawings and sketches from day-to-day inspirations and is striving for creativity that implements user-based testing into technical apparel garments. She takes pride in crafting designs and perfecting the fit and construction of prototypes. She also enjoys learning and collaborating with peers.
Capstone Description:
The aim is to create a discrete yet comfortable line of pragmatic business apparel for women in the workplace that can assist in reducing symptoms of ADHD, such as distractibility and anxiety. This is achieved with the use of pressure pads and my main innovation; users can feel less distracted and more focused when performing their day-to-day tasks.
