Seneca College Alumni Magazine - Fall 2008 - (Page 21)

real realtime graduated in 2003 and was chosen as valedictorian. “It was a lot of work, and I had really great professors at Seneca,” said Philip. “The program covered so many technical elements, and dealing with interns from different schools now, I feel some of that practicality of the business is being lost in other fashion programs.” Philip’s training is extensive for someone so young. His resume includes stints with the costume departments of the National Ballet of Canada, the Canadian Opera Company and the Stratford Festival of Canada. These experiences helped him master the technical aspects of his craft and provided fodder for design ideas. Vintage artefacts, whether costumes, photos, books or films, often serve as a starting point when Philip begins a new collection. “It’s easy for me to be inspired; to pick up a book and love all the photographs in it, or watch a movie and love the look of it, love the colours – the same with a piece of artwork – and pull the colour story for a season [of clothing designs] completely out of that.” It’s not all inspiration. To be successful, the creativity and skill involved in developing chic pieces grounded in traditional roots has to be complemented with a strong understanding of business. There are often days when the gifted designer must make the cold calls to retailers, coordinate production and balance the books. “A day for me will usually end up being full of business, paper work and phone calls or it will be a day of drafting and development and working on new projects,” said Philip. “I often find it hard to switch back and forth within one day.” His attention now is on preparing his spring 2009 line, which includes a nod to the “preppy” look of the 1950s high school student. He is also playing with ideas for a traditional Canadian set, including beaver fur mittens and blanket coats, with the hope of bringing us closer to discovering what defines Canadian fashion. PHOTO BY: STEPHANIE LAKE Born to style enswear designer Philip Sparks started making his own clothes when he was 16. He opened his mother’s old sewing machine and began fashioning patterns from an old pair of pants. Before long, he was filling orders for teachers and friends. He even sold a small line of designs to stores in Toronto and Niagara Falls while still in high school. “Growing up, I wanted to find a way to express myself, how I was feeling and what I was about,” Philip said. “Most of that came through clothing.” A year and a half ago, at age 26, he created Philip Sparks Menswear. Today 1 - 888 - ALUMNUS Fashion prodigy Philip Sparks By Corey Long M he has four design collections under his belt, and his clothing and accessories can be found at 10 retailers in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. His fall 2008 collection hit the racks at Holt Renfrew for the first time in August. Philip Sparks Brand Shoes – a line of signature footwear – is available at Town Shoes. “I have come so far and done so much in a short period of time, and it feels really great.” As making clothes became a part of Philip’s daily teenage routine, he decided to go to school to support his passion, which led him to Seneca’s Fashion Arts advanced diploma program. He 21

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Seneca College Alumni Magazine - Fall 2008

Seneca College Alumni Magazine - Fall 2008
Contents
Team Makes a Difference on Campus
How Green is Your Workspace?
A New Approach to Environmentalism - the Revitalization Institute
Troy White Turns up the Heat with His Summer Job
Karen Eilersen Goes Beyond Recycling
Applied Research Solves Real Life Problems
Philip Sparks has it All Sewn Up
The Mehta Family Credits Seneca with Success
Diary of Desmond Duke’s Start Up
Support and Attitude Keep Visually-Impaired Student on Track
Honouring “the President”
New Grads Who Will Inspire You
What do the Argonauts and Mozilla have in Common?
Our Experts Show You How to Burn Calories and Shop While Going Green
Olympic Gold and Silver for Senecans
Boost Seneca’s Research Data Just by Saying “Yes”
Senecans Assessing on TV

Seneca College Alumni Magazine - Fall 2008

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