CORE 4 FASHION
DESIGN DIPLOMA

Program Duration: 1 Year - 4 Months (56 Weeks/1120hrs)
Your Instructors: Julie Berg, Melissa McSorley, Hien Nhi Nguyen

Prices: Domestic $24,595.00

Prices: International $28,595.00

Start Dates: January, May, September.

CORE 4 FASHION DESIGN DIPLOMA - FULL-TIME

Where creativity becomes a career.

In 56 immersive weeks (1 year + 4 months), the Core4 Fashion Design Diploma builds your creative, technical and professional foundation for a real career in fashion.

Designed for the modern fashion industry, this intensive program blends hands-on garment construction, contemporary design principles, advanced pattern-making, product development and industry-led learning.

Study with experienced designers, learn inside a professional studio environment, and graduate with the skills, confidence and portfolio needed to enter the industry or continue into advanced pathways at The Cut.

PROGRAM DETAILS

The Core4 Fashion Design Diploma is built to give you a strong, practical and industry-aligned foundation in the world of fashion. Through three core modules and one specialisation elective, you will learn how ideas evolve from concept to sketch, from pattern to garment, and from product to market.

Throughout the program, you will work with instructors who are active in the industry, designers, pattern-makers, production specialists and creative directors, who guide you through every phase of the design process.

By the end of the year, you won’t just understand fashion; you’ll design it, construct it, analyse it and present it.

Whether your goal is to launch your own line, work in design studios, join the technical side of the industry, or move toward roles in marketing, costuming or product development, Core4 prepares you with the discipline, skills and portfolio to succeed.

PROGRAM JOURNEY

    • Identify and correctly use fashion terminology, garment styles and industry language

    • Develop figure-drawing skills including gesture, proportion, stylization, hands, feet and faces

    • Illustrate a range of garments (skirts, pants, blouses, jackets, outerwear)

    • Render fabrics using gouache, markers, and coloured pencils (linen, wool, satin, denim, leather, lace, sequins, fur, etc.)

    • Create technical flats for spec packages and line sheets using a spec library

    • Build concept boards, brand matrices, customer profiles and mood boards

    • Understand silhouettes, rhythm, balance, movement, fabric weight, seasonality and print matching

    • Conduct effective research for inspiration, fabric sourcing and target demographics

    • Develop a cohesive fabric story and swatch collection for your line

    • Complete and present a 40-piece illustrated fashion collection with technical drawings, fabrications and a designer statement

    This module trains your creative eye, elevates your visual communication, and prepares you to develop strong, original concepts.


  • Where creativity becomes construction, and you master core technical skills through:

    • Draft foundational pattern blocks (bodice, skirt, dress, collars, waistbands)

    • Create dart manipulations, pattern components, pockets, vents, pleats and fly closures

    • Understand pattern terminology, markings, sequences and professional workflow

    • Take accurate body measurements and assess fit on mannequins and live models

    • Identify and correct garment fit issues through pattern adjustments

    • Utilize industrial sewing equipment safely and confidently

    • Construct sewing samples (stitches, seams, hems, zipper applications, waistbands) to build a personal sample book

    • Prepare textiles for cutting; understand grain, weight, fusing, fabric types and weaves

    • Draft specialty garments such as button-up shirts, dresses, flared/gored skirts and menswear bodice slopers

    • Choose a design stream (activewear, eveningwear, womenswear, menswear) and produce garments

    • Complete a 6-piece capsule collection using pattern-making and garment construction techniques

    • Present your final capsule collection to peers and instructors.

    Final Project:

    Create and present a fully developed 6-piece retail-ready collection in your chosen design stream:

    • Active/Technical Wear

    • Evening Wear

    • Contemporary Womenswear

    • Menswear

    This module turns your design sketches into real, wearable garments.

    • Understand the major roles within the fashion industry and how teams collaborate

    • Build industry-standard tech packs and technical specification packages

    • Use software to create technical documents, spec sheets and line details

    • Identify seam types, construction details, trim items and how they appear in tech packages

    • Build and interpret BOMs (Bills of Materials), estimate yields, and calculate minimums

    • Plan production calendars, manage timelines and track fabric/trim lead times

    • Understand lab dips, colour matching and DTM trims

    • Learn sourcing principles, factory allocation, material confirmation and supplier communication

    • Map the workflow between Product Development, Sourcing and Design

    • Identify domestic and international manufacturers and produce samples from your tech pack

    • Understand factory flow, costing, budgeting and finance relationships

    • Study textile science: fibers, yarns, weaving, knitting, finishing, dyeing, printing

    • Build prototypes, track revisions, and identify quality control standards

    • Produce 4 manufactured garments (2 domestic, 2 international) for final presentation

    • Present your final production project to peers and instructors.

    You’ll analyze industry opportunities, refine your business acumen, and develop a cohesive, market-ready mini-collection.

  • Pick one advanced path based on your career vision:

    1. Fashion Marketing & Branding

    • PR & communications

    • Merchandising

    • Campaign development

    • Creative direction

    • Market positioning

    2. 3D Apparel Design & Integration

    • Technical apparel design

    • Material sciences

    • 3D design & rendering

    • Dynamic pattern-making

    • Global supply chain foundations

    3. Gerber AccuMark (Digital Pattern Making)

    • Digitizing

    • Pattern manipulation

    • Marker making

    • Digital pattern production

    4. Costume Design for Film & TV

    • Script breakdowns

    • Character development

    • Set etiquette & filming workflow.

    • Dyeing, ageing, specialty finishes

    • Colour theory & fabrication for screen

    Each specialization elevates your resume and strengthens your portfolio toward your chosen industry path.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By graduation, Core4 students can:

Creative & Technical Skills

✔ Develop original design concepts

✔ Produce professional drawings, technical flats & CAD illustrations

✔ Create patterns manually and digitally

✔ Construct garments using industry standards

✔ Build a 6-piece capsule collection

Industry & Professional Skills

✔ Understand textiles, materials, and sourcing

✔ Communicate with clients, production teams & suppliers

✔ Produce spec sheets, line sheets & technical packages

✔ Analyze consumer behavior and market relevance

✔ Present design work visually and verbally

This program ensures you graduate industry-aware, portfolio-ready, and technically capable.

CAREER PATHS

Graduates of the Core4 Fashion Design Diploma leave with a strong creative foundation, solid technical skills, and industry awareness that opens multiple career doors. With your portfolio, 6-piece collection, and elective specialization, you’ll be prepared to step into a variety of design-driven roles or continue into advanced pathways at The Cut.

Fashion Designer

Create original collections as an independent designer or within a design house.

Product Developer

Manage product creation from concept to consumer, fabrics, fits, costing, and production.

Technical Designer

Combine creativity with precision to perfect garment fit, construction, and spec packages.

Pattern Maker

Draft, develop and refine patterns that bring design concepts into tangible form.

Sourcing Manager

Identify and manage vendors, trim suppliers, textile suppliers, and manufacturing partners.

Production Manager / Coordinator

Oversee production workflows, quality standards, and timelines for domestic or overseas manufacturing.

3D Technical Developer

Create digital renders, 3D fits, and technical prototypes using advanced software and material science.

Customer for Film & Television

Support character development through costume design, construction, and on-set problem-solving.

Design Consultant

Provide creative direction, brand support, and trend insights for companies and clients.

Retail & Brand Roles

From merchandising to visual presentation, bring your product and consumer knowledge into retail environments.

TUITION & GRANTS

Domestic Tuition: $24,595

International Tuition: $28,595

Additional Fees:

  • Application Fee (Domestic): $50

  • Application Fee (International): $500

  • Assessment Fee: $100

  • Materials Fee: $1,800

  • Textbooks: ~$1,123 (may vary)

Scholarship: Enroll now and receive up to $10,000 in student scholarships (limited to the first six enrollments).

REQUIREMENTS

To apply, you must meet the following criteria:

  • High school graduation or mature student status (19+)

  • Admissions interview (in person or via Skype)

  • Letter of Intent (minimum 250 words outlining your career goals)

  • English proficiency, if applicable:

    • IELTS 5.5

    • TOEFL 57+

    • CLBPT minimum 6

    • Duolingo 85–90 (accepted in certain circumstances)

This program has been approved by the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB).


MEET YOUR INSTRUCTORS

Julie Berg

Julie Berg brings 25 years of forward-thinking fashion design and energy-fuelled marketing talent to the table. A product development specialist for both retail and private labels, she’s crafted contemporary designer sportswear and accessories collections for small-sized independent retailers and big brands alike.


Melissa McSorley

Following in her mother and grandmother’s footsteps, Melissa chose a career in the fashion industry and has been teaching for the last three years. She is a graduate from the Art Institute of Vancouver’s Fashion Design and Merchandising program. After a successful pattern making internship while in her second-to-last quarter, Melissa started working in the industry three months before graduation. Since graduation, Melissa has been building her skill set in contract pre-production manufacturing, wearing many hats. She also works with her own clients as a seamstress, doing alterations and one-of-a-kind projects.

Hien-Nhi Nguyen

Graduated from Kingston University London in the UK with a Bachelor in Fashion Design, Hien-Nhi (Nee) specializes in crafting menswear and womenswear across casual, outerwear, and athleisure categories. She began her career as an intern with London womenswear brand Eudon Choi and German luxury brand ESCADA in 2016, before gaining international experience with fashion suppliers such as Itochu Prominent (USA) and Ess Tee Global Traders (Hong Kong). In 2021, she collaborated with a Finnish start-up to develop performance wear using recycled coffee grounds, a project that reinforced her commitment to sustainable innovation. She also worked as a designer at Pearl Global Industries, developing outerwear, tops, and dresses for global brands including Calvin Klein, Polo Ralph Lauren, Aritzia, and Zara. Now based in Vancouver, Hien-Nhi shares her expertise and passion as a fashion design instructor, helping the next generation of designers imagine and realize the possibilities of fashion.

LOOK FOR A WAY TO APPLY?

Applying is straightforward and designed to be personal.


The application is our first opportunity to get to know you. Once you submit the form, an Admissions will reach out to you.

This conversation allows us to share meaningful insights about the program, the industry, career pathways, job opportunities, and available tuition grants or financial aid options. Just as importantly, it gives us the chance to learn about you: your goals, what you hope to achieve through your training, and any questions or concerns we can support you with.

Please note that no enrolment deposit is required until you have been formally accepted into the program. We invite you to submit your application here below

Frequently Asked Questions

You have questions, we have answers.
If you can’t find what you’re looking for in our FAQ section below, use our online submission form.

 This program has been approved by the registrar of the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) of the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills.
The Cut Design Academy is designated with PTIB