Vancouver-based designer Aileen Lee and Amazon Canada have selected the Wilson School of Design at Kwantlen Polytechnic University as recipients of a $25,000 endowment to support the local fashion community.
Lee had been selected as one of the designers for Amazon’s campaign featuring Canadian fashion designers, which gave her the opportunity to select KPU to receive the endowment. The fund will be used to provide an award of $1,250 each year for one student enrolled in the Wilson School of Design’s fashion design and technology program.
Lee, who is founder of fashion brand Vestige, is not an alumnus of KPU or the Wilson School of Design but wanted to support the education sector.
“I wanted to contribute to something that will help the next generation of designers and professionals that are in the fashion industry,” says Lee.
“What I really like about the Wilson School of Design program is that it’s a fashion and technology program, so it doesn’t just focus on design. As a designer that is running her own business, I realize how important it is to have both the creative skills and the technical background, so I felt this program was the right one to support.”
Andhra Goundrey, dean of the Wilson School of Design, thanked Lee for her generous support of KPU students.
“We appreciate the recognition of the depth of the fashion and technology curriculum and we are inspired by the entrepreneurial success story of Vestige,” she adds.