Jennifer Dares has over twenty-five years of industry experience as a Canadian contemporary fashion designer and trend forecaster. Jennifer holds a diploma in Fashion from Sheridan College. Her experience includes working as a designer, pattern drafter, managing and recruiting for a major department store, as an assistant buyer for Emporio Armani and the Women’s and Girls’ Trend Direction Manager for HBC. Jennifer established her women’s wear label LAYER in 2002. LAYER publications include Canadian and international press coverage. Jennifer also contributes to the advancement of the industry, new designers and numerous worthy causes such as Fashion Cares, the Art Gallery of Ontario’s Shadow Ball, the Royal Ontario Museum’s Indigo Auction, or the Fashion Zone advisor
Jennifer has been teaching for twenty years within the space of Fashion. Jennifer was a co-investigator on the Ryerson University research team for the research project titled ‘Neighbourhood Policing: Designing Uniforms that Work’ project. Jennifer’s professional development is ongoing, as she visits museums and exhibits during her travels. She keeps abreast of industry trends and attends conferences on design, sustainability and technology. Jennifer’s current research focus in the MA Fashion program at Ryerson University is sustainability, the circular economy and upcycling. When we asked Jennifer which SDG was closest to her heart, she replied:
“I am passionate about all of the SDGs, but its ‘SDG 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns’ where I believe I can make a difference not only in my design practice but also in my design research and the sharing of knowledge.”
