By: Sara Koonar

John Hillifer and his winning design.

John Hillifer's design will be available in select Danier stores this Fall.

Danier, our fave leather retailer and Ryerson’s School of Fashion in Toronto teamed up to give up-and-coming designers the opportunity to have their creations sold in stores across the nation.

Third-year fashion students learned the art of working and crafting leather from Danier experts and were judged by a panel of industry experts including Jeanne Beker and George Antonoplous. From 65 initial sketch video entries to 25 muslin samples and then finally to 15 completed leather garments, the judges narrowed it down to three finalists.

The public then voted online at danierdesignchallenge.com and chose their favourite design.

The winners received cash prizing in the amount of: $2,000 for third-place winner and Winnipeg native, Tanya Wiebe; $3,000 for second-place Pamela Card from Vancouver; and $5,000 for first -place winner John Hillifer from Vancouver Island.

“I am so excited and honoured by this award; I am also extremely thankful for the learning experience and appreciative of the continued mentorship that Danier has shown me,” said winner John Hillifer.

Hillifer’s top design will be sold in select Danier retail locations across Canada this coming fall, offering immeasurable exposure to this young design talent.

“I am thrilled to see the creativity and growth that these students have shown throughout this competition and am happy to award John Hillifer the opportunity to now be judged by every designer’s ultimate critic, the consumer,” said Danier’s CEO, Jeffrey Wortsman.