The Boutique’s role in the fashion education at Seneca

• Posted on 4 November 2025
• By Gabrielle Garcia
• 0

(Source: Pinterest )

At Seneca College, the Boutique brings fashion education to life beyond the classroom. Established in 1973, the Boutique has been around for over 50 years. It was originally used as a display room for special archives and collections but eventually turned into the retail business that we know today. Now, it serves not only a campus retail store but also a learning lab for our second-year students giving them the opportunity to gain real-world experience in the fashion industry.

(Source: Seneca Archives )

Hands-on Learning experience

The Boutique provides students with an opportunity to apply what they learn in the classroom to a real-life business setting. Throughout the semester, students work as sales associates to gain hands-on retail customer experience. In addition to working shifts, they collect and analyze weekly analytics and KPI’s, which they then present to the rest of the teams. This practical experience allows students to step into the business world and practice delivering performance results just like professionals do.

Collaboration and Teamwork

There are four teams that run the Boutique: Merchandising and In-store marketing, Buying, Planning and Operations and E-commerce and Digital Marketing team. Each team completes a variety of tasks that help keep the business running smoothly while gaining valuable experience on the backend of operations. Each team consists of three to four students who work closely together to ensure the Boutique remains updated and fresh.

(Source: Pexels )

Preparing Future Industry Leaders

Every shift, project, and display in the Boutique contributes to building the next generation of fashion professionals. The students not only learn about fashion - they live it. By the time they graduate, they will have already gained real industry experience and the confidence to put themselves out there and work hard.

(Source: Pexels )