Fashion Students Get Exclusive Access to SMCP North America
HLOs: 
A new collaboration between Humber Polytechnic’s Fashion programs and SMCP North America has given students an inside look at the world of accessible luxury retail, blending classroom learning with real-world industry engagement.
This fall, the Fashion programs at Humber Polytechnic’s Longo Faculty of Business launched a new collaboration with SMCP North America, the global fashion group behind Sandro, Maje, Claudie Pierlot, and Fursac. Coordinated by Associate Dean Bruce Sinclair and supported by Professors Francesca D’Angelo, Rossie Kadiyska and Judi Shekter, the partnership has already given students a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the accessible-luxury retail world through in-class presentations and an exclusive tour of SMCP’s Maje and Sandro boutiques at Sherway Gardens.
The class visits brought the SMCP experience directly into Humber’s classrooms. Led by Ashley Boyd, General Manager - Maje, and joined by AJ Mundie, Retail Director – Canada, Sandra Gaj, Area Manager SMCP and Ugo Chikezie, Master Stylist at Sandro Yorkdale, the sessions offered a transparent look at what it means to build a career in modern luxury retail. Students explored how today’s “phygital” landscape, seamlessly merging physical and digital retail, creates opportunities for personalisation, storytelling, and brand engagement. They learned that success at SMCP doesn’t depend on prior retail experience, but on people skills, empathy, and curiosity about fashion. The sessions also unpacked the company’s dynamic compensation model that rewards entrepreneurial thinking and client relationship-building.
For students, the experience was both eye-opening and energising. They discovered how SMCP supports stylist development through structured onboarding, mentoring, and digital-engagement training, tools that prepare Stylists to treat their client books as their own mini-businesses. These insights aligned closely with Humber’s emphasis on experiential, career-ready learning and showcased the wide range of roles available in fashion retail beyond traditional sales, including styling, management, and omnichannel operations.
By connecting theory to industry practice, the SMCP partnership has enriched the student learning experience and deepened Humber’s ties with one of the world’s most dynamic fashion groups. It also reinforced the importance of cultivating both business acumen and creativity, skills that define Humber Polytechnic graduates entering the evolving world of fashion and luxury retail.
