Tannis holds a university concentration in Visual Arts, Design and Teaching, and retains two specialized degrees in both Fine Arts and Education. With her vast background and teaching experience in Art, Design, Clothing/Textiles, History and Media/Advertising, combined with her passionate fervour for Fashion, Tannis realized those interested in the creative realm of Fashion Design were offered no educational option in the thriving Okanagan region. Thus, Tannis opened the area's first Fashion Design School, Okanagan Fashion Institute, in Kelowna in 2005. Combining the dynamic attributes of the larger urban centres with the natural beauty of the Okanagan Valley, Kelowna is a lively and sophisticated city that is growing rapidly. This vibrant Four Seasons Playground offers an exciting environment for all ages.

Tannis expresses her creativity, passion, and love for the Arts & Fashion through her teaching. With the abundance of technology infiltrating our world, she believes in the renaissance and importance of traditional skills that are often lost or replaced by computers and such. Students are taught in the time-honoured and long established method of conventional Flat Patternmaking, Sewing and Illustration.

Tannis’ greatest incentive is inspiring confidence, individuality and motivation in others. Having designed and sewn clothes since she was a little girl, her imagination follows her in whatever she does. She believes creativeness is in everyone.

Passionate about conservation and environmentalism, Tannis is an advocate for recycling, and finds beauty in aged & worn garments. She is interested in the reconstruction of vintage & recycled clothing, as well as the combination of earthly, natural textiles with the multitude of other luxurious fabrics available today. Tannis believes there are no rules or limits when it comes to the imagination.

The Fashion Design Program is designed to provide students with the core skills necessary to design & illustrate ideas, draft & make flat patterns, and sew couture & ready-to-wear standard garments. Okanagan Fashion Institute is designed to help turn fashion dreams into certainty.

“Make it personal. Take some chances. Try those colors you’ve always loved but were afraid to use. What’s the worst that can happen? You have to start over again? So what? Designing is fun. And maybe you’ll learn something about yourself in the process.” -- Betsey Johnson, Fashion Designer