The Art & Craft of Fashion

ST. LOUIS — Craft Alliance (CA) is pleased to announce the successful launch of a new series of fashion classes in the Grand Center and Delmar Loop locations. Now, in addition to weaving, textile arts, and book arts, CA offers classes that explore the art and craft of fashion.

Thanks to the generosity of Deborah Waldman-Pontious and Jim and Dorte Probstein, CA was able to outfit the studios with sixteen brand new Baby Lock sewing machines, two sergers, dress forms, and a variety of accompanying accessories. With the arrival of these tools, CA has implemented a fashion-based curriculum that includes over ten new courses during the winter/spring session.

In classes such as Fashion 101: The Craft of Fashion, students study textiles, surface design, and learn couture sewing techniques, while Reconstructing with Denim gives students a chance to get funky and creative with their own repurposed clothes. Advanced students study the history of haute couture in Fashion 301: Couture Fashion Project finishing the course with his/her own couture garment, created from start to finish in the CA studios. Day and evening fashion related opportunities are available for many skill levels, including camps and classes for ages 10 – 15. In addition to our staff of great teaching artists, we have added several new faculty members who are eager to share their love of fabric and fashion.

Classes are currently underway, and the holiday camp, Fashion Sew Fun, culminated in December with students creating an altered t-shirt, skirt, and bags. Fashion 101: Fashion Design Fundamentals, Altered Couture, and Computer-aided Fabric Designare just a few of the courses being offered. Computer-aided Fabric Design was an immediate success! Instructor Courtney Henson explains that, “Students are learning so quickly, they can’t wait to see their original patterns translated into fabric!”

Waldman-Pontious, our Fashion 101 teacher, notes that her students are so excited about the class that they often bring their projects home to work on before the next session. 

For more information about CA’s new fashion classes, please call 314.725.1177 ext 325 or check online at www.craftalliance.org/education/studiosdl.htm.