My Style Camp Of Port Washington Empowers Kids Through Fashion Design

PORT WASHINGTON, NY — When Stacey Saltzman first opened My Style Camp in her Port Washington home's garage as a blank palette, she couldn't have pictured the painting it would become. But many broad strokes later, her camp has evolved into a business that occupies two suites on the highly-desired main strip of her home village.

Saltzman, a fashion designer who garnered experience with Tommy Hilfiger's girls branch and crafting Broadway costumes, always had a creative itch she needed to scratch. From a young age, Saltzman altered her clothing in a bid to express herself. Now, helping people of all ages create wearable art is just one thing she teaches.

"It’s so empowering to have kids right now who want to find an outlet to express themselves but don’t know how to do that, and I give them the skills to do that through what they wear," Saltzman told Patch. "It doesn’t have to be high fashion. It can be anything."

My Style Camp, located at 2-8 Haven Avenue, just above Starbucks on Main Street, offers camps and classes for children, teens and adults. People can sign up on the My Style Camp website.

Beginners typically learn how to create accessories and pajama pants. The next phase includes sweatshirts, T-shirts, dresses and skirts. For more experienced sewers, upcycling is incorporated, where people can take old clothing and mix and match designs to create something new.

"It’s really a mix-and-match and mash-up of all these different styles that tell a story of who they are and their style," Saltzman said.

There are different levels of sewing classes. Adults can also take classes and leave with new outfits they can wear.

"One of the things when I developed my style camp was not just to make fashion designers, but to have a place where kids could come to express themselves," Saltzman said. "Having two children of my own and going through all those trials and tribulations and managing through social media, I felt like the most important thing was to create a safe space for kids to be who they are and to express themselves artistically. Create wearable art and use fashion design as a vehicle. And to find confidence, life skills, friendships and things like that. That’s exactly what it’s been, so it’s pretty cool."

Seeing children take pride in the clothing, items and accessories they create gives Saltzman strength, she said.

"Having a small business, with the staffing, the back-end, coordinating all the parts and making it amazing all the time, fresh and new, it’s really hard," she said.

Jacquie Juceam has a daughter who attends classes at My Style Camp and called it a "very special place."

"Port Washington is really lucky to have this place," Juceam said.

Saltzman, after years in the costume design industry, had a son 13 years ago and a daughter 9 years ago. She realized she wanted to find a stable job where she could make a living while still working in fashion — but one that would allow her to be present as a mother.

Saltzman quit her job and first rented a space at Michael's.

"And I was so happy. I was like, 'Oh my God, this is amazing!' And everyone’s like, 'Are you crazy? You just quit your major job.' But for me, I was going to be able to see my kids grow up and see my family. That meant more to me."

Saltzman had initial reservations about her choice.

"I had my first classes and two kids showed up, and I was like, 'Oh my God, what did I do?' I was like, 'OK, this might have been the wrong decision.'"

Her husband, a fellow entrepreneur, supported her decision. The two made it work. Saltzman, after traveling around with her workshops, started the business in her garage in 2017. She converted the space into a studio.

"It was the best-kept secret," she said. "I was always full and had classes every day. When the pandemic hit, I still ran classes. I got a screen for my garage. I was successful. It was really great."

After the pandemic, Saltzman found herself roughly four years into her garage business. She felt it time to get a commercial space. She closed on the office space above Starbucks in 2020. When another business next to her left, Saltzman took that space and knocked down the wall to make it a party space.

She hosts designers who come in to instruct children and hosts birthday parties every weekend. Parties feature clothing designs and other creative ideas.

My Style Camp is now offered as part of the Port Washington School District's after-school program.

Saltzman believes it important that her son and daughter see hardworking parents whose jobs pay the bills.

"That’s something I wanted to instill in my kids."

Saltzman, a Port Washington resident, chose the village for her business because she feels it is a great community and wanted to be nearby her kids.

"It’s a very mixed community of people who work in the city and people who are home," she said. "There are so many career people and people who moved from the city to Port Washington, so they appreciate what I do."

Her office is directly across from the town's Long Island Rail Road stop, so she gets students from Douglaston, Merrick, and Forest Hills in addition to the more nearby communities. There are plenty of restaurants nearby, so parents can grab a meal while their kids take a class.

Saltzman said she would like to expand one day to a more central part of Long Island.

She does offer occasional pop-ups in other communities and will travel to people's homes to throw parties there, she said.

My Style Camp also plans to participate in the current "Barbie" craze, thanks to the hit movie. Several "Barbie" workshops are planned for the week of Aug. 21, where people can create "Barbie"-themed fashion items with initials. There are also alternative workshops that week for those who are not "Barbie" fans.

The workshop schedule for that week is:

• Aug. 22: Painting a Barbie tote with special guest designer Tracy Dizon.
• Aug. 23: Four-hour sewing workshop.
• Aug. 24: TikTok sensation Evan Hirsch will teach kids how to drape and sew a miniature pink "Barbie" dress.

Saltzman also hosts themed fashion nights on Fridays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. She encourages parents to drop their children off and grab dinner in Port Washington. Every Friday is a different theme, from anime to sports to "Barbie." The nights feature sewing, embellishing, embroidery, knitting, ice cream bars, cookies, and painting.

Saltzman, who has worked with kids throughout her career, said it felt "very natural" to transfer designing for kids to teaching kids.

"Of course, there’s been growing pains and things I’ve learned along the way," she said. "Now I have an understanding on how to work with children and how to get their ideas from their head to the paper to making actual clothing that represents who they are."

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