Young Sustainable Fashion Designers (CSC139)

Calling all aspiring sustainable fashion designers! In this four-day course you will learn all about womenswear fashion design, how to sew and make your own unique garments from existing material and old clothes and combine them new cool embellishments to make designer fashion pieces that respect the planet.

What will you learn on this course?

In this four-day course young people will be introduced to the world of fashion design and garment customisation, working with the philosophy of sustainable practice, re-use, re-make and respect the environment.

With a focus on womenswear, the course is inspired by important designers and organisations who are making changes to their design process, such as Stella McCartney and Fashion Revolution.

During the week, young people will learn how to sew, and how to use a sewing machine. They will learn how to take a piece of existing material or old clothing and customise that to create unique designer fashion pieces to wear, bringing new life, and individual style to their clothes.

The course will focus on making wrap skirts from a base pattern, learn how to create patch pockets for jeans, add embellishments, or create a collar to enhance your outfits.

The course is delivered through demonstrations and one to one guidance, the tutor will go through each step of the design process.

Who is this course for?

This course is suitable for young people aged 12 to 17 years. It is open to all levels, complete beginners will be introduced to designing, sewing, and making garments, and those who are looking to improve their skills will be guided by the tutor. We provide a learning support worker and all our staff are DBS checked. Parents are not expected to accompany young people on this course.

The course is accessible for young people who can undertake practical sewing activities including operating a sewing machine and using an iron. At the heart of MAC is a focus on accessibility and inclusion. Please contact us to discuss your specific access needs. A personal assistant or companion must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support.

Age ranges are set carefully to consider key age developments, materials being used and course stimulus. It is very important that age ranges are not too large or across key stages and therefore need to be adhered to.

Do you need to bring anything?

Students will have the opportunity to make or adapt 2-3 garments during the course.

We recommend bringing a selection of, ideally pre-loved, fabrics, such as duvet covers or bed sheets, plus ready-made garments that can be embellished.

Depending on your garments, you can learn to sew a new piece to go with your old one.

A selection of essential sewing equipment and materials will be provided, along with lots of interesting scrap fabrics that you may wish to work with.

You may also wish to bring a folder to store your samples.

Please note that lunch is not provided. Participants will need to bring their own lunch to eat on a supervised one-hour break.

Are there any additional costs?

Items listed above that you do not already have must be provided at your own expense.

Please try to buy pre-loved items from charity or vintage shops. Alternatively, these items can be purchased from fabric and haberdashery stores such as Birmingham Rag market, EU Fabrics, Fancy Silk Store & Barry’s Fabric Digbeth.

Who teaches this course?

Azi Zahed