FASHION DESIGN:
Today, TMFF has become a youth-driven entity that develops programs solely for youth, responds to youth’s changing needs, and uses the arts as a positive engagement tool. Currently, it runs a studio space in Chicago’s inner-city but, already, it has outgrown it. TMFF’s long-term goal now is to offer a large multi-purpose building that features housing, an arts centre, and a retail storefront.
The Mildred Franks Foundation Youth Society is a non-profit organization that helps North Lawndale youth at risk through the arts. From fashion and music to visual art and writing, our small but dedicated team uses every imaginable creative medium to coach, mentor, and support the growing number of TMFF youth who walk through our doors.
TMFF offers Chicago's youth at risk a unique youth fashion programs as part of its development program. In addition to being a practical medium, fashion is also popular with youth for its freedom of expression and creativity. Features of this program include a sewing course where youth can design and produce their own clothing under the instruction of experienced staff. Classes focused on traditional beading and dance costume creation are offered as part of this fashion program.
Goals of Instruction :
The Fashion Design program is a comprehensive course of study which begins with fundamental professional skills and advances step by step to the most technical and artistic methods employed by designers and technicians in all areas of the fashion industries: women’s, children’s, men’s, intimate apparel, and body wear. Our program will prepare you for an entry-level job and post-secondary education fashion programs. .
Sequence of Courses:
Introduction to Fashion Art
Introduction to fashion Design: machine and hand stitching
Basic Fashion Design 1 & 2: Application of machine and hand tools to construct children’s garments. (Fall term) More complex garment construction (Spring term) The motivation, skill, achievement demonstrated by students .
Students take a sequence, which includes Fashion Art 1 /2
OR Pattern Making 1 /2,Bodywear and Intimate Apparel 1 /2, or Draping 1 /2.
Fashion Art 1 & 2: Sketching techniques using croquis; transforming an idea into tangible form. In the spring, students will create fashion sketches and learn painting techniques.
Pattern Making 1 & 2: developing designs utilizing flat pattern making methods; in the spring, students construct a garment from an originally designed pattern.
Draping 1 & 2: Using three dimensional draping methods, students learn to manipulate muslin to create a foundation pattern, which ultimately evolves to an individually designed garment from the drape.
Bodywear and Intimate apparel 1 & 2: techniques used to design and construct intimate apparel and bodywear.
Students take one of the following sequences
Advanced Draping 1&2 (women’s wear): Complex draping skills for women’s wear; students will create fashion show garments from an original design. Prerequisite: Draping 1 /2
Advanced Pattern Making 1 & 2 ( women’s, men’s and children’s wear): complex pattern making skills for women’s, men’s and children’s wear; students will create a fashion show garment from an original design. Draping 1 /2 and pattern making 1/ 2
Advanced Bodywear and Intimate Apparel 1 & 2: advanced techniques used to design and construct intimate apparel and body wear; design and construction of garments for the annual fashion show. Prerequisite: Draping 1/ 2 OR Bodywear and Intimate Apparel 1/ 2.
In addition, when the budget permits, recommended students may also be given:
Advanced Fashion Art: creation of designs for the annual fashion show.
Portfolio: students learn advanced rendering skills and develop a portfolio of original designs.
Please note: Fashion Design majors also take Introduction to Occupations; This 1/ 4 unit of study is incorporated into one or more of their other assigned courses.