High fashion is about to get a little shorter.
Fashion 101, a nine-week program for kids seven to 13 years old, is looking for the next generation of fashion fanatics. The class is part of the “College for Kids” weekend program at Kingsborough Community College, and aims to teach kids all about the fashion industry. And youngsters will learn there are plenty of popular jobs that don’t revolve around the catwalk, according to the instructor.
“When I was a child, I thought you could only be a designer or a model,” said Shaunya Hartley, a stylist and blogger who is teaching the class for the first year. “You have pre-production and production people, and stylists and buyers — they’ll also be learning behind-the-scenes aspects.”
Hartley said the students will learn designers’ tips and tricks, like keeping an “inspiration board” — a collage filled with colorful clippings from clothing magazines. Most importantly, Hartley said, Fashion 101 will teach kids how to decode fashion lingo — and turn an idea into an outfit.
“You’ll see a designer saying, ‘We’re going for Great Gatsby and New York chic,’ ” she said. “Fashion is actually a project.”
Hartley said the fashion world has changed so much over the past decade that in today’s high-tech world, fashion bloggers of all ages can have a huge online presence so their opinions can shape styles.
“Fashion is so democratic now,” she said.
Kingsborough’s “College for Kids” is a weekend program that also includes a variety of sports, plus classes in history, math, forensics, art, and even Minecraft. Kids can attend morning sessions on Saturday and Sunday, or an all-day session on Saturday, from Oct. 11 to Dec. 7.
Fashion 101 at Kingsborough Community College [2001 Oriental Boulevard between Quentin Street and Decatur Avenue in Manhattan Beach, (718) 368–5050, www.kbcc.cuny.edu/continuinged/Documents/Fall_2014/College_For_Kids.pdf]. Oct. 11 at 9:45 am. Mornings only $90, full day $235 (includes lunch), both require a $25 non-refundable registration fee.
