Riding the coattails of the inaugural fashion program added to the curriculum this past school year, Storm King School offered a fashion camp to children ages 12 to 16. The camp, led by art teacher Megan Liggett, started Monday and culminates with a fashion show on Aug. 9.
Liggett said there is a lot of interest in the fashion program, but the camp allows prospective students to test the waters before committing to a full semester of classes. While the camp isn’t as intensive as the course, it does offer a scaled down version of projects students would work on during the semester.
Six children registered for the camp, allowing for more one-on-one focus. The theme is “summer beach” and by the end of the two weeks participants will be able to create and take home an ensemble fit for the beach.
The first day of camp focused on learning to sew by hand, just so the kids could get a feel for the physical motion involved with sewing. They created felt name tags and a sampler, a super baby tapestry which allowed the campers to show their mastership of various stitches. Another easy project was creating a pillow case.
The kids learned about the difference between natural and man-made fibers and how natural fibers, when caught on fire, will burn, while man-made fibers will drip like melted plastic.
A field trip to Joann’s allowed the students to learn about fabrics and pick out their own materials to create their beach outfits.
The two-week camp is designed to be progressive, said Liggett. For example, the first article of clothing the kids will create is a tank top as the patterns are easy to learn.
Creating a circle skirt is more involved because it entails draping fabric and learning how different fabrics drape over a mannequin. Students need to use math to take measurements. There might even be some algebra and geometry required.
Students will also learn to create accessories for their outfit including jewelry and hats.
On Aug. 9, at 7 p.m. in the Walter Reade Theatre, the campers will show off their creations in a fashion show held in conjunction with the film camp. A video will precede the fashion show.
Liggett views fashion as a lost art and hopes the camp will help renew an interest in the industry.
“I hope kids will be able to appreciate the things they take for granted,” she said, noting before the Industrial Revolution clothing was handed down and patched until all that was left of the fabric was threads.
