FIDM: Shoe Wear Design Challenge

Thanks Lynne Bartley from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in California for joining us at Alter High School. She shared information about FIDM summer programs and college opportunities, history of the shoe industry as well as a fun, creative shoe design challenge. Members created a one of a kind shoe collection based on pop star, Katy Perry. 

Althea Harper Presentation

Last month, Fashion Club was lucky enough to host Althea Harper, season 6 Project Runway runner-up and Dayton native. She told us about her experiences in the fashion world, and shared some of what she has learned from interning at Alexander McQueen and working at Tory Burch. We learned a lot from Althea-- fashion industry lingo, college options, and how she got her "dream" internships. Aside from these practical lessons, Althea urged us to follow our passions: "If you have a passion and you want to follow it, start now. While you're young, everyone is here to help you and everyone wants you to succeed." She went on, saying, "You don't have to conform to what's going on in society. Tory Burch wouldn't make a mini skirt. If you don't like what's popular, just don't do it." This advice hit home for us, especially in the high school world where everyone wants you to conform or be left out. Basically, Althea is the cool older sister we all wish we had.

Today, Althea resides in Oakwood with her adorable daughter. As a mom and fashion designer, she shows girls that you really can have it all. Thank you again, Althea, for coming in and sharing with us how you do things your way. 

Althea and her daughter. Photo courtesy of cincychic.com

xoxo,

Alter Fashion Club

Go Red for Women Fashion Show

Alter Fashion Club was given the fantastic opportunity to support yet another great cause through fashion at the annual 'Go Red for Women' American Heart Association Fashion show.

We got the chance to walk the runway in one of a kind red dresses made by University of Cincinnati DAAP fashion design students. It was an awesome experience to be able to see the fashion industry on the other side of the curtain. Seeing the hand crafted dresses along with the heart disease survivors was a huge inspiration to the models and audience alike.

   

Laurie Wilson

Alter Fashion Club welcomed another guest, Laurie Wilson from The University of Cincinnati's school of design (including fashion), architecture, art and planning - otherwise known as DAAP.

Laurie gave us a glimpse of the amazing annual DAAP fashion show that she produces every year.
She shared what DAAP is all about and the amazing opportunities it offers - sparking some major motivation to start chasing our college dreams. She was able to answer everyone's questions, about everything from interior design to urban planning.

Laurie filled us in on her background and dream job history in the fashion industry giving us great snippets of advice on how to navigate it all.

As Laurie told us, "The fashion industry will never die. People will always wear clothes, people always want to touch and feel and experience."

Thanks for everything Laurie!

xoxo,

Alter Fashion Club 

Wags to Riches

Alter Fashion Club tried something a little different - dog fashion! The clothes were designed by Project Runway runner up Althea Harper as a fundraiser for the Humane Society. Members who volunteered learned about how fashion and philanthropy can be combined and gained experience around the runway, even if it were dogs waking instead of models.

                   

Thank you to the Humane Society and Althea Harper for this opportunity!

xoxo

Alter Fashion Club

Madeline from Madeline & Company

Alter Fashion Club welcomed 17 year old Madeline from Madeline & Company to share her journey of how she launched her very own stylish, yet functional backpack business and landed interviews on popular blogs like The College Prepster.

                    

Thanks for inspiring us all Madeline!

xoxo

Alter Fashion Club

DIY Pocket Shirts

All activities, from sports teams, clubs, and even special events come with a t-shirt, and of course Alter Fashion Club wanted one too. Being a fashion club, our t-shirts had to stand out. We're all about being unique, but we also needed to look unified as a club. So, we came up with a super cute DIY so that everyone could put their own pocket on the shirt. It was fun & simple and everyone’s t-shirts look great on Spirit Day!

We printed a template found online on card stock and went to town.

Thanks to all of you who joined us bright and early at one of our morning sessions!

Follow these steps to make your own!

1. Download and print t-shirt pocket pattern (here)

2. Trace pattern on a fun fabric of your choice & cut it out.

3. Once you have your cut pocket, cut the edges of your pattern off on the second cut line so the pattern is smaller than the pocket you just cut

4. Trace this smaller pattern on your already cut fabric to mark a hem line.

5. Turn edges down against the smaller pattern and iron so your pocket edges are clean

6. Stitch or fabric glue this new flap down to the pocket to hem it

7. Glue or sew the pocket itself down on to the front of the shirt

8. Now you can wear your fun personalized t-shirt!

xoxo,

Alter Fashion Club

Columbus Fashion Week

Alter Fashion Club goes behind the scenes of Columbus Fashion Week! We got the opportunity to work with models, designers and the the tech team to help produce an extraordinary show. We finished the night by sitting an arms length away from the runway watching designs from headline designers like David Tupaz and Stevie Boi.

Check out this awesome video of the show. 

Congratulations to Thomas McClure and the rest of Columbus Fashion Week for a fabulous show!

xoxo,

Alter Fashion Club