Short Course Upcycling Fashion

When a student can turn their old jeans into a fashion forward jacket or an old sweater into trendy crop top, you are opening doors to new way of looking at old/used clothing. One of the most surprising elements of this class is that no sewing experience is needed, and all experience levels can create recycled fashion. Students leave with a feeling of accomplishment that if they want something new they can create it without spending a penny or going to any store. That changes the way they shop and ultimately how they see their own textile waste. Change starts small but has ongoing impact.

You will be taught how to deconstruct a garment and reassemble using key parts of the garment. You will have several choices of projects that will be geared to your experience/skill level. Having the students deconstruct a garment piece by piece – reteaches how a garment is constructed.

Once each garment is completely deconstructed, you will determine with your lecturer’s help what key elements of the garment you would like to keep and parts you want to discard.

The pieces are then reassembled creating a completely different garment, the discarded pieces serve as extra fabric needed to embellish finished garment. Most to all of the original piece is used and/or ideas are given to utilize leftover fabric. This teaches the zero-waste concept.

What you learn at the end is that with a little work and creativity you can make something new from something old and old clothes are never seen the same way again.

The online program takes place live and in real-time (Paris or Istanbul local time) and you will interact with the lecturer and other students through our online platform. However, if you cannot attend or miss a live class, every session is also recorded and saved, so you can go back and watch it at a later suitable time for you.

2 weeks, from Monday to Friday, from 10 am to 5 pm.

Cultural Exposure
To engage students’ inspiration is key. By visiting different fashion exhibits and being engulfed by the history of fashion told by designers thru their garments is a powerful motivator. The experience will help inspire the students in the direction they may want to go with their reconstructed garment.

Thrift Shopping
The class will get the exclusive opportunity to thrift with a thrifting expert. The experience will teach students what to look for while thrifting, how to recognize treasures, what pieces are ideal to reconstruct and more importantly understand the sustainable aspect of thrifting. This will also allow students to pick garments for reconstruction with the guidance of their lecturer, to assure suitable end products.

Intro to Clothing Reconstruction/Photoshoot
On the first day of class a full introduction to the lecturer will begin this class to show the sustainable fashion journey that led to teaching this class. Students will share their experiences that led them to taking this class. Examples of different ways to be sustainable will be shown and discussed. The experience of thrifting will also be discussed to understand why those garments were chosen by those students. Photos of students with before garments will be crucial to show the dramatic comparison to finished garment.

Garment Ideas & Deconstruction
Students will show and explain garments they brought for reconstruction and what they are hoping to do with it. The lecturer will give her ideas and together with the assistant finalize which ideas are feasible to create and teach/help the deconstruction process. All Ideas will need to be confirmed to move forward with deconstruction in order to have adequate time to complete a new garment. Students will continue to deconstruct their garments until they are left with a blank slate to recreate their new garment. During this process, ideas will be shared/shown to elaborate the countless things that can be done with scraps and textile waste. Photos taken to continue to document the process.

Clothing Reconstruction
Each student will get the help and guidance from the lecturer and the assistant to reconstruct the new garment. Any missteps or errors in reconstruction will be reworked and resolved. Fit and structure will be adjusted, if needed. Embellishing garments or adding final touches will be the focus to assure a fully wearable reconstructed design. Each student will have the time to finalize their garment/s and create a full look for their last photos. Those who are completely finished will have the opportunity to make accessories with discarded fabric, as an addition to their look or as an additional project. Pictures will be taken from start to finish to capture the entire process.

Photoshoot of Finished Garments
Students will get the opportunity to style their new garment and have it photographed. This gives the student a chance to be proud of what they have accomplished and in addition, prove that the options of reconstruction are limitless. Photos can/will also be used to generate interest for future classes.

• Recommended level of English is IELTS 5.5 (to fully understand and follow the course). The IELTS certificate is not required, but we just want to be certain that you will be able to comprehend the course.
• Min. 16 years old (Paris, Istanbul) and 13 years old (Online)
• Interest in sustainable fashion, upcycling/recycling fashion

Documents to provide (in English or translated to English by a certified translator):

• Fill in the online application form
• Resume
• Copy of passport
• Passport photo