2023 Fashion Academy
The BKLYN Fashion Academy just celebrated it's 5th Season!
Our theme this year was Ancient Egypt: Gods of the Runway!
This year our designers explored one the world's oldest civilizations: Ancient Egypt! Egypt had one of the largest and most complex pantheons of gods of any civilization in the ancient world. Over the course of Egyptian history hundreds of Gods and Goddesses were worshipped. This season we took a deep dive into these Gods and Goddesses, also known as deities, and saw how they shaped Egyptian culture, influence and fashion in the ancient world and now in modern times.
Meet our 2023 BKLYN Fashion Academy Designers!
FAQs
Entrants must be 18 years of age or older, live in Brooklyn and have sewing experience.
Applications are currently closed! Keep an eye out for our next season!
- You will be required to attend several classes, attend technical labs, mentor sessions and create a minimum of 4 looks.
- You will also complete an illustrated drawing of your main look, and feature your completed capsule collection in the BFA Fashion Show.
The runway show for Season 5 was held on Friday, May 5, 2023
The theme for the 2023, Seaon 5, year was Ancient Egypt: Gods of the Runway.
Learn more about the previous seasons of BKLYN Fashion Academy:
The theme for season 4 was American Fashion through Conflict. The evolution of American fashion can give us a glimpse of American history from the frontlines. In times of conflict, we see Americans redefine themselves, whether it is holding fast to tradition or evolving to embrace new realities. From the War of 1812 to the Korean War, the BKLYN Fashion Academy designers will use American history to inspire and develop their collections emphasizing the influence of the major players of their chosen era.
Their full mini-collections were showcased at the Runway Show on Friday, June 24 on Central Library’s Outdoor Plaza. More photos to come!
Meet our 2022 BKLYN Fashion Academy Designers!
Our focus for the 2020-2021 program year was the History of Carnevale (Carnival) and its influence around the world. Carnevale which means farewell to meat or flesh originally celebrated by Europeans and passed on to slaves who turned it into a celebration of freedom. By the 18th century free blacks in Trinidad mixed with French immigrants, Spanish settlers, and British nationals transformed the European celebration to a more heterogeneous cultural froth that included traditions from all ethnic groups. With the end of slavery in 1834, the now completely free populace could outwardly celebrate their native culture and their emancipation through dress, music, and dancing hence creating what is now known as Carnival.
Photo (top left to bottom right): Carnival in Haiti, Venice, Tenerife and Rio de Janiero
Designers showcased carnival across these 10 countries and their celebrations: Rio de Janeiro-Brazil, Venice-Italy. Port of Spain-Trinidad & Tobago, Binche-Belgium, Oruro-Bolivia, Toronto-Canada, Port-au-Prince-Haiti, New Orleans-Louisiana (USA), Nice-France and the Tenerife Island-Spain's Canary Islands.
Meet our 2020-2021 BKLYN Fashion Academy Designers!
Click on their profile photos to be directed to their sites and social media pages.
The 2019 video from the On the Runway: Homage to Future Fashion Show, captures all the colors, excitement, culture and creativity the designers had to offer.
Fashion forward: Researchers, designers debut new tech on New York City runway from Microsoft Research on Youtube
Video By: Microsoft Research
To learn more about the technology used, Microsoft's partnership with the BKLYN Fashion Academy and much more check out: Fashion Forward.
Check out the 2019 show, On the Runway: Homage to Future Fashion, First Half & Second Half, in case you missed it!
Want to see the 2019 BKLYN Fashion Academy Designers?
Check them out on the Made In NY: Fashion Instagram page, where you can get a little background on each designer and see what they have to offer!
Herero Women of Namibia
Photo Credit: Refinery29
StitchKit Tech Pack
Photo Credit: StitchKit
.png)
Ancient Egypt: Gods of the Runway Show
Check out the YouTube Livestream - CLICK HERE
Sign up for the Business & Career Center eNewsletter!
Our Season 5 has come to an end but you can get ahead in your business planning or fashion career by staying abreast of all our Fashion programming at the Business & Career Center.
You'll be the first to know when our applications open for the next season of BKLYN Fashion Academy!
About us
The BKLYN Fashion Academy teaches what it takes to create a viable fashion business! This intensive program provides the essentials to create and sell ready-to-wear men’s and women’s wear garments. Selected designers will receive mentoring from industry experts and attend classes on sustainability, sourcing, accessories design, market research, and more, while creating a ready-to-wear capsule collection.
The 16-week intensive establishes a launch pad for local, nascent fashion designers to channel their creative talent through a series of classes and hands-on labs which hone their skills and develop their business knowledge using BPL resources. The program works closely with numerous City agencies, educational institutions and industry partners to leverage NYC’s expertise in the fashion industry and to contribute to the growth of the sustainable fashion movement in Brooklyn.
Our Current Partners
- BK Style Foundation (BK | SF), was founded in 2004 as a platform to support creative talent. BK Style Foundation (BK|SF) lends a voice to social causes like human rights and civil liberties, HIV/AIDS awareness, poverty and community development by partnering with organizations like Denim Day NYC, which raises awareness for sexual assault and domestic violence. Art in Motion Show, Beauty for Freedom, Soles4Souls Foundation, MTV’s Staying Alive Foundation, Colel Chabad and other nonprofit organizations.
- FABSCRAP, a 501(c)3 charitable organization that was created to meet New York City’s commercial textile recycling needs. Materials that traditionally would have gone to landfill are now being properly recycled and made available for reuse.
- Fashion Week Brooklyn (fw | BK), is a bi-annual international collection show founded by the 501c3 non-profit BK|Style Foundation (BK|SF). FW|BK has emerged as one of the leading fashion events showcasing the talent of aspiring and established designers from across the globe. It has been named as the number 5 international fashion event in 2016. Attendees include a diverse spectrum of socially conscious, influencers, fashion- forward and creative people nationally and internationally.
- Made in New York: Fashion is a public initiative implemented by the New York City Economic Development Corporation. In collaboration with the private sector, Made in New York: Fashion is responsible for creating, developing, and implementing an array of programs to fortify New York City's fashion design, manufacturing, and educational sectors.
Program Donors
Have questions about becoming a partner or a donor? Please email us at [email protected]
Subject Guides
The librarians from BPL's Business & Career Services have created a specialized subject guide for aspiring designers that covers industry, competitor, and consumer research in the fashion industry as well resources for marketing and PR.
Have questions about the program? Contact us at [email protected].
Staff Picks
- The Fashion Industry
- Fashion Design
In fashionElaine Stone
Global sourcing in the textile and apparel industryJung Ha-Brookshire
Sewing hope : how one factory challenges the apparel industry's sweatshopsSarah Adler-Milstein
E-logistics : managing your digital supply chains for competitive advantage
200 skills every fashion designer must have : the indispensable guide to building skills and turning ideas into realityAisling McKeefry
Where stylists shop : the fashion insider's ultimate guide : the secret source list of designers, stylists, editors, bloggers, models, costume designers, street-style stars, and tastemakersBooth Moore
Slow fashion : aesthetics meets ethicsSafia Minney
Fashion trend forecastingGwyneth Holland
Social media for fashion marketing : storytelling in a digital worldWendy Bendoni
Fashion : design courseSteven Faerm
Fashion entrepreneur : starting your own fashion businessSandra Burke
Couture sewing techniques : the dressmaker's handbook of couture sewing techniquesLynda Maynard
The art of fashion illustration : learn the techniques and inspiration of today's leading fashion artistsSomer Flaherty Tejwani
Fashion design techniques : the basics and practical application of fashion illustrationZeshū Takamura
Fashion patternmaking techniques. Vol. 3, How to make jackets, coats and cloaks for women and men How to make jackets, coats and cloaks for women and menAntonio Donnanno
Fashion patternmaking techniques. Vol. 2, How to make shirts, undergarments, dresses and suits, waistcoats and jackets for women and men How to make shirts, undergarments, dresses and suits, waistcoats and jackets for women and menAntonio Donnanno
Fitting & pattern alteration : a multi-method approach to the art of style selection, fitting, and alterationElizabeth G Liechty
How to machine sew : techniques and projects for the complete beginnerSusie Johns
Sourcing ideasJosephine Steed
Gertie's new book for better sewing : a modern guide to couture-style sewing using basic vintage techniquesGretchen Hirsch
Creative techniques of fashion illustration
Designing clothes with the flat pattern method : customize fitting shells to create garments in any styleSara Alm
Fashion drawing : illustration techniques for fashion designersMichele Wesen Bryant