Fourteen Students Presented Spring Collections in Virtual Runway Show from Historic Othmer Library
Innovative Program for Aspiring Fashion Designers is the Only One of Its Kind in the Nation
See images and video here.
Brooklyn, NY—The BKLYN Fashion Academy presented a virtual runway show on Friday from the historic Othmer Library on Pierrepont Street, showcasing the collections designed by the class of 2020.
The free 16-week intensive program for aspiring fashion designers, now in its third year, provides a free, practical education, studio time, library resources and contact with industry professionals to help designers produce their collections, market their brands and sell their products. The unique partnership between the public library and the fashion industry is the only one of its kind in the nation.
Designers must have basic sewing skills to apply and are selected for the academy by industry professionals in a competitive process. This year’s class included men and women from a variety of backgrounds and careers—including a software engineer, a personal shopper and a dancer. One designer began his career in high school, designing a friend’s prom dress. Although all participants must reside in Brooklyn to participate in the academy, they hail from around the world, including Japan, Eritrea, Venezuela and Jamaica.
The program includes classes on fashion design, marketing research, and sustainability. Participants work closely with mentors and finish the program by creating a ready-to-wear spring/summer collection.
BKLYN Fashion Academy was developed through BKLYN Incubator, the library’s program empowering staff to develop new public programs from the ground up with community partners. The Incubator is behind some of the Library’s most popular initiatives including the musical instrument lending library, BKLYN Robotics League, board game exchange, and the cookmobile.
“Brooklyn Public Library’s runway show is always one of the highlights of the year and this year’s fashion academy class, amid all the hardships of the pandemic, truly rose to the occasion: working on their collections at home for many months, staging a beautiful, safe and socially distant runway show, and even adding masks into their designs,” said Nick Higgins, Chief Librarian. “Working together with our partners in industry and providing a free professional education to Brooklyn’s creative community is the embodiment of the Library’s mission to provide the joy of possibility to everyone in the borough, no matter if they visit in person or online.”
Over 300 people viewed the virtual runway show broadcast from the historic Othmer Library at the Center for Brooklyn History. The theme for the show was the History of Carnevale (Carnival) and designers incorporated the traditions from ten different countries into their designs.
“I appreciate the sense of community I experienced at BKFA especially in these difficult times. It was exciting to have an opportunity to be a part of the fashion show. The Carnevale theme was challenging as it wasn't familiar with me at all but opened my mind up to new ideas and inspirations. The desire to complete my collection pushed me to discover solutions and came out at a completely different level that I didn't know it existed,” said designer Sayoko Kojima.
Program partners include the Brooklyn Style Foundation (BK|SF), FABSCRAP, Fashion Week Brooklyn (fw|BK), FABSCRAP, and Mood Fabrics.
About Brooklyn Public Library
Brooklyn Public Library is one of the nation’s largest library systems and among New York City’s most democratic institutions. As a leader in developing modern 21st century libraries, we provide resources to support personal advancement, foster civic literacy, and strengthen the fabric of community among the more than 2.6 million individuals who call Brooklyn home. We provide nearly 65,000 free programs a year with writers, thinkers, artists, and educators—from around the corner and around the world. And we give patrons millions of opportunities to enjoy one of life’s greatest satisfactions: the joy of a good book.