University of the Fraser Valley in Abbotsford is holding a camp from July 9 to 13 for young budding fashionistas.
The camp, offered by the fashion design program, is open to teens aged 14 to 19. It runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.
Participants will get a taste for all sides of the fashion industry, including working with fabric, developing a website, sketching fashion figures and putting together a collection.
“It’s really an opportunity to give a younger group a chance to understand what the fashion industry is about,” said Corinne Richardson, one of the camp organizers. “They’ll be drawing, sewing, organizing, learning about the business side of things – a little bit of everything.”
Richardson said the camp will also explore the business side of the industry — what ties a collection together into a marketable product.
The camp is aimed not only at fashion enthusiasts, but also those who are interested in design as a whole.
“It’s also about learning what colours work together and what elements will create a cohesive style,” Richardson said. “We’ll be working with design programs and theories that would carry over into any design career. These are very transferable skills.”
Participants will also gain experience with another influential aspect of the fashion world: digital media.
“The participants will have a chance to see what goes into building a website or a fashion blog,” Richardson said. “At the end of the day, everyone has a perspective on fashion, and starting a fashion blog is one way to do that.”
All in all, the organizers hope that by the end of the week, participants will build up several important skills, including a familiarity with textiles and basic sewing equipment and with some of the theories that drive the fashion industry, as well as an understand of design.
Richardson said not every attendee is expected to be a seamstress; any level of sewing or design is welcome, from expert stitchers to those who have never touched a sewing machine.
“It’s ultimately designed to be a fun experience,” she said. "The whole point is to dabble and to create.”
The application form is available at www.ufv.ca/fashion and should be submitted by Friday, July 6 to admissions and records in the B building at the Abbotsford campus on King Road. The cost for the week is $250 per camper.
For more information, contact Corinne Richardson at 604-864-4669 or at Corrine.Richardson@ufv.ca.