Stitching visions. In Fashion Club students learn the life skill of sewing in simple steps. The second meeting will take place Sept. 21, the club plans to go over how to operate a sewing machine.

 Thrifting, learning how to stitch and creating amazing clothes all become possible with Fashion Club.

“We are going to learn how to sew and create, it’s [fashion] definitely a lost art,” said senior founder Milena Dharte. “Learning a life skill is very important, you need to know how to sew a button and that’s definitely a part of it.”

After hearing this might be the fashion design classes’ last year at school, Dharte decided to keep it going in a new form. Starting the Fashion Club to teach the basics of sewing and how to create art using needle and thread.

“I am very passionate about fashion and I would hate to see it [fashion design] go away, so I took it into my hands and said, ‘let’s do this’,” said Dharte. 

The club is geared towards those who are artsy, have a creative side to them and generally care about how they dress. Students don’t have to be into fashion specifically since the club has many different artsy aspects to it as well.

“I joined the club because I’ve always had ideas for articles of clothing, but never knew how to make them real,” said club member Kristine Patrick.

There is no equipment required to join the club. They provide sewing machines and fabrics for students to use, however bringing smaller tools like scissors and pins is encouraged. A 15-dollar entry fee is required to compensate for the costs of fabrics, other equipment and to be able to provide the activities. 

“First we’re going to start off basic with making a pillowcase,” said Dharte, “My goal for the club is to go thrifting and then upcycle clothing for sustainability, then we can start designing from scratch.” 

Club members aren’t only learning how to sew. There is a planned thrifting activity, photoshoot and fashion show planned later in the year. Dharte anticipates holding a donation project at some point this year.

“I have a feeling it will be a smaller club,” said Dharte. “It will be more connected and have more one on one time,”

As a smaller club, the pressures of a big group of people won’t overwhelm newcomers.

 For future members, the Fashion Club’s next meeting takes place on Sept. 21 in room 311. Sign up for the group’s Remind by texting @ikefash to 81010. The club’s sponsor is Jennifer Ramirez, who students can also go to with questions.

“I would really like to build up the Fashion Class and encourage and inspire students into sewing,” said Ramirez. “It really trains your brain abstractly, helps with math skills and spatial relations so it’s so much more than just sewing.”