Although the fashion department is not having its biennial Fashion Show this semester at LBCC, they are still having many equally exciting events coming up this fall.
The fashion department is having many events this semester from scholarships and helping students find their style. The fashion department now has been able to subscribe to WGSN which is the world’s best fashion trend forecaster and it’s being offered this semester.
Pamela Knights, head of the fashion department stated, “Our students are now able to have access to WGSN to see all the trend forecasting, all of the runway shows, the most up and coming and most current just happened runway shows and they are really excited about that.”
This subscription will help students be aware of the upcoming trends and will allow students to plan in advance and get inspired.
“We’re going on a research field trip. We’re going up to Los Angeles to a really nice fabric store called Mood Fabrics. It is the one that they go to in New York on Project Runway,” Knights said.
Knights will go to this research field trip with as many students who want to go so the students have the opportunity to look at the various different fabrics and how they can be used. “We’ll be going to Moschino to look at the products and just be inspired and then we’re going to go to Melrose place and the stores over there are Alexander McQueen, Marc Jacobs, Theory, Chloe, and Vivenene Westwood,” Knights said.
Students will go on that field trip in order to be inspired by the designer stores so they can help with establishing their style.
Knight’s student, Mumina Ryan is considering going to these field trips and it’s her first semester here at Long Beach City College as a fashion design major.
“I am just trying to get my AA Degree and start my own business back in Gandhi, Africa. My style is going to be Abayas. It is like Muslim clothing, like hijabs and undergarments for the dresses I’m going to make,” Ryan stated.
The fashion department is there to help students with their goals and helping them find their styles so they can be prepared when they graduate.
Gayle Short, one of Knight’s sewing class student, said, “I’m taking classes because I want to become an accomplished seamstress. I’ve known for years that there was a degree in fashion and sewing here.”
“They offer many classes. They offer beginning to advance. They used to offer tailoring which is very important, costume, production and bathing suits,” Short said. “So they really give you a lot of courses that will teach you to become an accomplished seamstress.”
Short came to LBCC so she can one day become a professional seamstress but is undecided in her major. “I want to learn how to do everything. I want to become professional or have professional skills,” Short said.
This semester at the fashion department also offers a scholarship from the California Fashion Foundation where at least one student will win and will be decided later in the semester.