Francesca Sterlacci Founder/CEO
Welcome to the University of Fashion blog. My name is Francesca Sterlacci the founder and CEO of the University of Fashion. For years I dreamed of being able to bring the art and craft of fashion design to the masses and not just for those lucky few who can attend one of the best fashion colleges in the world. Although I was one of those lucky few, where a great portfolio was your ticket in, I felt that students weren’t always given a fair shake. Over the years I watched as high schools dropped their art program, making it almost impossible for students to get a portfolio together.
My experience working as a fashion designer in the industry for more than 25 years, first for major Seventh Avenue manufacturers and then later with my own eponymous collection collection, I learned that a great portfolio is only one piece of what is needed to be a successful designer. Draping, patternmaking, sewing and product development were equally as important, if not more so, and yet, aspiring students of fashion design had no place to go to learn those skills, except at a fashion school. There had to be an alternative.
As many talented fashion industry craftsman began retiring and as the fashion industry started to move off shore, I began to worry that much of the hands-on art and craft of the industry would become extinct. At the Fashion Institute of Technology, where I taught for 18 years and as chair of the fashion design department there, I saw how hard it was to find teachers who had actual “hands-on” experience in draping , patternmaking, sewing and fashion illustration. Design rooms were becoming rare and CAD had taken over how a sketch got made.
It was time to spring into action! After taking numerous classes in videography and film editing, I set out to find a team of equally dedicated teachers, film editors and videographers to record fashion how-to videos for posterity. By interviewing and selecting only the best instructors, we have put together lessons covering the 5 fashion design disciplines of draping, patternmaking, sewing, fashion illustration, and product development. Each discipline is broken down by skill level: beginner, intermediate and advanced.
My goal is not only to help the aspiring designer get their portfolio together and to get a jump-start on the 5 disciplines, but also to become a video reference library for current students and teachers of fashion, to help re-educate current fashion industry professionals perfect their skills and to bring industry trade secrets to the home sewer and the fashion curious.
Through our corporate affiliate program, our members are introduced to the best dress forms, sewing machines, tools and supplies, fabric, trims and leather resources while they enjoy substantial discounts.
This blog is the first step in getting everyone excited in the University of Fashion website; your go-to resource for all things fashion!. Stay tuned, tell your friends, follow our progress on this blog. We will be launching very soon! Tell us what lessons you’d like to see!
Fashionably Yours,
Francesca
Good post and straight to the point. Thank you
Full of salient points. Please don’t stop creating, designing, and writing! Great site.
We are here to serve and we are not stopping anytime soon! Thank You for your support and encouragement!
Just wish to say your article is as astonishing. The clarity in your post is just great and i could assume you’re an expert on this subject. Thanks a million and please keep up the enjoyable work.
Always good information here. I see your blog moving on up very quickly!
Merci Beaucoup! Thank you for the great feedback!
The writing here is much more clever than I would expect from a fashion blog. Very professional. Thanks for the great info!
Thank You! Keep checking in!
Love your blog!
Thank You! Soon we will be launching our Corporate website where you will be able to register and stream fabulous fashion tutorials. We can’t wait for you all to see it!
Awesome writing style!
Thank you!
Keep up the wonderful work! I have read a few blog posts on this website and I am thoroughly convinced that your web blog is rattling with interesting streams of great information.
…and we are just getting started!
Woah! Exactly what I was looking for, regards for posting.
Thanks for visiting!
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Thank you! We hope to see you back!
Currently, I am working on my architecture thesis regarding fashion design and emerging fashion designers. I agree with your idea of teaching students the trade and sewing techniques through videos. The art of pattern making and sewing well-made garments should continue to be taught and done. The goal you mentioned above is a great approach to the field of fashion design. I want to design a dynamic space to have teachers and students come together and showcase their work.
How do you review the videos?
I’m glad my teacher told me about you and idea because I was wondering if there were teachers and professionals out there eager to teach the industrial techniques of fashion design.
Thank you,
Cristina
We are thrilled to be aiding you in your work! The video library will be up on our corporate website within a month or so. Then you will be able to ‘subscribe’ for monthly or yearly access. Stay tuned!
Thanks for sharing!
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Thanks for your words of encouragements!
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I want to congratulate you for your work, it’s great. All the best.