Stitch by Stitch: MCPS Students Explore Fashion and Creativity

Fashion is a growing program in the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) visual arts pathway, with roots stretching as far back as the early 2000s, according to Anjali Wells, content specialist for PreK-12 Visual Art and Dance. 

This year, MCPS offers two courses, Fashion Illustration and Fashion Production, in nine high schools, nearly doubling since 2022. Growth has been especially strong with Fashion Production courses, with Gaithersburg High School leading the way.

At Gaithersburg, students in Advanced Fashion Production 2 and 3 are diving deep into design techniques. Under the guidance of teacher Nilda Keres, students use butcher paper and tape to drape paper around dress forms to create a base for their designs. Translating fashion construction techniques like creating darts to paper, students demonstrate knowledge from past years.

The program has grown so quickly that it now fills a full teaching schedule, and more students are eager to enroll. To meet demand, Keres also leads a Fashion Club, giving students who can’t fit the course into their schedules a way to learn foundational skills and prepare for advanced coursework.

For Fernanda, an advanced fashion student with dreams of becoming a designer, the program has been rewarding. 

“I like to make dresses for my mom,” she said. “Being able to take a class like fashion production in high school is great; it allows me to do what I know I want to do early and helps prepare me for what is to come."

Jaylon, president of the Fashion Club, discovered an unexpected passion after learning to sew.

“I fell in love with it and wanted to give other people the chance to do the same, especially if they couldn’t take it as an elective,” Jaylon said. “I don’t plan to pursue fashion as a career, I want to go into game design, but I see myself keeping it as a hobby and helping keep the cost of my clothes down.”

Keres credits the interest and commitment of her students with driving the program’s success. 

“Having Fashion Club allows an entry point for more students into the course who wouldn’t have it otherwise,” she said. “This is what has helped me grow the program here from a few sections to a full-time fashion schedule.”

James Hubert Blake High School was the first MCPS school to offer a fashion program. A few weeks into the school year, teacher Katja Jimenez already has students in Fashion Production 1 practicing on sewing machines, exploring color theory and learning introductory design.

Groups are tackling hands-on projects that merge technical skills with creativity, such as tie-dyeing hats, designing logos and preparing to hand-embroider their work.

From beginner projects to advanced design work, MCPS fashion programs are giving students opportunities to explore their creativity, build practical skills and prepare for future careers. These programs are currently offered at Clarksburg, Gaithersburg, James Hubert Blake, John F. Kennedy, Montgomery Blair, Northwood, Thomas S. Wootton, Watkins Mill and Winston Churchill high schools.

To support this growth, the Division of Teaching and Learning’s Visual and Performing Arts department has launched a new Fashion Curriculum site this year, providing resources to support teachers and students countywide.