Youth enrolled in a summer fashion design course strutted their stuff Wednesday down a red carpet in the center of Hartford’s Union Station.
As the DJ’s music echoed through the Great Hall, 15 youth showed off their clothing lines, which they designed, sewed, and named as part of the Niro Design Center’s six-week summer program.
“These are teenagers in the city doing good things. Let’s celebrate them,” Jennifer Wilder-Jackson said at the end of the program as the applause of the crowd echoed through the train station.
Mon-Che’rie Webb, 18, said during the six-week course she learned how to turn her sketches into five designs, which her fellow youth helped her show off on the runway Wednesday. She said all the designs are for sale at the Unique Boutique, 241 Asylum Ave.
But Webb won’t be there to take the money, since she’s leaving next week to attend the University of Bridgeport where she will major in fashion merchandising. After that she’s headed for a design school in New York.
Rondelynn Bell, founder and CEO of Niro Design Center, said each of the youth created three to five outfits this summer. Bell said she was proud of the group as they received their certificates.
The goal of the design school is to train students to effectively pursue careers in fashion and other related industries, while giving them real market experience that industry professionals practice daily.
Each of the youth Wednesday had an opportunity to talk about the inspiration behind their clothing line before their colleagues showed off their designs on the red carpet.
Niro is currently enrolling for its fall courses, which start Sept. 9. For more information, call 860-724-6476.