Tag Archives: Fashion Design

Instructor Spotlight: Jill Topol

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Jill Topol has been a driving force in the photo/fashion industry for over 20 years. As a top celebrity fashion stylist, Jill has had the pleasure of calling Destiny’s Child/Beyoncé, N’SYNC and the Jonas Brothers as some of her steady high-profile clients. Jill’s work can be seen in publications including Harper’s Bazaar & Elle International, Vibe, Interview, Rolling Stone, Seventeen, People, Paper, Time, Newsday, New York Magazine, Mass Appeal, Out, Entertainment Weekly and Esquire.

 

Jill holds a BFA in Photography from School of Visual Arts, and is currently an adjunct professor at FIT in the FBM department.

Jill Topol Teaches:
JSX040 55A Fashion Merchandising: Trend Spotting
HFM060 55C Fashion Forecasting: Seeing into The Future

Teaching Philosophy:
From the moment a student enters my classroom, it’s my goal to help them explore their passion for fashion. I freely share stories from my own extensive career and teach them the ins and outs of the industry. Forecasting fashion trends means keeping your eyes wide open at all times to take in the beauty all around you. Sometimes it’s the things we least expect that will inspire us the most.

Industry Experience:

  • Freelance Fashion Stylist for 20+ years
  • Fashion Director at Mass Appeal Magazine
  • Fashion Editor at Black Book Magazine
  • Senior Fashion Stylist for E! and Style Network
  • Accessories Director for Moxiegirl (an Urban Outfitters backed magalog)
  • Product Development / Trend Forecasting for Delia’s & Wanted Shoes
  • Contributing writer for The Huff Post covering topics in fashion and parenting

How can FIT’s Precollege Programs help you on your Fashion Journey

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Fashion designers from all over the world get their start at FIT. Many come back to learn even more skills, to stay on the cutting edge of fashion design and development. FIT has concentrations in menswear or womenswear.
Whether you’ve been creating your own fashions since you were a tiny tot or just decided yesterday you were meant to be a designer, Precollege can get you set up with the skills you need to start or improve!
11-session Precollege Courses
We recommend a high school Precollege Live Class:
4-day workshops
We recommend a high school Precollege Workshop:
  • Designing a Fashion Mini Collection – learn how to develop a womenswear collection using mix and match techniques
  • Menswear Fashion Illustration – learn how to translate your ideas into a menswear collection.
  • A Week in the Life of a Menswear Designer – shadow a menswear designer to see how the design world works
  • Simply Sewing – get the basics of sewing on a residential machine.
  • Introduction to Draping Using Half Scale – ease your way into fashion draping using easy-to-manage small scale mannequins.
  • Fashion Design Finding Inspiration – go from idea to mood board, to creative collection for evening or ready-to-wear.
  • Costume and Couture Rendering – learn how to use markers and colored pencils to make your designs look realistic.
  • A Week in the Life of a Fashion Designer – shadow a womenswear designer to see how the design world works.
  • Wearable Technology: Fashion Meets Function – learn how to add the latest tech innovations into your fashion collections.
    Summer Session    Fall Session    Spring Session
1-day Creative Career Series
On Saturday, April 13th, spend the afternoon with fashion designer, Christopher Uvenio. Christopher will go over his journey from fashion school to working for design houses such as Todd Olham and Anna Sui.
Wherever you are on your journey, there is a Precollege learning experience for you!

Instructor Spotlight: Barbara Seggio

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Barbara Seggio is a fashion and technical designer with expertise in apparel. She is a graduate of FIT and has been teaching in the Fashion Design Department for over 25 years. She teaches all levels of Sewing, Draping, and Patternmaking. She is also the Evening/Weekend Adviser of the FD Department. Barbara has enjoyed teaching Precollege classes for 15 years and has taught FD courses in China as a visiting FIT Professor.

Prof. Seggio teaches the following FIT Precollege Classes:
HAP 017 Introduction to Draping for Fashion Design (Level 2)
HAP 025 Sewing for Fashion Designers (9 & 10 grades only)
HAP 026 Sewing for Fashion Designers (11 & 12 grades only)

Teaching Philosophy:
I give my students projects that encourage creativity and nurture their inane talent. I believe everyone has what it takes; all they need is patience and a guiding hand.

Prof. Seggio’s Achievements/Projects:
Barbara’s interest in Sustainable Fashion has revolutionized how Fashion Design students consider their environmental impact. Her pupils’ work has been featured at FIT’s annual Sustainability Conferences. She’s also proud to announce that she recently co-invented a nursing garment for a mother to wear while feeding her newborn baby. This product will protect the infant from accidental injury should the mother fall asleep.

Read about Prof. Seggio’s student in the article:
Emily Nieland’s Patchwork for Kids

Instructor Spotlight: Roza Mirakova

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Roza Mirakova worked in various companies as a patternmaker/technical designer in childrenswear and womenswear for over 15 years. She graduated from FIT in 1996 with a B.S. in Production Management. She is highly experienced in draping, sewing, and patternmaking. After working as a tutor for a while, she was inspired to teach and share her knowledge with others. She started to teach in 2015 at FIT and NYSD.

 

 

Prof. Mirakova teaches the following FIT Precollege Classes:
HPM 070  Basic Patternmaking and Sewing I
HPM 071  Patternmaking and Sewing II

Teaching Philosophy:
I focus on teaching with patience and clarity, and on passing my knowledge and experience to my students. It is very important for me to make the class interesting so that students enjoy their experience. I treat my class as one big team so that everyone has fun in the process.

Industry Experience/Recent Exhibitions:

  • Liz Claiborne- Tech Designer
  • Everlast/Everex- Tech Designer
  • Diana Hartman- Production Patternmaker
  • Paris Suits by George Simonton- Production Patternmaker

Featured Work by Prof. Mirakova:

 

 

In the Halls: Jordan

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Photo by Mahalia

 

Student: Jordan from Nutley, NJ

Program: Saturday Live Spring 2018

Precollege Course: HAR 087 Advanced Design Art Techniques 2

Describe your personal style?

Edgy, Grungy.

Where do you go on your breaks from class?

Starbucks or Prett.

What is your favorite thing about FIT?

I love getting the experience and meeting new people.

Who or what inspires you?

NYC’s diversity.

What do you want to do after you graduate from College?
I hope to be working in the Fashion Industry.