Garfield had a Fashion Design club last year, but “it was run by seniors and they didn’t leave much behind,” Zakariya Mukhtar explained. That’s why he’s starting the brand new Garfield Fashion Collective this year, with Vice President Alynn Harris. 

Their mission is to give Garfield students hands-on experience fixing and making clothes. “The vision for the club that I have personally is a more independent collaborative workshop… I want this to be as independent as possible where people can work by themselves and with other people and not have it be like some structured rigorous class where it’s like ok you have to get this done and that done and this is your quota for the day if you don’t get it done we’re going to chop off your hand,” Mukhtar said.

The Collective is working with several organizations in the Garfield area to bring their vision to life. Most of the designing and production is done after school on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, three blocks South of Garfield at the William Gross Center. Students learn how to use machines for sewing, embroidery, and vinyl printing from instructors at the Center. Seattle Central College and the arts non-profit Coyote Central have additionally offered to provide equipment and resources.

The club’s plan for the next few years is to keep expanding and giving back to the Garfield community. “Once we have enough of an established core club, we want to offer tailoring services to the school at large,” Mukhtar said, “Mainly for things like repairs, like little patchings, holes. We wouldn’t charge for that, we want to make that a free service. If people need that repair we’ll take care of it.”

“One day I randomly was just like, I want to know how to make my own clothes. They have all this designer stuff and it’s 500 dollars for one piece of clothing. I can make that… I went out, got a sewing machine and from there I just started winging it,” Harris recalled. “I know a lot of the kids want to try that out but they don’t have the capital.” Mukhtar explained, “this is… for anyone who wants to try that out. Make their own little brand or just tweak their clothes, mess around with fabrics.” 

Anyone interested in getting hands-on experience with fashion or just talking about clothes can come to room 212 during lunch on Thursdays. The club is also on Instagram @ghs_collective.