Fashion Club allows members to design and sew selected clothing pieces. It holds a fashion show during second semester that showcases member’s creations. Meetings are held during lunches in F106 and for more information on its meetings and special events, visit MV Fashion Club’s page on Facebook.
El Estoque: How did you first become interested in fashion?
Kavin Sivakumar: My interest in fashion began in fourth grade when I used to go to a school with a dress code and it limited the ability to express myself through clothing. In middle school, when I had no dress code, I was very interested in fashion as a way to stand out. As soon as there was a Fashion Club [during the summer before freshman year], I knew that I had to be part of it.
EE: What are some current trends that you notice or prefer?
KS: I don’t dress like most people dress. As I am observing things, I am understanding new fashion techniques. Like, you can add a completely different patch of fabric to a solid colored piece of clothing. Even the flare around solids or the dots around shirts.
EE: What are your views on gender diversity in terms of the fashion industry?
KS: I want to make clothes for everyone; it’s not just for women or just for men. I want to have a collection that includes all genders. Last year, I was the only one who made a piece of clothing for a male model [for the Fashion Show]. [Clothing] can be cohesive through both genders. You can have a collection that goes from male to female and incorporate the same fabric and styles of clothing.
Below are selected pieces of Sivakumar’s original clothing. Hover over each picture for more information on its significance, materials and more.
EE: In what ways is Fashion Club encouraging a mixed ratio of genders?
KS: Last year, I was the only boy in Fashion Club. Last year the officers were all girls and so were the members. We are trying to encourage gender diversity in our club, however. Bows aren’t just for girls. On the Facebook page I made sure that it just said bows so it’s not gendered. I believe that clothing shouldn’t be gendered.
EE: How has Fashion Club benefited you?
KS: I had zero sewing skills when I joined Fashion Club. Last year, as just a member, I learned how to hand sew, machine sew, and design. It really helped me and I wanted to spread that to others who wanted to learn.
EE: What should interested students look forward to in Fashion Club’s meetings?
KS: Every few weeks we start off with a new assignment. So right now, we are working on bows. The new members can either bring their own fabric or we bring our own. It takes a while to hand sew [bows] so for the next two meetings we are still going to finish them. Eventually, we are going to [propose] an “unconventional challenge” by telling them to create a dress or other item through the materials provided. We will also have sewing sessions where we will tell you how to make a garment.
