HOW WE SUPPORT WOMEN
TRAINING INSTITUTE
Custom Collaborative's comprehensive 15-week program teaching the art, technique, and business of fashion design. We specialize in teaching women how to construct made-to-measure clothing and personalized accessories for all body types. Our training includes extensive instruction in fashion business basics including marketing, sourcing, ethical manufacturing, and sustainability, along with personal finance. Students graduate equipped with the toolkit to begin a career in fashion.
BUSINESS INCUBATOR
Custom Collaborative offers management consulting, mentorship, technical assistance, advanced training, and professional equipment to Training Institute graduates and others in the fashion industry. Our goal is to maximize work opportunities and improve socio-economic outcomes for all women. We accept sample and production orders of 1 - 100 pieces.
PRODUCTION CO-OP
We launched Fashion That Works Production in 2020, a worker-owned sewn-goods cooperative comprised of Custom Collaborative Training Institute graduates. Started as an extension of the Business Incubator, FTW is a Harlem-based program that develops and incubates worker-owned cooperatives. FTW provides the necessary tools, resources and support for co-ops to work effectively towards their goal.
Launched by The Slow Factory & Swarovski
One X One // the first science incubator in fashion
Custom Collaborative partnered with Mara Hoffman to develop an Equity-Based Framework that could be scaled across the industry. supported by the United Nation's Office of Partnerships.
Custom Collaborative // Fashion Is Love
A film explores the creative minds of three Custom Collaborative Training Institute graduates.
HELP US Help WOMEN
Support for Custom Collaborative creates work and businesses for low-income women. Your support helps participants professionalize their skills, obtain experience, and start new new careers as artisans and entrepreneurs.
Laryssel (Training Institute graduate)
"CC me ofrecio la oportunidad de tener todo lo necesario para poder crear, diseñar y confeccionar mi propio futuro. No solo enseñandome las herramientas para poder incurcionar en el area de la costura sino diriguiendome a como poner mi producto en el mercado para que fuera exitoso.
Con esto he podido generar una fuente de ingreso que Definitivamente mejorara la calidad de vida que puedo ofecerle a mis hijos asegurandoles un mejor futuro. Es un programa que verdaderamente ayuda a las mujeres a ser mejores competidoras y mas productivas."
"Custom Collaborative offered me the educational opportunity and all of the necessary tools to create, design, and plan out my goal for the future. Not only did they show me the tools, but also how to put them into practice with a blueprint on how to sell, produce, and market my product so that it could sell at its best.
With this knowledge, I have learned how to generate an income which has improved my livelihood by securing a future for my kids. It's a program that really helps empower women to become more competitive and better sellers when they become fashion business owners."
ifunanya (Training Institute graduate)
“I refer to Custom Collaborative as a dream saver. They made pursuing my dream easier and effective. They not only enhanced my sewing skills, but introduced me to jobs that I wouldn’t be able to get on my own. They helped me showcase my first ever collections at the Wakanda Fashion Show. How exciting is that?”
