Fashion entrepreneur Ebony Pratt didn't have a defined personal style until, at age 15, she cut off her long hair, bleached the remains, and dyed it a multitude of bright colors. Suddenly, she stood out and was recognized for her unique look.
"I started feeling good about myself, because I started expressing myself and that's where I started it," said Pratt, 46, who grew up in North Philadelphia. "Then I started developing my own personal style and loving it, actually loving my style, loving who I was becoming as a person."
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That self-expression morphed into a love of clothes, leading Pratt to work as a personal shopper during high school and afterward. Over the next two decades, her career took her into the world of pop-up shops, boutiques, design and real estate before she created her e-commerce styling business, Fashion Dealer Society. Now, Pratt is looking to bring all of those skills together into a school in Kensington.
The Fashion Retail & Style Institute at 426 E. Allegheny Ave. is a 12-week program for people looking for careers in the clothing industry. Pratt plans to teach four groups of 25 students each year, with weekday classes on merchandising, entrepreneurship and other fashion-related topics. Applications are open now, with the first course beginning Jan. 20.
The 240-hour program covers the history of fashion and basic design, textile properties and manufacturing, operational aspects like inventory and selling online, how to create appealing designs and store layouts, trend forecasting, marketing, and brand management. It culminates with a capstone project that has students create retail concepts, merchandising plans or marketing campaigns for their own brands or boutiques.
"I'm not focusing on fashion designers, people who design fashions, Pratt said. "I'm focusing on the art of the sell of fashion, as far as retail goes. ... There are so many fashion designers that when you are creating — you're thinking about creating designs — you don't have the ability to sell."
The program costs $6,300; payment plans are available, Pratt said. The program is certified by PA CareerLink, which helps Pennsylvania residents find jobs. Students are eligible for up to $6,000 in scholarships.
The versatility of the course and financial aid means students don't have to know the exact paths they want to take in the industry, Pratt said. She said she hopes they can use the program as a chance to explore their interests.
"I do want them to be passionate about the fashion industry," Pratt said. "It doesn't have to be design, it just has to be something that you're interested in learning about. I just want them to be teachable and wanting to really find their personal success in their lives."