Claire Rand

Instructor (2013 – Present)

Claire, Rhode Island native, has been in love with fashion ever since she was young. She pushed herself to make her own prom dress and eager to see the Rhode Island School of Design Fashion Show. Any opportunity she had, she would take courses in fashion at high school and at RISD. With college choices limited, she went to Rhode Island College and graduated with a BA in Art and a concentration in Graphic Design. Years ago, Claire moved to New Jersey and started her own design label, Love of Buttons, specializing in purses and accessories.

Malvina Mogielski

Instructor (2012 – Present)

Malvina Mogielski began sewing when she was 10, mostly restyling her old clothes. She continued sewing and graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts, emphasis on Fashion Design. Currently, Malvina Mogielski is a Fashion Design teacher in Lakewood High School.

Malvina teaches students fashion sketching, pattern making, and sewing. She enjoys teaching and spreading a love of sewing as an avenue for creative self-expression.

Ashley Lundell

Instructor (2015 – present)

Ashley took an interest in art at an early age. After taking many years of art and sewing classes throughout high school, she graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology with a degree in International Fashion Design, studying in both New York City and Milan. She specializes in women’s sportswear and has over 6 years of experience working in the industry with both men’s and women’s clothing. Ashley is passionate about the design process from start to finish. She feels very blessed to be able to share her experience and knowledge with her students.

Swagata Chowhury

Instructor (2017 – Present)

With a love and passion for fashion design since childhood, Swagata graduated from The Government College of Art and Craft in Kolkata, India with a Bachelor’s degree in Textile Design. Also, attending the University of Burdwan, India  she achieved a Bachelor’s degree in Science. She is a practicing jewelry, textile and fashion designer in New Jersey.
On her spare time, she loves to design jewelry and crafts! Swagata especially enjoy working with acrylic on canvas and creating gifts and home decors from up-cycled materials.

Most importantly, Swagata is passionate about teaching jewelry and textile design and looks forward to the opportunity of sharing her knowledge and experience with her students.

Krystsina Kavalenka

Instructor (2020 – Present)

Krystsina discovered interest for sewing after she graduated college. She enrolled in multiple fashion design and construction certificate programs at Fashion Institute of Technology. She gained professional experience assisting a bridal designer and working with costumes in theater industry. Krystsina has been sewing her own clothes since 2015. She cares about the impact of fast fashion on the world and aims to bring awareness to the issues of sustainability.

Karen Applegate

Fashion Design, Photoshop/Illustrator Instructor (2018 – Present)

Karen started sewing with a local community club at 9 years old, through the years she developed the skills needed for pattern making, sourcing, construction, and production. She took her interest in fashion to the next level by going to Drexel University in Philadelphia, receiving her Bachelor’s of Science in Fashion Design in 2017. After graduating, Karen entered the profession as a technical designer and eventually landing multiple roles in production, pattern making and sampling.

Kyra Zapf

Instructor (2021 – Present)

A Thomas J. Watson fellow for textile studies, Kyra considers herself a historical costumer. She started sewing when she was 6, and has designed and worked on more than a dozen theatrical productions. She has had the opportunity to do fabric research with 16th ce textiles at the V&A museum in London, among others. She currently works part-time at the Made Institute of Fashion in Philadelphia and spends her free time doing dye experiments in her basement.