Fashion Machine

Theatre SKAM

Fashion Machine is a unique experience where kids make your best outfit better.

Canada’s Theatre SKAM will spend a week teaching Austin kids about fashion, style, performance and sewing. The kids will then show you what they’ve learned! As you view an exhibit of the children’s artwork and showpieces, they’ll be sneaking through the crowd and selecting five lucky audience members to be taken inside… the Fashion Machine.

Feeling brave? The “I’m In!” sticker lets you know that you’re ready to have your clothes completely – and permanently – altered. Just want to watch? Don’t worry – choose the chicken sticker and the kids will keep their hands off your hemlines.

After an interview with the chosen few, the young designers brainstorm and retreat to their open workshop space to begin redesigning and redoing the volunteers’ outfits. Ready, Set, Sew – You’ll circle the perimeter, hang out, and watch the transformation at work. Even the 5 brave volunteers get to come back and watch their clothes get cut. (Don’t worry, they’re wearing robes.) When the timer buzzes after 55 minutes at the hands of the kids’ sewing machines, scissors, buttons, ribbons, fabric and thread, the adults don their remade outfits and showcase their new looks in a short fashion show!

Fashion Machine is designed to foster the creativity of the next generation of artists. It’s a new, exciting breed of performance art – and the kind of innovative, entertaining fun that Theatre SKAM is known for.

SKAM Artists are: The Kids of Austin, TX Jenny Ambrose Pamela Bethel Erin Crowley Max Johnson Matthew Payne

Theatre SKAM gratefully acknowledges the support of: Canada Council for the Arts BC Arts Council Province of British Columbia Capital Regional Arts Development Fund The Makehouse Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria

Sewing Machines by: Janome Canada Sawyer Sewing Centre

With special thanks to Blackshear Elementary, Govalle Elementary and Totally Cool, Totally Art.