Fashion Lab

623 S. Wabash Ave., 7th Floor

Take your garments from concept to reality in the fashion lab, with all the industry-standard equipment and software you’ll need to make runway-ready garments under one roof.

The fashion lab has more than 72 commercial machines to handle everything from fine fabrics to leather and denim, and dress forms in various sizes. Offering open studio access for more than 70 hours a week, this is the space that empowers you to design, prototype, source, manufacture, photo documentation area, bring to market, and actually sell your original apparel. From concept to finished garment the fashion lab studio will support student’s creation of their completed work.

Bring your own supplies or check out the lab’s tools and equipment with your student ID, and use the lab as your personal studio. The fashion lab is staffed with apparel technicians, tutors, and student workers if you need help creating your designs along the way.

The lab is available to all students in the School of Fine and Performing Arts.

Fashion Lab Contact
Nate Carder, Assistant Director: Makerspace Facilities, ncarder@colum.edu

  • Equipment
    • More than 70 industrial sewing machines
    • Calcomp digitizing tablet
    • Computers with Lectra and Optitex software
    • Documentation station to take process photos of your work
    • Dress forms: women’s sizes 2-16, men, children
    • Industrial steamers and irons
    • Knitting machines
    • Large tables for patternmaking
    • Sergers/Cover Stitch
    • Specialty sewing equipment