Creativity Drives Founder of New Education Franchise The Fashion Class | Franchise News

Kerri Quigley has had a needle and thread in hand since childhood, courtesy of her grandmother.

“She taught me how to sew when I was 6 years old, and I absolutely loved it. I adored it,” Quigley said. “I was a super shy kid, and dance wasn’t for me. Theater wasn’t for me. For little girls, there aren’t too many options, so I really fell into the whole fashion design and sewing thing.”

By middle school, Quigley was making her own clothes, which gave her a confidence boost as a result. She received a business degree from Parsons School of Design years later and is now CEO of her own company, children’s fashion education concept The Fashion Class.

A 24-year-old Quigley founded The Fashion Class in 2010 in Manhattan after years of gig work. She realized her knack for developing children’s curriculums and projects while teaching sewing at an after-school program in the Bronx.

While the concept has lessons for all ages, the majority of its offerings are tailored to children ages 2 through 17. The Fashion Class teaches sewing and fashion design through classes, camps, workshops and parties.

Lessons are age-appropriate and guide children through the world of fashion design. Kids as young as 2 can tap into crafting, and 3-year-olds can start learning how to sew by hand with plastic needles as they make tutus and stuffed animals. Sewing machine work becomes accessible to children as young as 5, and older children learn more intermediate skills.

Everything is project-based, Quigley said, so students leave the studio with something they created and can use or wear. Fashion shows are also held for students to wear and display their creations on a runway for family and friends.

A mother of two toddlers, Quigley sees the impact these courses have on children exploring their creative side. Quigley taught her daughter to hand sew around 2 years old and said the experience opened her eyes to just how much toddlers can do.

“It means so much. It’s honestly the most amazing thing to watch when a parent comes to me and says, ‘My son feels seen for the first time. He didn’t have an outlet like this,’ or, ‘My daughter’s confidence has grown so much. I didn’t think she would do the fashion show, but here she is walking down the runway,’” Quigley said. “It honestly makes me tear up because it’s so cool to see and know they’re getting something from the program.”

Quigley began franchising the concept in 2019, but the pandemic halted growth. It’s back on track and the first franchise unit opened in August in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

This most recent opening brings the brand’s unit total to three, adding to the two studios located in Manhattan’s Upper East Side and Upper West Side.

“I’m excited about seeing this program grow to other cities and expand its reach beyond New York City,” Quigley said. “I very strongly believe it’s a worthwhile skillset. It’s worthwhile for children to create in this way.”

Franchising has taught Quigley the value of having the correct vendors, systems and processes in place. She said it’s been an interesting learning process to figure out how to train franchisees to successfully run their business.

“I’m making sure everything a franchisee needs is easily accessible and easy to

understand,” Quigley said. “We’re making sure they have access to what they need to run their business. … I’m realizing how important that is, and that’s something I’m working extremely hard to make sure is in place for franchise No. 2.”

Quigley has a goal of opening five units in 2026. Tackling brand awareness is top of mind as The Fashion Class looks to expand.

With only a few open units, local advertising and social media have been successful avenues for getting the name out. The company recently received its STEM.org accreditation, certifying that its programs build fine motor skills and problem-solving skills with technology and math components.

“Children’s enrichment brands are all competing for a child’s time, and children have so many interests throughout their development: music, dance, art, sewing,” Quigley said. “I think it’s a natural fit into a child or family’s lifestyle. There’s so many small sewing schools across the U.S., and I think that proves there’s a need and a want for it.”