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Sep 20, 20215 min read

Where Fashionable Dreams are "Made" in Philadelphia

The Made Institute Offers Students the Option to "Fit" Their Education to Their Lifestyle, Goals, and Needs.

Image Courtesy of Robyn Dombey and the Made Institute



Located at 448 North 10th Street Studio 501 and found within the Spring Arts District of Philadelphia is a creative space dedicated to nurturing upcoming and established fashion talent, known as the Made Institute. Some walls within this location are painted white with purposeful imperfections, which reveals shades of black and grey in its composition. The interior also contains brown brick, gray window frames that encapsulate views of the city’s skyline, and white painted surfaces breaking up the varying colors and varied use of texture. The contents of the space consist of dress forms, industrial tables, and sewing machines. The students and faculty are currently preparing for their fashion show, which will take place this Saturday, September 25th. The company was created in 2012, and originally based out of the company’s founder’s, Rachel Ford, “…loft space in Old City…,” as detailed in the “About the Institute” section of Made-Institute.com and noted by Robyn Dombey, the school’s Director of Online Courses. It has grown and continues to expand into an alternative educational path to address the needs of its students’ lifestyles and goals.


Image was Taken by RunwayImagery.com and was Provided Courtesy of Robin Dombey and the Made Institute

The image above is of former Made Institute student Michele Dematteo's collection for the brand Elva Olive.


The company’s CEO began by offering sewing lessons at her residence which included couture methods that she acquired during her time at the Philadelphia Opera.” Ford gained a decade of experience while working for the opera, according to the school’s website. Dombey then mentions that these courses had a great appeal because such methods were not readily available elsewhere. She goes on to explain that their popularity resulted in the development of a “…community…,” and the establishment of other classes such as “…fashion illustration…. draping, and patternmaking.” As these lessons expanded to include a larger offering, they were then relocated to a formal facility, which was later moved to its current location.

Dombey went on to give a sense of the school’s overall mission, goals, and offerings. Dombey begins by stating, “The mission really is to provide an accessible fashion education, and that can mean different things to different people, but a lot of the time, for a lot of people, it comes down to time and money.” According to the Made Institute’s website, on the page entitled, “Fashion Certificate Tuition 2021-2022,” the cost for their complete “…program…” is $ 9,745, and there are grants available. The school is also flexible, in that it offers students many ways to take on their educational endeavors. Dombey explains, “The program is 12 or 18 months,” depending on what scheduling option a student selects.


Image Courtesy of Robin Dombey and the Made Institute


She also notes that students can also take individual courses if they do not want to commit to the whole program, and if they were to want to further their education at the school, these would be applied to their certificate progress. A single course costs between $295 to $750 depending on the subject, as observed from the institute’s website. Made Institute also offers three categories of membership. Dombey detailss that the school also offers a program called Jumpstart, which consists of classes geared toward helping an individual learn how to approach running a business and establishing their brand. She adds that the institute offers a summer camp and club called Made Junior, which is for teenagers who desire to be further educated about fashion and/or who want to prepare for their future fashion education.

The students who have studied at the Made Institute thus far have gone on to pursue a variety of professional endeavors upon the completion of their programs. Dombey notes that some have gone on to work for Urban Outfitters, finding positions on the company’s “…recruitment team and in the design team.” She explains that others have gone on to pursue fashion degrees, at schools such as SCAD. “Madison (Koczo), has gone on to teach at Parsons…she is now working there in their sewing room as a technician, and she also teaches our courses,” Dombey relays as she discusses another one of the school’s alumna. Other students, according to Dombey, have gone on to be employed at “…small-growing entrepreneurial businesses such as Alice Alexander….,” or “… have started their own…” companies.


Image Courtesy of Robyn Dombey and Made Institute.


Isaiah Bryen, seen above, will be showing his graduate collection this week, on Saturday, September 25th, as part of the Made Institute's Fashion Show



To conclude, regarding what makes Made Institute unique, Dombey listed a few different reasons it stands out. She began mentioning that a lot of the awareness that has been brought to the school has been established through “…word-of-mouth…” amongst friends. As a result, according to Dombey, this draws in a more diverse group of individuals, than you might find at other schools. Dombey later adds, that Made Institute is “…much more inclusive...encouraging, and I think a bit more of a safer space to create. I know a lot of fashion schools can be a little bit stressful and a little bit cutthroat.” She feels that the Made Institute has a more approachable nature to it and that it offers features that draw in students who are looking for an alternative approach to fashion education. These aspects include, as Dombey notes, “…more of a slower pace, a focus on hands-on education, and flexible learning." She continues on adding, "...so that brings (in) people that really have a lot to offer, but (who) wouldn’t necessarily choose a regular fashion degree…”. However, in her experience, as an educator, she has found the students at Made Institute tend to have a genuine desire to join the industry, are "...committed..." to their goals, and are willing to put in "...extra learning and hard work...," despite a desire or decision to approach their fashion education in an untraditional manner. What's important is that the Made Institute has the tools to allow them, and future generations of students, to approach their dreams in their own way.


More Information:

Made Institute Fashion Show:

For anyone interested in what the school has to offer, this week affords you a special opportunity to see Made Institute’s current graduating students in action. On Saturday, September 25th, 2021, the school will be holding a fashion show from 7 pm to 11pm at 2300 Arena, with tickets priced at $40. According to the fashion show’s page on EventBrite, students that will be presenting their collections during the program include Nicole Ryan, Isaiah Bryen, Taylor Gunther, Lauren Chiu, and Chandrakala Katta.


About Robyn Dombey:

Dombey is the Made Institute's Director of Online Courses. Her role encompasses the development of course materials and other responsibilities tied to the online classroom environment. She is also involved with the school's marketing and social media.


Useful Links for more information about Made Institute's Offerings:


Works Cited:


Alice Alexander Editors. Alice Alexander. 2021, Alice Alexander, n.d., https://alicealexander.co, Accessed 19 Sept. 2021.


Made Institute Editors. “About The Institute.” Made Institute, Made Institute, n.d., https://made-institute.com/about-the-institute, Accessed 19 Sept. 2021.


Made Institute Editors. “Meet The Team: Faculty.” Made Institute, Made Institute, n.d., https://made-institute.com/faculty, Accessed 19 Sept. 2021.


Made Institute Editors. Made Institute. 2021, Made Institute, n.d., www.made-institute.com, Accessed 19 Sept. 2021.


Made Institute Editors. “Fall 2021 Graduate Fashion Show.” EventBrite, Eventbrite, 2021, https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fall-2021-graduate-fashion-show-tickets-170059980981, Accessed 19 Sept. 2021.


Made Institute Editors. “Fashion Certificate Tuition 2021-2022.” Made Institute, Made Institute, n.d., https://made-institute.com/tuition, Accessed 19 Sept. 2021.

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