Collage Fashion Design
collageAges 3–12
Cut, layer, style, repeat.
Gather these before you start.
- Black and white printed photos
- Fabric scraps, ribbons, lace, trims
- Sequins, buttons, feathers, pom poms
- Oil pastels
A celebration of style, colour, character and play.
Introduction
Fashion has the most brilliant way of helping kids step into who they are! This theme guide celebrates that sense of possibility. No neat hems or perfect outfits needed. Just colour, texture, movement, personality, and the space to explore identity in the most joyful and imaginative ways.
Our daughter Olive chose a bunch of these experiences for her seventh birthday party at the studio, and seeing her and her friends create their own little fashion world was the best reminder of how powerful this kind of play can be.
From Smudge to You
Below you'll find the collection of creative activities we've used to bring this theme to life at Smudge. Each one is an invitation to play, experiment, and see where the materials take you. Pick and choose what excites you and adapt them to your own space.
A taste of what's inside
collageAges 3–12
Cut, layer, style, repeat.
Gather these before you start.
6 more inside this theme
Experience 2
print-making
Fashion you can carry home.
Experience 3
creative-exploration
Costume a tiny person! Strike a pose! Tell a story!
Experience 4
sculpture
Threads and Textures
Experience 5
sculpture
The Set Up This idea was inspired by Shannon Merenstein’s incredible book ‘Collage Workshop for Kids’, created with the art educators at The Eric Carle Museum. Their work celebrates open ended making, real materials, and the joy of every child creating something completely their own. It’s the perfect spark for a fashion twist!
Start with black and white full length photos of each child. I like taking a few different poses and printing them as a little trio for a gorgeous final display, but a single portrait works just as well.
I upload the photo to Canva, click remove background, switch it to mono, and print on thick paper so it can handle a good amount of glue and texture. Or you could just print the photo as normal and then cut around the body and paste onto another piece of cardstock.
Set out a curated pile of fashion goodness. Fabric scraps, ribbons, sequins, buttons, lace, feathers, trims, anything with colour or personality. Add oil pastels and PVA glue. Old clothing from op shops can be cut into the most incredible tiny “textile” pieces. Silk, tulle, crinkled cotton, beaded trim. Kids respond so beautifully to real textures. Think of it as a miniature designer studio with plenty of choice, but without overwhelming them.
Encourage the artists to think about character rather than outfit. Who is this person? Where are they going? What kind of mood do they have today? But remember that there aren’t any rules! Some pieces end up whimsical and bold, others lean sculptural with little twists and pleats of fabric.
As they layer, you might like to talk about how fashion and colour communicate feeling. A stiff collar can feel powerful and beautiful. A flowing ribbon can feel soft and secure.
Artist Study: Rei Kawakubo ‘Comme des Garçons’
Kawakubo is one of the most fearless fashion designers in the world. She began her career in Tokyo, then took over Paris runways with work that refused to fit inside any rulebook. Instead of neat sketches, Rei often starts by tearing paper, pinning fabric, layering odd shapes and shifting pieces around until something feels alive. Her designs aren’t about looking perfect. They are about emotion, character and the curiosity to try something that hasn’t existed before. It is the most beautiful reminder that fashion is self expression long before it becomes clothing!
Make a whole runway by lining up each child’s trio of poses.
Create a group “fashion house” by assigning themes and letting everyone design within the brief.
Wearable art with serious personality.
Experience 6
installations
The ultimate hanging canvas!
Experience 7
sensory-play
Tiny clothes for big play