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Portland Fashion Institute is a nationally accredited private nonprofit career institute of higher learning and Portland’s only accredited fashion design college.

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Convertible jacket concept wins Portland teen a fashion scholarship

Monday, April 17, 2023

Portland, Ore.—Creating a convertible puffer jacket that is functional and stylish won 18-year-old Izak Schwartz of Grant High School a full-ride fashion design scholarship at Portland Fashion Institute (PFI), Portland’s only accredited fashion school.

Schwartz experimented with several designs before he came up with a winner – a jacket where you can zip off the sleeves as quickly as the weather changes. The Grant High senior designed his functional outerwear to change with the unpredictable Northwest weather. His focus, however, is on more than just fashion.

“I come from a family of artists,” said Schwartz. “Art has always been a part of my life.”

As he grew older he also became interested in fashion. He screen printed his own original artwork and his logo on the jacket that helped win him the scholarship.

“I believe art and fashion go hand in hand. If you look good, you feel good, and clothing can be an extension of someone’s personality and a way to express themselves. I’m looking forward now to learning professional skills at PFI.”

Schwartz has a larger vision. After his education at PFI, he would like to work for a streetwear or outerwear company, or start his own clothing line where “I can have the freedom to be creative and innovative designing garments.”

“I congratulate Izak and am so thrilled to welcome him to PFI next fall,” said Sharon Blair, director of PFI. “This is the 10th year for our scholarship contest, but it’s the first year as a non-profit higher education school. With our strong ties to all the small, midsize and large apparel companies located in this region, PFI’s scholarship gives young designers a path into this vibrant industry.”

PFI’s scholarship is open to full-time students in high schools across the United States who have a GPA of 2.5 or more.

As part of becoming a 501(c)3 non-profit, PFI created a foundation for those wishing to donate to PFI’s fashion scholarship fund. The foundation is named for Brian Foster, a long-time friend and design colleague whose mother, Anne, led the apparel design program at Portland Community College in the 1980s. Brian Foster passed away in 2021. Having a non-profit and foundation allowed PFI for the first time to fully fund tuition for a talented teen from an underserved community.  Previous years offered a partial tuition.

Each contestant created an original apparel idea with a video essay on their design process and the results. Judges include directors and managers for Adidas, Columbia Sportswear and Nike.

More than 7,000 people have studied at PFI since it opened in 2010. While most students come to PFI for a class or two, those interested in a career have gone on to start their own clothing lines, to join one of the area’s many apparel companies or to work in New York, Los Angeles, London or Paris.

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About Portland Fashion Institute

Portland Fashion Institute was founded in 2002 as Portland Sewing with a beginning sewing class for just four students. Now, PFI offers intermediate, advanced sewing classes as well as three certificate programs in apparel business.

PFI courses can help you become industry proficient in clothing design, patternmaking, construction, manufacturing and production. All of our teachers work in apparel and are well-versed in current techniques. We are apparel people teaching apparel people. www.pfi.edu

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What classes do you offer?

For class offerings for fun, download our Class Flyer

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Or if you are interested in a Career Path, you can download our class catelog:

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For class offerings for fun, download our Class Flyer

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No. We were founded to offer both “Classes for Fun. Classes for Careers.” Whether you take one class or several or pursue a diploma, our mission is to give you real skills and real world knowledge.

Yes, we have a page dedicated to Continuing Education.

Yes, contact info@pfi.edu to set up an appointment.

No student housing. But there are several apartments close by and more are being built every day. For your search, focus on rentals available in zip codes 97212-97215 and 97232. Portland is a very walkable town. Many ride bikes or use BikeTown rentals. PFI is also located near mass transit, 7 blocks north of the Hollywood Max station or 1 block north of the #12 bus stop at 43rd & Sandy. There are many restaurants, bistros and grocery stores in our neighborhood.

No. With a “class for fun”, unless you have applied for a career program or filled out the continuing education form and paid fees, you are registering for a non-credit class(es) at Portland Fashion Institute for the beginning dates, ending dates, clock hours and costs as listed on the webpage. Your attendance will be monitored, but your projects will not be evaluated and you will not get a grade. You also agree that you have read and understand PFI’s Cancellation, Refund & Student Conduct Policy.

We are apparel people teaching apparel people. You learn from professionals. All of our instructors have apparel industry experience and are employed in the industry. We teach techniques used in the apparel industry. You can take classes whether you are pursuing a career, continuing your education or just want to take one class.

Yes- in the summer July/August. Please subscribe to our newsletter (the form is at the bottom of the homepage) so you will get notified when registration opens for future classes. Summer kids classes are very popular and fill up fast – so act fast.

For those enrolled in one of PFI’s diploma programs, please refer to your enrollment agreement. For others, refunds are available until 48 hours before class start; 24 hours before open sewing or a private lesson starts.  Contact info@pfi.edu  Cancellation policy for Optitex class:  No refunds after one week before class starts. No refunds or transfers after class, open sewing or private lesson starts. Please don’t forfeit your fees! Please let us know if you can’t come so someone else can use that class or lesson time.

For hands-on classes: We prefer you do your work in class. That can save a lot of seam ripping. If you do work between classes, be sure you have clear instruction from your teacher. For lecture classes: You may be asked to do research online to present in your next class. You may even be asked to go shopping!

When students miss a class, they are welcome to register for a Private Lesson or Open Sewing to catch up on their work. You can find both of these options under the Classes For Fun tab on the PFI website.

hen seeking a refund, please send your original transaction id or receipt for the given class. People use different names, e-mails and credit cards. Having the transaction id or receipt gets us to the right registration. Without the transaction id or receipt we may refund someone with a similar name. Purchaser gets an automatic notice as soon as they register for a class and as soon as they get a refund. Our standards are the same as those used by most any retailer. Per the credit card company, no refunds after 180 days from date of purchase. We would keep your purchase on file for use on another day up to one year from date of purchase.

e offer career services for those who enroll in a full programs. More than 80 percent have gone into internships and jobs in the apparel industry and are working for companies from independent designers to major corporations. Of the remainder, some have started their own retail stores or started their own clothing lines. A very few have gone into film and theater. To see some of our graduates, visit the PFI Alumni page.

Portland hosts 41 apparel manufacturers. Companies range from adidas, Columbia Sportswear and Nike to smaller companies such as Hanna Andersson, Jantzen/Perry Ellis, Kroger and Pendleton. All are invited to our career days, portfolio shows and graduate runway shows. Since members of our advisory board and our instructors are hiring managers, they attend and hire from these events or just by knowing the students. It’s been said that Portland is number three in the nation for apparel manufacturing.

Yes. We take Visa, Master Card, American Express and Discover. We also take payment over the phone and by check. Find out more about financing a certificate program by contacting registrar@pfi.edu

PFI doesn’t offer loans. It isn’t supported by taxpayer dollars so it doesn’t yet have access to financial aid. Now that it is accredited, it is applying for Title IV eligibility. What PFI does accept:

— Payment from employers such a Nike, Columbia Sportswear, Hanna Anderson, Pendleton and the many other employers in the Greater Portland area.

— Payments from such places as WorkSource, Workforce, IRCO and Mercy Corps.

— Payment Plan information for full-time diploma program enrollees:

Bottom line: We keep our class fees affordable.

We do expect that the US Department of Education will soon approve PFI for Title IV eligibility. PFI would be able to issue 1099T tax forms to enrollees after that.

Classes must have a minimum of six students. During COVID, sewing classes have a maximum of eight. Patternmaking classes have a maximum of six. On-line classes have a maximum of twenty.

4301 NE Tillamook, Portland, OR
1 block north of NE 43rd & Sandy
BUS: #12 bus
MAX: 7 blocks from the Hollywood MAX station

Monday-Friday: 10 am-9 pm; Saturday, 10 am-5 pm. We take breaks between classes, during the holidays and the months of December and August. Be sure to check with us before coming over during those times.

Level 1 Help Desk (info@pfi.edu)
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Registrar (registrar@pfi.edu – or call (971) 801-7199)
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Director (director@pfi.edu or call the school @ (503) 927-5457)
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PFI’s Online Learning Fee includes costs associated with administration, online class support, non-traditional course formats, and technology support. PFI charges per course or series rather than per credit (as is the cases with most institutions and colleges).

No emotional support animals are allowed in the buildings. PFI does not want to trigger other students’ or guests’ allergies that could be caused by the proximity of animals, or pet hair or dander infiltrating the fabric in the supply store.

Per the Americans with Disabilities Act and Oregon’s Service Animal Law, neither the Americans with Disabilities Act nor Oregon’s Service Animal Law includes what some people call “therapy” or “emotional support animals”. These ESA animals provide a sense of safety, companionship and comfort to those with psychiatric or emotional disabilities or conditions. Although ESA animals often have therapeutic benefits, they are not individually trained to perform specific tasks for their handlers. Under the ADA and Oregon law, owners of public accommodations are not required to allow ESA, only service animals.

PFI cannot ask about a person’s disability or demand to see proof of the animal’s training but PFI can ask what tasks it performs for the person, such as these examples under the ADA:
– Hearing dogs, which alert their handlers to important sounds, such as alarms and doorbells.
– Guide dogs, which help those who are visually impaired to navigate safely.
– Psychiatric service animals, which help those with mental or emotional disabilities by, for example, interrupting self-harming behaviors, reminding handlers to take medication, checking spaces for intruders, or providing calming pressure during anxiety or panic attacks.
– Seizure alert animals, which let their handlers know of impending seizures, and may also guard their handlers during seizure activity.
– Allergen alert animals, which let their handlers know of foods that could be dangerous (such as peanuts).

Under the ADA, a service animal is a dog that has been individually trained to perform tasks or do work for the benefit of a person with a disability. Oregon law uses the same definition, but uses the term assistance animals rather than service animals. Under the ADA and Oregon law, owners of public accommodations are not required to allow ESA, only service animals.

Unlike service animals, ESAs are not automatically allowed in commercial businesses and businesses have the right to accept or deny ESAs.

PFI is not required to allow ESAs into PFI buildings. If a student has a service animal, we ask 48 hours notice before allowing the animal into PFI buildings in order to notify other students and guests who may have concerns.

PFI prohibits discrimination against and among its customers, employees and students on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or whether all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program.

Its conduct policy is part of its policy manual and is in line with standards set by Oregon and national regulatory agencies. It is posted online here.

Yes. We have suggested amounts on-line. But you can purchase them over the phone, by mail or e-mail or in person for any amount you wish. Gift certificates are good for one year from date of purchase and are redeemable for classes or items from the supply store. For more, go to Gift Certificates.

Yes, we have a supply store. We sell fabric plus zippers, buttons, thread and other notions. Our prices are low because of our low overhead. We offer a 20 percent discount to current students. Hours for our supply store are on their website: portlandfashionsupply.com/