Love Your Labels’ Threads Program: Unfolding One Student’s Story

{ Julie Walker }

Eye-catching and full of color, the one-of-a-kind strapless dress with a pleated style skirt was selected as the final look featured in Love Your Labels' June 2022 Threads youth fashion showcase, a gesture that brought youth fashion designer Aggy White (They/Them) great joy. 

“They wanted to save me for last cuz it was a lot of colors,” Aggy excitedly recalled, a smile on their face. 

A Decora, or Harajuku Japanese fashion piece, Aggy’s dress featured puffy white clouds and rainbows and was layered over other vibrant pieces of clothing, including furry neon leg warmers, a colorful striped shirt, ornamental belt, numerous bracelets, necklaces, and beads. For the occasion, Aggy completed the look with a multicolored tiara. Initially nervous to model their original handmade garment in the show that was held at Worcester’s BrickBox Theater, with the support of family, friends, educators, and their new Love Your Labels family, Aggy “actually felt confident.” 

Threads is one of several free youth programs offered by the Worcester-based nonprofit organization Love Your Labels. According to Love Your Labels President and CoFounder Joshua Croke, “Threads uses fashion design education as a lens to discuss gender expression, sexuality, and identity with queer and trans high school age youth in a supportive environment that teaches valuable life skills while allowing our kids to build community.” 

When they first learned of Threads, Aggy, an imaginative artist with a passion for clothing and makeup, was allured by the opportunity to make their own garment, but there was more to the program that caught their interest. “It was like a sewing class and an LGBT support group in one. Getting to know other people like me interested me.” 

“In addition to teaching valuable life skills such as design thinking, communication, project planning, and creative expression, Threads also provides a safe and affirming community where young people can connect and build lasting relationships free of stigma and shame,” Croke says.

Through Threads, Aggy enjoyed learning new sewing and design skills while making friends. During weekly two-hour sessions over the course of eight weeks, about a dozen queer and trans teens from central Massachusetts traveled to Worcester where they were taught by Project Runway’s Samuel Donovan and fashion designer Rufus Dixon. The curated environment provided Threads participants with a safe, supportive atmosphere where organic peer connections occurred. Because LGBTQ+ youth often report feeling misunderstood, excluded, and lonesome, a paramount element of the program helped to fulfill Love Your Labels’ mission of “building community and creating loving, inclusive spaces.” 

Learning to shift unhealthy thought patterns and navigate social anxieties were woven into the Threads curriculum. “At the beginning of every class, we’d tell something about ourself or answer a certain question, like ‘What’s your favorite type of fashion?’,” said Aggy. “We also did more of a therapeutic exercise where we’d write down something negative about ourself, then turn them into positive traits. I think that was a pretty empowering thing to do. I wrote down things that I think negatively about myself and also things that other people would call me or say about me and then try to think more positively, like what are the more positive aspects. It helped with confidence. I had already been a little confident before… but I think with Threads, I was able to gain more confidence with my social skills.” 

Aggy’s increased self-confidence was something their mom, Michele White, noticed quickly. “I would definitely say that since [Aggy became] involved with Threads, I have seen Aggy’s confidence grow so much! I love… seeing the different members and teachers at Threads greet Aggy like family. That makes [Aggy] feel “seen” and truly makes my heart happy.” On the surface, Threads appears to be a fashion design workshop, but woven into its intent and creation is so much more. Threads starts a new session in October with a student showcase planned for January, 2024. 

To learn more about Threads, Love Your Labels, and additional programming, please visit www.loveyourlabels.org.