Meet the Staff
FOUNDER, Head Teacher, Alexa Nigro
Ever since her first Home Ec class at age 10 Alexa hasn't stopped sewing. She would take apart all of her clothes and remake them into everything and anything, until her grandmother taught her how to read patterns and use a sewing machine. Alexa started making her own clothes, from her PJs to prom dress!
Alexa graduated from FIT with a degree in Fashion Design in 2006. Taking some time off to travel, she volunteered at a camp for children with special needs in New Zealand where she discovered her love for working with children. Coming back to NY she worked as an assistant designer in a womenswear company, but wanted to work in a more creative environment. She started working in the UES teaching sewing and LOVED it.
In 2014 she designed and Co-Founded the Scough, a germ filtering scarf. Shortly after she started Brooklyn Sewcial, Inc. to continue teaching. Brooklyn Sewcial is now her full time passion with classes running every day of the week, based out of the studio in Gowanus.
Emily Cote is the head teacher of the summer arts and crafts program at Brooklyn Sewcial. She is 25 years old and was born and raised in New York City.
Emily has a BFA from Alfred University, where she focused on oil painting. She was awarded a painting grant from the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation and an artist residency at the Vermont Studio Center. Emily will begin a master’s program in Landscape Architecture this fall, where she will tackle issues of sustainability in urban spaces.
She loves working with kids, encouraging both creativity and curiosity. She volunteers at the Butterfly Vivarium at the American Museum of Natural History, teaching adults and children about butterflies. Emily is also currently an education intern at the Gowanus Canal Conservancy where she educates about water pollution and leads water quality testing.
Ciara Richards is our Assistant Teacher. Her mom taught her to sew at 8 years old, when Ciara wanted to make her American Girl Dolls customized outfits. Throughout her childhood she continued sewing her costumes for dance and her pointe shoes.
Life long dancer, Ciara moved to New York City in 2015 to pursue her art of dance at Joffrey Ballet School. Shortly after she had hip surgery, and during her recovery she rediscovered sewing as a creative outlet.
Ciara found Brooklyn Sewcial which has given her the opportunity to share her knowledge with the students and be inspired by their creative minds.
Olivia LeBlanc is 24 years old, born in New Orleans, LA and has lived in the east village New York City for 4 years. Recently she graduated from Parsons Fashion BFA Graduate where she was awarded Parsons Designer of the Year.
CONGRATULATIONS OLIVIA!!!!
She has been sewing since sophomore year of high school as an apprentice with a local New Orleans designer. Now she is working on her own collection and is a new up and coming designer for the CFDA.
Caroline is a graduated senior from LaGuardia High School. She has experience in most art fields, including painting, sculpture, printmaking, and ceramics but specializes in watercolor and illustration.
This year, she had her senior art show and was the recipient of the Mark Rothko Scholarship and the Florence Mandell Memorial Art Award.
Caroline has been a TA for art classes outside of school and at both NYSSSA and MICA pre-colleges, and she just started the dual degree program between Tufts University and the SMFA in the fall, from which she will graduate in 2022 with a BA as well as a BFA.