NEW YORK, NY– Students across the five boroughs of New York City and Westchester County who aspire to lead the fashion world will soon have the opportunity to learn at the Haus of Noire Academy, a prestigious training program offered by the nonprofit Haus of Noire. Its founder, Raymond Lyles, has announced he will be opening new facilities that will be able to host large audiences and that will be equipped with the latest lighting and sound technology. The locations, scheduled to open in May 2024, will be the center of Haus of Noire Academy’s mission to offer every young adult a safe place to explore their identity, receive hands-on training in the arts, attend skills-based workshops, and enjoy recreational activities.

At Haus of Noire Academy, Lyles leads a team of instructors whose goals are to increase the self-esteem of teens, decrease the prevalence of bullying in schools, equip aspiring models with practical skills, and encourage students of all genders to feel comfortable expressing who they are through the arts. As students progress in their training, they are prepared to successfully enter the fashion world and transform its culture.

The initial launch of the Haus of Noire Academy was met with enthusiasm by the local community, with classes quickly filling up at the facility it shared at Lehman College in New York City. However, that success led to a new issue: how to accommodate the demand. With an eye on the future, Lyles and his team devised a growth strategy that would allow Haus of Noire Academy to expand into larger space.

“We wanted to invest in our models and youth performers and give them every opportunity to become the leaders they dream of being,” says Lyles. “To accomplish this, we decided to open more locations around New York City and Westchester County. In doing so, we will be giving our students the creative space they need to be themselves, and we will be able to showcase their inspiring talent to the community. We also have some new projects in the works that will take Haus of Noire in an exciting direction.”

At each facility, Haus of Noire Academy students will have hands-on access to advanced lighting systems, high-quality sound systems, large video screens for projections and displays, and augmented reality or virtual reality technology for more immersive experiences. 

Lyles believes it is crucial that students preparing for careers in fashion have hands-on training in lighting and sound. “As anyone who has worked in the industry knows, it can be intimidating to walk up to all that tech and be expected to operate it,” he says. “By allowing our students to become proficient with it now, they have a leg up. They also get to use it during performances, which improves their understanding of how lighting and sound impact the mood of the audience and the performance. It is invaluable training and increases their self-confidence.”

With the launch of their new facilities approaching, Lyle and his instructors are putting the finishing touches on their new programs, which will leverage the increased space and state-of-the-art equipment.

“It is a very exciting time for us at Haus of Noire,” he confirms. “I cannot thank my team, our students, and the larger community enough for their years of support. As we enter this new chapter of our journey to help young adults accept themselves and each other, we will continue to work hard to remain the Tri-State area’s top provider of performing arts training.”

Haus of Noire is a nonprofit organization that was founded by Raymond Lyles, the Creative Director/Founder of the fashion brand Haus of Noire. The nonprofit’s prestigious program, Haus of Noire Academy, is designed to give youth vital opportunities to express themselves in a safe space, grow their self-esteem, and learn skills that will help them become leaders in the fashion world.

For more information about Haus of Noire Academy, please see https://www.hausofnoire.org/ or contact:

Raymond Lyles, Haus of Noire Academy

[email protected]

(917) 776-1635