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Oakland School for the Arts

Oakland School for the Arts

Mission statement

Mission statement

The Fashion Design Department strives to teach students that self motivation, problem solving and work ethic are the keys to success in the arts and in life. It is our goal to inspire students to continue and develop their craft at colleges both domestically and internationally, and to excel in professional work environments as innovative designers, technicians and artisans.
Overview

Overview

 
OSA's Fashion Design Department provides comprehensive artistic and technical training for aspiring young designers with a diverse curriculum offered for students in grades 6th – 12th that focuses on project-based and collaborative learning. In addition to classwork, Fashion Design students produce a Spring Fashion Week runway show and are responsible for costuming up to three OSA productions a year.
 
The Fashion Design Department strives to teach students that self motivation, problem solving and work ethic are the keys to success in the arts and in life. It is our goal to inspire students to continue their craft at design colleges both domestically and internationally, and to excel in professional work environments as innovative designers, technicians and artisans.
 
Run like a small studio, Fashion Design teaches industry practices tailored to a high school program, with an emphasis on building strong technical foundations in drawing, clothing construction & conceptual design. To ensure that students are prepared after OSA, there is a strong emphasis on being able to communicate your ideas as a designer and preparing a portfolio presentation.
 
 
 
stephanie verrieres

            Chair, Fashion Design
stephanie verrieres

 

BIOGRAPHY

 
This fall, we welcomed Stephanie Verrieres as the new Fashion Design Arts Chair. Ms. Verrieres is a fashion designer with almost 20 years of experience that covers a wide range of fashion industry roles. Among her achievements are: 

  • Designed a gown that is being archived in the Couture Department at The De Young Museum of Fine Arts in San Francisco;
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  • Worked side by side with Andy Goldsworthy to create a new site-specific work in San Francisco;
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  • Awarded Gen Art's prestigious "Fresh Faces in Fashion" award and Los Angeles' "Who's Next What's Next" fashion award in 2007 & 2008;
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  • Has had her work featured in WWD, ApparelNews, InStyle!, Vogue Japan, San Francisco Chronicle, and seen on E!;
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  • Designed a gown for Obama's Presidential Inaugural Ball; and
  • Produced styles with brand collaborator Eckhaus-Latta for the Spring 2023 New York Fashion Week Show.

With a strong commitment to ethical fashion, Ms. Verrieres is also a member of the manufacturing team working towards decarbonizing the fashion industry through technology and intention. At OSA, she is already incorporating strategies that teach students the fundamentals of where fashion materials come from and how they become finished products, with the objective of ensuring that they enter college and career with a solid foundation in sustainable fashion and eco-friendly manufacturing processes.