Our fashion program is based in San Francisco, California and we are celebrating our fifth year of success! Classes are held in the lower level multi-purpose room at Faith Temple Church, 1758 Oakdale Ave. This free hands-on program for urban youth is founded and managed by fashion stylist Traci Peace and is offered to youth ages 16 - 22. Traci's vision is to provide her students with the best introduction to the fashion industry attainable. The students are required to have good attendance and seriously involve themselves in the class curriculum. Many of these young people overcome powerful obstacles and travel great distances to get to these classes. Some students travel 200 miles round trip each week. The students are given the opportunity to enhance their knowledge of sewing and design (including mathematics and measurements), fashion illustration, fashion merchandising, public relations and any area of interest in the high fashion industry. Our future plan includes introducing our students to fashion photography, photoshop and the study of Italian and French. Paris (France), Milan (Italy), and New York City are the fashion centers of the world. The opportunity to learn a second language will give our students an advantage when fashion houses require bilingual experience. The classes are taught by fashion design graduates from: San Francisco State University and Academy of Art University (San Francisco). In June 2007 Traci introduced "Visions Of La Moda Juniors", which is a basic sewing and design class offered to younger students ages 9-12.
In September 2008 Ms. Peace took the students to New York on a fashion field trip. The program was honored to be invited by TEEN VOGUE MAGAZINE for a private tour. While there the students had the privilege to intern in various capacities during MERCEDES-BENZ FASHION WEEK - SPRING 2009 NEW YORK COLLECTIONS. The opportunity for these students to intern backstage during the shows dressing many of the models they see each month in TEEN VOGUE is something they'll never forget. We are so GRATEFUL to IMG (producers of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week) and New York Designer Tracy Reese for an opportunity of a lifetime. The Fashion Department at the Academy of Art University and the Apparel Design & Merchandising Department at San Francisco State University are great supporters of our program! Academy of Art is the only school to ever show during the prestigious NEW YORK COLLECTIONS and they provided our students with tickets to their show during NEW YORK FASHION WEEK in September 2008. They have set up tours of their School of Fashion, as well as VIP seats for our students to attend their undergraduate and graduate fashion show this past April. San Francisco State's Apparel Design & Merchandising Department invited the students to be part of their annual fashion show In May 2008. The students designed, made and modeled their own garments for that show. The department also donated a portion of proceeds from that show to our program.
We are convinced that the next Yves Saint Laurent, Coco Chanel or San Francisco's own Peter Som, will discover their high fashion potential, while learning the skill of drawing/illustrating, designing, cutting and sewing through our program. We are PASSIONATE about this program and the future of these young people. We are determined that our students not only be prepared for advanced study at the world's top fashion schools, colleges and universities, but also LIFE in general.
Visions Of La Moda is a 501(c)3 organization and has an active relationship with San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom's Office of Community Development. We are vigorously pursuing funding, as well as a permanent location.