Sadie McMahon (9th)
Mod Re-Imagined
Sadie McMahon is a freshman in fashion design at Oakland School for the Arts (OSA). She has gone to OSA since 6th grade, and spent her middle school years in the production design sub pathway before auditioning for and switching to fashion. This is her first OSA fashion show. She participated in BART’s project doneway in September of last year She looks forward to making more collections in her future at OSA. She hopes you enjoy her Rewind collection and the show!
Annabella Ventresco (11th)
Contact
The collection is about our lack of contact with art and creation. Its a callback to a time where art was made more meaningfully while simultaneously representing a futuristic, enlightened way of being Each look is designed for a group of figures who have a deep understanding of what it means to be an individual When working through the concept, it was important to me that I didn't look up any styles or images online; I wanted my work to stem from each thing that I was putting into it, while actively resisting the media that is presented directly to us. Sources similar to social media and Pinterest can stunt an artist's growth and cause no taste to be developed Their only purpose is to be pretty and palatable Because of this, I made sure to seek out references and material that are special to me, and tell the correct story of how I see the future of art. The way that I express myself creatively greatly depends on my own independent curiosity and desire to dive ever deeper into the things I enjoy. Maintaining the vision I hold myself to and not wavering is something that I prioritize and is particularly invaluable to the way I represent myself as an artist What is art with no intention behind it? Let us make contact with life
Isadora Oznowicz (9th)
Fancy Nancy
Isadora Oznowicz is a 14-year-old at Oakland School for the Arts studying the fashion design sub-pathway Isadora was born and raised in Oakland, California. Some things she has accomplished so far are being in the OSA all-school showcase, Metamorphosis. She has also costumed many different OSA shows. She plans on graduating from OSA and then going to college for interior design. She hopes to move on to an interior design career in the Bay Area when she graduates from college.
Ella Marcial (9th)
Cielito Lindo
Ella Marcial is a freshman at Oakland School for the Arts studying fashion design. Most recently, she participated in BART’s ‘Project Doneway’, where she and her codesigners were challenged to create a look using predominantly BART cards. Her team's look was chosen for display at the Alameda County Fair this summer, as well as being presented at The Asian Art Museum’s Night of Ideas and an exhibit at SF Climate Week. She has just completed her first collection, Cielito Lindo, and is excited for the many more to come Ella hopes to finish her high school years at OSA, attend college for fashion, and then continue her career in the fashion industry.
Mila Rukavina (10th)
Entropy
Mila Rukavina is a queer fashion designer and artist located in the bay area. Mila’s collection this year is titled Entropy: The Fabric of Spacetime. Entropy is known as the universe’s constant descent towards a state of chaos and disorder. They represent this drive to chaos throughout the collection, with each garment serving as its own model of the universe. They took inspiration from nebulae, dust and gas clouds where stars are often formed and supernovae, an explosion that causes the death of stars. This collection takes you through this explosive cosmic process and explores the role of chaos throughout the universe.
Becka Feldman (12th)
Past Charm
Becka Feldman is a senior in fashion design who feels that OSA has helped her grow and become more thoughtful with her concepts. Each year, Becka expresses a story through her art, and she wanted her final year to be a playful story. This collection is about a love for beauty and simple things, like flowers and fairytales. Becka’s designs showcase frills, poofy skirts, and flowy draping. She was inspired by a surreal and dreamy-looking old magazine that had recurring motifs of wings and headdresses Becka hopes to continue to tell stories and grow as a designer.
Emiko Tobias (11th)
Resilience
Emiko Tobias black fashion designer and is a student at Oakland School for the arts she is in the fashion design department. She was born and raised in the Bay Area, and has been doing fashion for the past several years. This year her collection is all about defiance and being your true self. Being inspired by the 1920’s Harlem Renaissance and how at that time doing things against the norm was a trend. Influenced by her own activist work at her school she has chosen this based on starting a walk out at her school. Her collection is named Resilience to show being opposed to what you're supposed to do is exactly what you need to do You don’t have to be anyone but yourself despite what others think or say. Emiko was inspired to do this collection because of her late godmother, Roxxane who was always unapologetically herself no matter what. We will explore themes of self-confidence and self worth in this collection
Pati and Naomi (9th)
Smooth Notes
Pati Barajas Lopez and Naomi Brack are 14-year-olds born and raised in the Bay Area. They are freshman at Oakland School for the Arts studying fashion design. Both girls have accomplished multiple things in their fashion design journey, such as a metamorphosis allschool show, BART project doneway fashion show, and many different OSA school shows They hope to succeed in their high school fashion journey and graduate from OSA as accomplished designers
NaomiBrack PatiBarajasLopez
Reyhana Shepard (12th) Cocoa Atunbi
My name is Reyhana Shephard, and I'm a senior at Oakland School for the Arts. As an artist, I am heavily influenced by culture, storytelling, and architecture I focus on using fashion as a vessel for expression, transformation, and empowerment. My work explores themes of individuality, often blending elements from various cultures, eras, and personal histories. Fashion allows me to narrate these stories visually to explore who we are and how we want to be seen. My preferred media include textiles, upcycling, and mixed media designs Each piece I create is an interplay between tradition and modernity. I am also heavily influenced by music, which is also a part of my design process. Almost everything I‘ve ever made came from me listening to a song and drawing the sounds and lyrics I hear. This process also involves a combination of sketching, collaging, fabric manipulation, and sewing Through my work, I aim to challenge society's views on beauty, gender, and identity I seek to provoke thought about how fashion is tersecting. Working in a studio environment will allow me to expand my creativity and utilize my skills I look forward to being surrounded by other artists and always being in a space where I can be inspired
Stephanie Verrieres
Fashion Design Chair - Oakland School for the Arts
Stephanie Verrieres is a fashion designer with over 20 years of experience, known for her innovation, craftsmanship, and refined design sensibility.
Her work is part of the permanent collection at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and has been seen on the red carpets such as The Academy Awards, as well as featured in VOGUE, WWD, San Francisco Chronicle, Town & Country, InStyle, C!Magazine, and more
In 2009, she was honored to create a gown for President Barack Obama’s Inaugural Ball. Her early ready-to-wear collections were carried by boutiques across the country, including Fred Segal and Henri Bendel
In addition to her couture work, Verrieres has designed original costumes for choreographers such as Twyla Tharp and collaborated with artists in other fields, including a sitespecific project with environmental artist Andy Goldsworthy.
She currently serves as Chair of the Fashion Department at Oakland School for the Arts (OSA), where she is committed to mentoring and inspiring the next generation of designers while staying at the forefront of the evolving fashion industry.
@verrieres sako
Although we absolutely love our home at the historic Fox Theatre, we are bursting at the seams and our classrooms and hallways are extremely full! Additionally, many classrooms have been used for both arts and academic classes.
Now, OSA has an amazing opportunity to finally have the art space we need and deserve! We have put the down payment on a building one block away from our main campus in the Fox Theater in Downtown Oakland: the historic Dufwin Theater at 519 17th Street!
The Dufwin Theater is a fully-renovated 7 story building with lots of natural light making it a perfect site for creativity to flourish. Moving here means that each Arts pathway at OSA will have its own floor and students would be able to collaborate more regularly. This is something we have longed for as a school!
If you are interested in supporting our move to the Dufwin and the Fashion Department financially, here’s our QR code:
After more than 20 years, OSA is proud to continue to offer an innovative education model that is successful, accessible, and tuitionfree. Arts and academics at OSA build discipline and confidence, effectively preparing creative youth to achieve their potential both in and outside of the arts. OSA maintains a 97% graduation rate, and our students continue to gain admission to some of the most competitive universities and colleges. Thank you for your support that makes an OSA education possible!
