Laura Lamascus is a Santa Cruz County teaching artist working in fashion, sewing, and wearable art. For more than a decade, she has been an enthusiastic supporter and mentor with FashionTeens, encouraging students to explore their creativity through fashion and unconventional materials.

Laura loves the unpredictability of the creative process—the wildly different ideas, the unexpected materials, and the way a simple concept can become something extraordinary. Through FashionTeens, she's had the opportunity to work with some students year after year, watching their ideas become more ambitious and their skills and confidence grow. Seeing what they come up with, often in ways she never would have imagined herself, is one of the things she enjoys most.

Through FashionTeens and her sewing classes, Laura introduces students to garment construction, repurposed materials, and wearable art. She teaches techniques, helps students work through challenges, and encourages them to find their own solutions. Sewing is just one way to construct something. Students might use fabric, paper, found objects, or materials that weren't originally intended to be worn. The ideas and artistic direction are always their own.

Laura believes creativity belongs to everyone, regardless of age or experience.

Visual Arts, Fashion Design/Wearable Art

Grades 6-12th

$60 per hour. Additional material fees

Classroom or art space with worktables, access to electrical outlets if sewing machines are used, and secure storage for works in progress. Multiple sessions required for completed garments. Students explore fashion as a form of artistic expression by designing and constructing original wearable art using fabric, repurposed materials, and unconventional materials. No sewing experience is required. Students develop their own creative ideas while experimenting with construction techniques, solving design challenges, and refining their work. The program supports California Visual Arts Standards through creative exploration, artistic decision-making, and the development of original artwork. With a longer residency, students may have the opportunity to participate in the annual FashionTeens runway show.

An introduction to the creative approach behind FashionTeens, these hands-on workshops challenge students to transform everyday and repurposed materials into original wearable designs. Working individually or in small groups, students experiment with construction techniques, solve design challenges, and discover new ways to express their ideas through fashion. Workshops support California Visual Arts Standards through experimentation, creative problem-solving, and artistic expression.