Profile
BFA Parsons The New School for Design, NYC. 1995. Sophomore year, Parsons Paris.
Laura is the founder of FashionIllustrationTribe.com, and online and onsite educationr resource and community for fashion design drawing, creative fashion illustration, model drawing, fashion portfolio development coaching, patternmaking, draping, and technical drawing oourses..
Author of the Language of Fashion Design (available in 5 languages), and co-author of The Fashion Designer's Specification and Resource Book.
Craftsy.com course creator/instructor Designing Fashion Flats.
Laura has taught pattermaking, draping and sewing (hand and machine) in Parsons BFA program for 5 years, and model drawing/ portfolio and Industry Design techniques for 20 years in AAS. Now also Patternmaking, Draping and Design Sketching/ Core in CPE.
An illustrator, artisan, technical designer and design creative, she explores the ovelapping of cultures, traditions, and disciplines- music and dance are usually integrated into her work, with a special interest in the African diaspora and Brazilian decorative arts and culture.
She has worked in swimwear, leather, knits and sweaters, mens womens, juniors, maternity and childrenswear in various studios over 20 years in NYC.Including the Childrens Place, Rocawear, Bebe, Chicos, all Target brands, CK jeans, the Limited, and more. She's also worked in fine leather accessories, bags, gloves and jewelry,
As a Full Time Faculty at Parsons Fashion for 5 years, she developed their very first online course for Fashion Design and Illustration in 2008, which she Taught for 10 years.
A Brazilian and Jazz vocalist, trained birth doula and single mom business owner, she lives an active, creative life based in CT.
Degrees Held
BFA FAshion Design, Parsons School of Design, 1995
Professional Affiliation
Faculty, Women and Music, Sacred Heart University, CT.
Recent Publications
The Language of Fashion Design available in Russian, Spanish, French and Chinese.
The Fashion Designers Reference and Specification book.
Freedom Fashion online program.
Designing with Fashion Flats: Craftsy.com
Performances and Appearances
Midsummer Night's Swing
Pizzeria Lauretano Jazz Series with Sambeleza and Studio Rio projects.
Battery Park Jazz Festival with Charanga.
S.O.Bs with Cuban Charanga
Boom, SOHO, Esperanto, Alphabet City- Brazilian jazz and Bossa nova weekly gig.
Band Together benefits at Fairfield Theater Co., featured vocalist
McDonalds GospelFest- Gospel Choir. 3d place.
Mambo Tuesdays at Bayamo with Cuban Charanga band Pasion.
Fashion Filter: featured panelist in an Ethical Fashion panel with Francisca Pineda
Research Interests
To Labor trained birth Doula
Ethical Fashion
Early childhood music and movement certification
Active Latin, Gospel, Brazilian and American jazz vocalist since 1992.
Languages: Spanish French and Brazilian Portuguese.
African Prints and Fashion, and Brazilian fashion and artisan traditions
Crochet and beadwork
Portfolio
website
instagram