"Jeannine la bate has taken over the osa fashion department " -- Cece burger, 6th grade
After 14 Years, OSA has a new fashion teacher!
Jeannine La Bate Has recently taken over the OSA Fashion Department and is working toward building and maintaining “Mrs Linda’s Empire” of fashion.
Before La Bate started at OSA, she worked at California College of the Arts,
leading under-graduate students through draping, designing, and constructing their projects.Throughout her two years working there, she volunteered at The Social Justice Sewing academy.
In 2020, Linda Ricciardi (former OSA fashion teacher) reached out to her and asked for La Bate to join her for a day to help to have a project where students were to make quilt blocks based on a social justice issue, movement, or figure. La Bate was happy to come and work with the students. She joined the class for a day and said she enjoyed the experience. After that, Ricciardi and La Bate stayed in touch helping each other with ideas, learning curriculums, and designs.
After Ricciardi announced her departure at the end of the 2022-23 school year, an email was sent to the fashion teachers in the area. Remembering the fun she had a year prior, La Bate was up for the job.
“I loved the idea of working at an art school,” she said, continuing that the environment and the people make everyday “a little joy.” La Bate enjoys learning about students and their styles along with hobbies, ideas, and personalities. After her first month of school at OSA, she says, “I have got my footing.” After all the introductions, she is able to enjoy her work and students.
Ella Marcial is an 8th grader who has been in fashion for two years, and is happy to learn more about La Bate. “I’m excited to get to know each other more and get used to each other,” she said.
However, the change has been hard for some students. “It has been a little difficult because I have had Ms. Linda since 6th grade,” admitted 11th grader Evie Burger.
But even with the big adjustment, Burger is excited for this year’s haunted house, which only happens every other year—so Evie has ideas. “I’m excited to work with makeup and clothing, and hopefully I can be an actor,” they said.
When asked about the upcoming collaboration with Production Design for the Haunted House, La Bate talked about their inspiration for the spooky costumes. In their research for the show, which is based on insect metamorphosis, they learned that “78% of bugs go from a larvae form to adult form and that gives them a lot more inspiration, and after they have the idea they have to put a spin on it to make it haunted.” She likes the idea of having the kids explore through sketches making their own designs.
Lali Soto-Ramirez is in the 6th grade who is very excited to be working on the haunted house. “I am very excited,” she said. “I heard it is one of the best haunted houses ever!” Soto-Ramirez is in good company.
“I am very excited for the haunted house, We are going to be working on costumes and makeup for the bug theme,” said Marcial. Her favorite part of Fashion is “being able to sketch, you don’t have to think about how or what you are going to sketch.” Marcial enjoys sketching which I know a lot of students do just because of the freedom of it. Ramirez’s favorite part of fashion is sketching, too. “I like not having the pressure,” she said, of designing with physical material.
Growing up, La Bate was always drawn to different forms of creativity. “Back in school, I was always the colorful girl, never had one style or interest, loved to test outfits out. I think fashion was some way of storytelling for me.” She likes seeing kids express themselves through fashion, like she did.
Now at OSA, La Bate loves having the Black Box as a resource. Not only is it used for a variety of fashion events, they are able to test out fabrics under the lights and how they will look.
In the end she loves how her job is going, she is working to “Fill Linda’s [Designer] Shoes.” Coming after a teacher who “built an empire” is difficult, La Bate admits., However, she returns to the quote, “Change is hard but presents a new world of opportunity.”
Jeannine La Bate Has recently taken over the OSA Fashion Department and is working toward building and maintaining “Mrs Linda’s Empire” of fashion.
Before La Bate started at OSA, she worked at California College of the Arts,
leading under-graduate students through draping, designing, and constructing their projects.Throughout her two years working there, she volunteered at The Social Justice Sewing academy.
In 2020, Linda Ricciardi (former OSA fashion teacher) reached out to her and asked for La Bate to join her for a day to help to have a project where students were to make quilt blocks based on a social justice issue, movement, or figure. La Bate was happy to come and work with the students. She joined the class for a day and said she enjoyed the experience. After that, Ricciardi and La Bate stayed in touch helping each other with ideas, learning curriculums, and designs.
After Ricciardi announced her departure at the end of the 2022-23 school year, an email was sent to the fashion teachers in the area. Remembering the fun she had a year prior, La Bate was up for the job.
“I loved the idea of working at an art school,” she said, continuing that the environment and the people make everyday “a little joy.” La Bate enjoys learning about students and their styles along with hobbies, ideas, and personalities. After her first month of school at OSA, she says, “I have got my footing.” After all the introductions, she is able to enjoy her work and students.
Ella Marcial is an 8th grader who has been in fashion for two years, and is happy to learn more about La Bate. “I’m excited to get to know each other more and get used to each other,” she said.
However, the change has been hard for some students. “It has been a little difficult because I have had Ms. Linda since 6th grade,” admitted 11th grader Evie Burger.
But even with the big adjustment, Burger is excited for this year’s haunted house, which only happens every other year—so Evie has ideas. “I’m excited to work with makeup and clothing, and hopefully I can be an actor,” they said.
When asked about the upcoming collaboration with Production Design for the Haunted House, La Bate talked about their inspiration for the spooky costumes. In their research for the show, which is based on insect metamorphosis, they learned that “78% of bugs go from a larvae form to adult form and that gives them a lot more inspiration, and after they have the idea they have to put a spin on it to make it haunted.” She likes the idea of having the kids explore through sketches making their own designs.
Lali Soto-Ramirez is in the 6th grade who is very excited to be working on the haunted house. “I am very excited,” she said. “I heard it is one of the best haunted houses ever!” Soto-Ramirez is in good company.
“I am very excited for the haunted house, We are going to be working on costumes and makeup for the bug theme,” said Marcial. Her favorite part of Fashion is “being able to sketch, you don’t have to think about how or what you are going to sketch.” Marcial enjoys sketching which I know a lot of students do just because of the freedom of it. Ramirez’s favorite part of fashion is sketching, too. “I like not having the pressure,” she said, of designing with physical material.
Growing up, La Bate was always drawn to different forms of creativity. “Back in school, I was always the colorful girl, never had one style or interest, loved to test outfits out. I think fashion was some way of storytelling for me.” She likes seeing kids express themselves through fashion, like she did.
Now at OSA, La Bate loves having the Black Box as a resource. Not only is it used for a variety of fashion events, they are able to test out fabrics under the lights and how they will look.
In the end she loves how her job is going, she is working to “Fill Linda’s [Designer] Shoes.” Coming after a teacher who “built an empire” is difficult, La Bate admits., However, she returns to the quote, “Change is hard but presents a new world of opportunity.”