Couture Academy

“Julia doesn't just teach technique — she teaches you to think like a designer and outside of the box when using fabric, pattern, and the three dimensional form. Her classes gave me both the technical skills and the confidence to bring my ideas to life in some of the most impactful aspects of apparel design process.”

Mark Dasilva - Senior Technical Designer at Nike

“Julia has an incredible ability to break down complex techniques into steps that actually make sense. I left every class understanding not just what to do, but why — which made all the difference. Julia doesn't just teach technique — she teaches you to think like a designer. Her classes gave me both the technical skill and the confidence to bring my ideas to life.”

Nazila ShSaraf - Fashion Designer, San Francisco

“Julia’s class has helped incredibly with strengthening my own fashion business, allowing me to fit garments perfectly to each of my clients for custom designs. Her methods for drafting blocks have helped me produce well-fitted, high quality garments that my clients are comfortable in and look amazing in. I highly recommend her classes to raise your pattern making skill level to the next degree! ”

Erika Regalado - Fashion Designer, Mira Loma, California

“I’ve learned so much from Julia and loved taking her classes! She’s an amazing, fun, energetic, detail-oriented instructor who goes beyond the basic, straight-forward, step-by-step lesson and will teach you tips and tricks of garment construction that will elevate your designs and your garments. Julia’s classes are engaging and illuminating. ”

Asya Namsaraeva - Fashion Designer, San Francisco

“What makes Julia an incredible teacher is her exceptional knowledge and technical skills, combined with her ability to teach with patience, clarity, and attention to detail. She has a deep understanding of garment construction, sewing techniques, and the craftsmanship behind creating a well-made garment. More importantly, she knows how to break down complex techniques and explain them in a way that makes them easier to understand and apply. I have gained so much confidence and skill through her teaching. She doesn’t simply show you how to do something, she helps you understand why you are doing it, which has made a huge difference in the way I approach sewing. Her passion for sewing, her expertise, and her dedication to her students truly stand out. I would highly recommend learning from her to anyone who wants to build strong sewing skills, improve their techniques, and develop a deeper understanding of garment making. Julia is an exceptional teacher, and I feel very fortunate to have been one of her students. ”

Vishali Sitharthan - MFA Fashion Design

“I took the custom pant class and loved it! In this three-session class, I learnt how to take custom measurements correctly, draft a set of pant blocks based on these measurements, evaluate the fitting, fix various fitting issues, and make the fitting adjustments back to the pant blocks. This was such a great experience and I would highly recommend her classes!”

Chenqi Xie - Fashion Designer, China

“The couture class is amazing! I have learned so much in this class. Knowing how to take measurements on the real body, and transfer them from 3D to 2D on the paper. That is the most interesting part actually. I think it's really basic knowledge but nobody teaches this in fashion school. After I took the class, I felt I had more passion for fashion and pattern making.”

Leyla - Fashion Designer, Taiwan

“Fantastic! Julia is a fantastic teacher with so much knowledge and experience to pass on. It was a wonderful course and a great time!”

Kathleen Sheehan - Amateur Dressmaker, Mill Valley, California

“Custom Bodice & Sleeve Block Class - This course strengthened my understanding of pattern drafting and provided me with the tools I need to create a custom fit bodice and sleeve. Julia's in- depth, direct instruction is accompanied by guided practice to ensure full understanding of concepts. I really enjoyed the class- it was informative and fun.”

Mallorie Winn - Fashion Designer, USA

“I am very fortunate to have been in your class. You've taught me more things than all of my other pattern-drafting and sewing classes combined. Things make more sense. I was mind blown from the tips and tricks you've shown us. Thank you for all of your help, any student is lucky to be in your class.”

Denise Ramos - BFA Fashion Design, USA