ACA @ UCLA
Project endeavor Fashion
The New City of Fashion!
Los Angeles is the ideal setting for an ultimate summer experience exploring your passion for fashion! All eyes are pointing at the West Coast, as Los Angeles continues to buzz about style and fashion more than ever. Project Endeavor puts you just steps from some of the world’s most influential design houses and important garment districts.
High style is the heart of LA, from hip boutiques to high-end designers. In this program, industry experts give you a behind-the-curtain look at the worlds of sketching, styling, buying, fashion show production and more! Show off your creativity and hone your talents while learning about fashion-related careers, and building confidence for college.
- Fashion Design with Leading Industry Professionals
- Sketching & Portfolio Development
- Visits to Fashion Houses
- Past Guest Lecturers have included: Designer for Rihanna, Kanye West, and Cardi B; Spokesmodel for Dolce & Gabbana; Creative Director for Metropolitan Fashion Week
- Upscale Residence Halls @ complete with Private Bathrooms and Air Conditioning
- 10:1 Student-to-Staff Ratio
- Evening Activities & Weekend Adventures are always Included
- Optional Excursion to Universal Studios
- Local Private Transportation for ACA Only
2025 Dates & Tuition
- July 6 - July 18 $5995
2 Weeks
Add a Travel Extension
- July 18 - July 25 $2995
Hawaii Extension
- July 18 - July 23 $1995
San Fran Extension
Transportation is not included in tuition.
Commuter Options
- July 7 - July 17 $2995
Weekday Schedule
-
8:30 am - 9:15 am
Breakfast -
9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Class -
12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
Lunch -
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Class/Field Trips -
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Break/Chill Time -
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Dinner -
8:30 pm - 11:00 pm
Evening Activities -
11:00 pm - 12:00 am
Residence Hall (Social Time) -
12:00 am
Goodnight (Individual Suites)
Classes run Monday through Saturday.
Safety & Supervision
ACA has always been committed to absolute safety for every student. We maintain a ten-to-one student-to-staff ratio – one of the lowest in the industry – to ensure everyone gets the unmatched attention and unique personalized programs they deserve.
As part of our commitment to student safety, ACA staff members live on student-occupied floors, and accompany students on all activities and excursions. ACA takes care to use private transportation for our weekday activities and weekend adventure trips – never public transportation.
Pepperdine’s campus adds an additional element of security, as well. The campus is a gated community with a guard booth and is patrolled 24/7.
Travel to Los Angeles*
We recommend that students fly nonstop to Los Angeles (LAX) International Airport. We will have designated times that you should fly into LA where ACA staff will meet you at baggage claim and escort you to comfortable, air-conditioned shuttles for the brief drive to Pepperdine’s campus.
Of course, parents are also welcome to drive students to ACA directly. Contact our office for further information on any of these travel options.
Students will return home from Los Angeles international Airport (LAX). We will have designated outbound flight times for you to schedule. ACA staff will help you with check-in and stay at the airport until your flight takes off.
If you are attending the San Francisco Extension, you will return home from San Francisco International Airport (SFO). If you are attending the Hawaii Extension, you will return home from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
*Transportation is not included in tuition.
Commuter Option
ACA offers a commuter option for students who do not require accommodations. Commuter students join the program Monday through Saturday from approximately 9:30 AM until 5:00 PM.
Please Note: Lunch is included in the cost of tuition.
Fashion Design
Here at Project Endeavor Fashion you will share your passion with your peers as you take on challenges that test your creativity, design skills and endurance. Do you have an eye for the work of Karl Lagerfeld, Vivienne Westwood, Ralph Lauren, Virgil Abloh and other top designers? This intensive program will help you hone your fashion sense and express yourself at the same time! You might start the next fashion craze!
Learn the basics of fashion, and the design process while taking away solid concepts of the macro of fashion and the fashion industry.
- Fashion History/Basics: Topics will focus on fashion history and basics. Students will learn the importance of fashion throughout history ending with a basic understanding of the fashion industry.
- Art Principles/Design Process: Students will explore art principles and the design process discussing the principles and differences of art and design, and how they are intertwined while learning key fashion terms.
- Fabrics/Trims/Graphic: Students will learn about fabrics and will create their own personalized textile library. The program will also focus on and discuss trims and graphics that are utilized in today’s fashions.
- Collection Design: Students will learn how to design a cohesive collection utilizing industry standard practices.
- Pattern Making/Sewing Basics: Practice pattern making and learn about sewing techniques.
- Manufacturing: Gain an understanding of the manufacturing process with a tour of a local factory. Students will discuss the positives and negatives of manufacturing domestically and off-shore.
- Fashion Design Industry Today: An industry guest lecture will discuss the current fashion industry, how it’s changed and the opportunities that await future fashionistas.
- Branding/Logo: Students will learn how to create their own brand and its importance! This session is an advanced course for the fashion designer that is critical to their success in today’s market! Students will conduct market research and see demonstrations of the importance of branding on an exciting trip to LA’s premiere shopping center, the Beverly Center.
- Concept Boards: Create your own concept board to launch the design process. Students will focus on creating fabric, concept, trim and graphic boards.
- Fashion Sketches: Learn about fashion illustrations via creative mediums using both Adobe Illustrator and hand sketches. Students will tour the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) and gain inspiration on the different styles of fashion sketches.
- Fashion Flats: Learn about technical flats, and utilize industry standard tools to create your own.
- Styling/Design: Create and design your very own custom top based off of a basic tee. Creative solutions are attained as students learn to be their most creative while working with restrictions.
- Trimmings/Details: Students will visit Mood Fabrics, a must-see fabric a must-see fabric shopping destination and the best fabric store in LA, to finalize the design and styling process by learning about trims and sundries. Mood Fabrics specializes in designer fabrics, buttons, trimmings, and everything else a fashion designer would need to create their design!
- Tech Packs: Students will learn how to create their own tech pack templates in order to work with factories to begin their prototypes.
- Portfolio Review: Students will begin to compile all the work they have created so far and translate them into a portfolio they can use for a job or college application.
- Presentations: Students will present their brand in class with some parting words of advice from special guest speakers. They will learn techniques on how to present their creative ideas to an audience.
Guest Lectures
- Designer for Balenciaga, Cardi B and Rihanna
- Spokesmodel for Dolce & Gabbana
- Creative Director for Metropolitan Fashion Week
- Grammy Award Winning Singer
Accommodations in LA
A striking coastal town just north of Los Angeles, Malibu is home to countless celebrities, and now you can call it home, too! You’ll live at Pepperdine with an amazing group of like-minded creative students and resident advisors in dorm-style housing. We pride ourselves on the fact that our residential amenities, top-quality food service and fitness facilities offer our students the very best. You’ll kick back in comfort at Pepperdine, enjoying safe, clean and comfortable dorms with in-suite bathrooms, internet access and are for ACA only. These rooms definitely serve up cool California style!
Choices, choices, choices! Breakfast and dinner at the on-campus dining facility during the week feature a wonderful choice of kitchen-fresh entrees, a selection of side dishes, fruit, vegetables, salad bar, beverage bar, desserts, and fresh-baked breads and pastries. For lunch, you’ll have many options that let you enjoy favorite restaurants in Westwood. On weekends and occasional weeknights, you’ll be able to take advantage of ACA’s exclusive Dining-on-the-Town-Plan. It lets you choose great dining-out options at a variety of ACA-selected restaurants – and it’s included in your tuition! Your tuition includes includes three meals Monday to Friday and brunch & dinner on weekends.
Around Town & Beyond
With the Pacific Coast in the background, Southern California offers something for everyone, and the Westwood area is packed with plenty to do. Evening and weekends are yours to enjoy. Head to the beach, check out the Santa Monica Pier, or gaze at the stars from Griffith Observatory. You will have the opportunity to socialize and build friendships while you enjoy the fun and excitement of Los Angeles’ nightlife. Many popular hangouts are located just steps from campus, and the welcoming crowd of lively locals and visitors creates an unforgettable energy!
Some activities include:
- Soak up the sun at Santa Monica Beach and jump the truly gnarly waves
- Get to know LA at its best during ACA’s welcome scavenger hunt!
- You have some big shoes to fill as you walk among the stars on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame
- See how your hands and feet compare to Hollywood elites like Meryl Streep, Brad Pitt, and Robert Downey Jr. in front of Mann Chinese Theater
- Gaze up at the Hollywood sign as you browse the fashionable boutiques on Melrose Street
- LA comes to life at the Universal City Walk. Grab a bite at one of the famous restaurants and then hit the trendy shops, all set under the beautiful California stars.
- Catch the sunset at Palisades Park; it doesn’t get much more iconic LA than this
- Savor a latte while exploring the scene on the famed Abbot Kinney Boulevard
- Ride the dazzling Ferris wheel at the Santa Monica Pier
- Sunset hikes, karaoke nights, bowling, mini golf, bonfires and more exciting activities and events are all part of your summer with ACA!
Weekend Adventures
Santa monica & venice
Venice Beach– LA’s most iconic beach known for its bohemian spirit, Venice is a buzzing beach town. Free-spirited Venice Boardwalk is the site of funky shops, street performers and colorful murals. There’s also a skate park and Muscle Beach outdoor gym
Abbot Kinney– Abbot Kinney Boulevard features foodie hot spots, stylish boutiques and coffee bars.
Santa Monica Pier– A favorite for Hollywood movie scenes, this California icon comes alive at night. Take a ride on the world’s first solar-powered Ferris wheel or stop by the famed aquarium to get nose-to-nose with the ocean’s most fearsome predators!
Third Street Promenade– The world-famous strip features designer boutiques and award-winning restaurants, all in the heart of Santa Monica. The outdoor mall is full of colorful street entertainers and dancers enjoying perfect California weather.
Universal Studios*
Go Behind-The-Scenes Of The Largest and Busiest Motion Picture and TV Studio In The World. Get Ready For The Ultimate Hollywood Experience!
*Please Note: Universal Studios replaces the day trip to Santa Monica & Venice for students who select this excursion (Supplemental fee)
ACA SoCal Extensions
Add 7 days to your Californian Adventure on our Hawaii Extension or 5 days to your Californian Adventure on our San Francisco Extension
You’ll remain in the secure company of trusted ACA staff members, as well as many of the friends you’ve made on your ACA program. Of course, you’ll also enjoy the comfortable accommodations and superior guidance you’ve come to expect from ACA.
(Supplemental tuition required.)
Please note: transportation is not included in tuition.
Hawaii Extension
Add to your SoCal experience and explore the wonders of Hawaii!
ACA will have staffed flights for the trip from LAX to Maui, Maui to Honolulu, and the return from Honolulu to LAX. Upon the conclusion of the program, students will fly home from LAX.
Maui, Hawaii
Welcome to Island Life! We will fly to the land of Tropical Paradise – Hawaii! Our first stop, is to the stunning “Valley Isle,” which is the second largest Hawaiian island. The island is beloved for its world-famous beaches, the sacred Iao Valley, stunning views, farm-to-table cuisine and the magnificent sunrise and sunset from Haleakala. Visit Lahaina, a Maui Hotspot, and explore this historic whaling village which boasts top-notch art galleries, shops, eateries, and live entertainment. All aboard our double-deck catamaran to snorkel amongst more than 250 species of colorful tropical fish and giant Sea Turtles off the coast at Coral Gardens, one of Maui’s premier snorkeling destinations. Experience a Traditional Hawaiian Luau at sunset! Settle down under the stars while you listen to live music and watch skilled performances of the hula.
Honolulu, Hawaii
Our stay near Waikiki Beach is located on the south shore of Honolulu. The world-famous neighborhood of Waikiki was once a playground for Hawaiian royalty and is famed for its iconic crescent beach backed by palms and high-rise hotels. Along the main strip of Kalakaua Avenue, you’ll find world-class shopping, dining, entertainment, and activities. Hike Diamond Head, a crater formed from the eruptions of the Ko’olau Volcano many years ago, and marvel at the panoramic views of Waikiki and Oahu’s south shore. Catch the waves at Waikiki Beach during our thrilling surf lessons. Tour the Dole Pineapple Plantation, Hawaii’s “Pineapple Experience”, and sample the famous pineapple-flavored Dole Whip! Visit the USS Arizona Memorial Center to learn the historical lessons of Pearl Harbor through the exhibitions and pay tribute to those lives lost at the Remembrance Circle.
Hawaiian Island Adventures include:
- Waikiki Beach – Located on the south shore of Honolulu, the world-famous neighborhood of Waikiki was once a playground for Hawaiian royalty. Today, Waikiki is Oahu’s main hotel and resort area and a vibrant gathering place for visitors from around the world. Along the main strip of Kalakaua Avenue you'll find world-class shopping, dining, entertainment, activities and resorts.
- Dole Plantation Tour – Originally operated as a fruit stand beginning in 1950, Dole Plantation opened to the public as Hawaii’s "Pineapple Experience" in 1989. Today, Dole Plantation is one of Oahu’s most popular visitor attractions and welcomes more than one million visitors a year.
- Diamond Head – The iconic silhouette of Diamond Head State Monument sits along the Honolulu skyline just beyond Waikiki. Known as Leahi (brow of the tuna) in Hawaiian. Formed more than 100,000 years ago, the crater was used as a strategic military lookout beginning in the early 1900's. Today, Diamond Head is a popular hiking destination with panoramic views of Waikiki and Oahu's south shore.
- Pearl Harbor & The USS Arizona – Pearl Harbor, named for the pearl oysters once harvested there, is the largest natural harbor in Hawaii, a World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument and the only naval base in the United States to be designated a National Historical Landmark. The devastating aerial attack on Pearl Harbor resulted in 2,390 dead and hundreds wounded, and drove the United States into World War II. Pearl Harbor honors this history-changing event with the many Pearl Harbor Historic Sites.
- A Traditional Hawaiian Luau – Sunset is the perfect time for a traditional Hawaiian luau. Settle down under the stars while you listen to live music and watch skilled performances of the hula.
- Iolani Palace – The only official state residence of royalty in the United States, Downtown Honolulu’s Iolani Palace was the official residence of the Hawaiian Kingdom’s last two monarchs from 1882 to 1893: King Kalakaua and his sister and successor, Queen Liliuokalani.
- Maui – Known as “The Valley Isle,” is the second largest Hawaiian island. The island beloved for its world-famous beaches, the sacred Iao Valley, stunning views, farm-to-table cuisine and the magnificent sunrise and sunset from Haleakala.
San Francisco Extension
Add to your SoCal experience and explore the wonders San Francisco and the Bay area!
From the majesty of the Golden Gate Bridge to the natural beauty of Muir Woods, the City by the Bay is no doubt one of the prettiest on the Pacific, if not all of America! And for things to do, San Francisco is second to none.
- Fisherman's Wharf – Set overlooking beautiful San Francisco Bay, Fisherman’s Wharf features great shopping, some of the freshest seafood in the country, and amazing street performers of incredible variety. Fisherman’s Wharf has been THE place to be in San Francisco since 1946!
- Pier 39 – Located on Fisherman’s Wharf, Pier 39 packs a serious punch! You can see the sea lions, take a whale-watching tour, find your way through the incredible Magowan’s Infinite Mirror Maze, thrill to the ride of your life on RocketBoat, or ride the movies (you heard us!) at the Turbo Ride 4-D Experience. This place is FUN!
- Alcatraz – Formerly the home of America’s most notorious prison, Alcatraz Island also has astonishing marine life, rare flowers and plants, and buildings dating back to the Civil War. There’s no end to what you can learn and see.
- Japanese Tea Garden – Take a trip that feels like you’ve gone across the ocean and back in time. The five-acre Japanese Tea Garden is an enchanting and fascinating experience – not to be missed!
- Golden Gate Bridge – Completed way back in 1937, this fantastic bridge remains a technical marvel and the most recognizable symbol of San Francisco. Put on some comfortable shoes and walk the 1.7 miles across for a view you won’t believe!
- Union Square – San Francisco’s shopping paradise! Be it in fashion, food or anything else, you’ll find all the very best names. A great place for serious shoppers or to just walk around and take in the sights.
- Chinatown – Breathtaking in its scope of history, beauty, art, architecture (and food!), spending part of your day in San Francisco’s Chinatown is an exotic vacation in and of itself.
- Muir Woods to Stinson Beach Hike – Take an unforgettable hike through the majestic Redwood forest to the stunning views of the California Coast. Along the way you’ll see eye-popping ravines, lush and diverse plants, and wildlife of every sort. An absolute must for the hiker or nature lover!
- Ghirardelli Square – Shops, restaurants and – of course – chocolate! One of San Fran's historic sites, it’s an ideal place for people-watching, putting a dent in your credit cards, and noshing on decadent desserts.
- Cable Car – Originally an alternative to horses on the slippery San Fran slopes, the cable car system is a must for anyone wanting a timeless tour of this beautiful city. It’s Frisco's favorite way to get around!
- Stanford University – Set in the tech capital of the world, Palo Alto, Stanford is noted as one of the most prestigious universities in the world.
- University of California, Berkeley – The oldest campus of the University of California system, UC Berkeley is one of the nation's top public universities. Be sure to check out the cafes, shops and music stores on Telegraph Avenue.
Highlights
Photos
TestimonialS
What Alumni are Saying
"Project Endeavor was one of the most amazing summers I have ever had. The counselors were so caring and the friends I made will last forever! Thank you for making this an amazing summer!"
"Project Endeavor Fashion was the best summers of my life! I made friends who live near and far. We created memories and learned so much that I will never forget. Best summer ever!"
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