The Colors of Spring

Designer Veronica Scott goes for easy, romantic look in her collection that bucks the ‘fast fashion’ trend.

Scott, a self-taught designer and part-time teacher and tech coordinator at Del Mar Pines Elementary, says she’s learned clothing design through trial and error.If you love feminine dresses crafted in an iconic 1960s vintage Miami style, reminiscent of the style that made your grandmother look like she walked off a runway when she was just out at the grocery store, then the latest collection from Veronica Scott could be the perfect addition to your spring/summer wardrobe.

“I’m a student at my own university,” says the Houston native, who graduated from USD in 2009 with a degree in international business. “My grandmother taught me how to sew and remains my biggest inspiration. We bonded through our love of old classic movies, and the fashion of those old black and whites is what influences my aesthetic.”

Although Scott is far from a household name, she’s managed to make a local name for herself in San Diego by being a bit of a tenacious social media master, committed to making direct relationships with her audience.

Scott has a pretty insightful notion about today’s fashion, and she’d like to buck the norm. “It’s really technology that’s fed the trend of ‘fast fashion,’ ” says Scott. “Think of all the ‘selfies’ and how often we post photos or ourselves on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. No one wants to be caught wearing the same outfit over and over again.”

Scott says she loves how women in the 1940s, for example, would invest in two to three really well-made and great-fitting dresses, and wear them for numerous special occasions throughout the year.

Keeping things local, Scott makes her own samples and employs independent sewers in City Heights and National City to finish off her pieces. She admits that her long-term goal is to sell her clothing online, but for the moment Vee by Veronica Scott pieces can be found at local boutiques such as Vocabulary boutique in Little Italy and both locations of the Emma Jane boutiques (La Jolla and Mission Hills).

Scott is calling her spring/summer line “Tropicana.” She describes the silhouettes as romantic, fluid and easy, with lots of floral prints and vivid colors. She says she’s also a fan of ruffles and spaghetti straps.

Her dresses recently were featured in the Los Angeles-based Zooey Magazine, worn by actresses A.J. Cook (“Criminal Minds”) and Katie Lowes (“Scandal”).