Former Student
Los Angeles,#2REBUTTAL Individual responds
Tue, June 28, 2011
VERY NICE REPORT!
Time going away but NOTHING had change at the Academy of Couture Art in West Hollywood at all.
Same people ( Sonia and Thierry ETE ), same behaviors, same intentional misrepresentation, same mean games, same method to put people mentally down, same gossips, etc... and it seems the result will be most like it was not long ago.
I WAS (I get rid of that mess!) a student at ACA.
Two years ago I faced same thinks and absolutely the SAME negative experience with ACA.
I agree with the person who posted the report about that particular school in West Hollywood ( now they moved to new location in Mid-Wilshire ) at 300%.
Everything is correct in the report specially about Thierry and Sonia ETE. Most facts of fraud was already presented to Los Angeles Superior Court (Central District) . Twelve Jury convicted them guilty of Intentional Misrepresentations ( IT IS FRAUD ) and according Final Judgment, they already owned around $30,000 for payment plus legal 10% fee because of been very late with the payment.
SCAM school and completely mentally NOT stable owners.
According all positive comments in Internet and different Forums.
ABSOLUTELY sure, it was posted by Thierry Ete. He is the person at the Academy of Couture Art in West Hollywood who has nothing to do but tracking all forums and posting good comments about ACA everywhere, advertising ACA in a very good non-truthful way , arguing with all negative complains, criticize everybody who has different opinion, etc.
ACA owners always like to remind to students and employee how much 'great' things they did for them.
And ? How much and what exactly?!!
My question is : How much the students and the employee already PAYED for such "unique" treatment at ACA ?
If anybody need more of truthful info, I will be happy to provide it.
Aurora Borealis
West Hollywood,#3Author of original report
Thu, June 23, 2011
I am glad to hear that DWS has had the experience of ACA and its owners for which I hoped. To this day I still have nightmares about these people roaring at me over ridiculous things at the top of their lungs in atrocious English.
At that time the ACA owners openly "discussed" (i.e. fought about) serious issues such as marital problems, professional setbacks, and (yes) substance abuse with me in the room. Well and good if they have finally cleaned up their act and learned to run a business in America rationally for a change. Ignorance of local workplace standards is no excuse.
I have no desire to be on bad terms with the school or its staff since we all work in fashion and are here to stay. However, I felt honor bound to speak up if the legal proceedings I always expected are being made against the ACA. I tried to work things out then and am willing to try again now if DWS wants to meet with me.
dws
Van Nuys,#4UPDATE Employee
Wed, June 22, 2011
Wow. I am amazed to read this criticism of the school here.
It is so grossly different than my experience. I have been a teacher at The Academy
of Couture Art for three years, part-time, teaching one class per quarter and
sometimes two. In the years since I started, Thierry and Sonia t have been
very supportive of me and have guided me with my teaching and curriculum for
each class without denying me the right to teach the material the way I would
wish.
Having owned my own business for 30 years, I know what a
struggle it is to keep things going while maintaining quality and professionalism.
Thierry and Sonia, despite the travails of starting a business of their own,
have always had a passionate desire to help their students to learn, and in our
many private discussions over the abilities and performance of various students
they have always cared deeply to find ways to reach each student, if the
student is willing to do the work and whatever else is required of them. To be
subjected to this kind of anonymous criticism is wildly unfair- I must have met
this faculty person if they exist, and yet I have never heard a word of
criticism on these types of subjects from any fellow faculty or staff member.
I have never seen nor suffered from any kind of ramification
from substance abuse or mental instability at the ACA, from any staff or
faculty member. Nor have I heard any serious complaints, either addressed to me
or overheard in the course of my time at the school, about Sonia or Thierry
from any student who has been in my classes over the years.
I remember discussing at my initial interview what Sonia
thought was appropriate clothing for teaching at a professional school, and
since then I have never been criticized or called to the carpet for what I was
wearing. In fact, more often than not, I have been complimented. Additionally, I
am often asked about how my classes are going, and if I need any help in any
way.
I think the Academy of Couture Art is a great place to get
individualized training in the world of fashion, with small classes sizes,
dedicated teachers, not to mention the passionate attention of Sonia and
Thierry. They come to love their students and wish only the best for them, and
the same could be said about me as a faculty member. If the writer of this
complaint truly believes their claims to be true, then their observations and
reactions to the school in their several months there were wildly different
than my experience of three years, so much so that I astonished by them. I look
forward to growing with the school and meeting and helping many more students
in the years to come.