There is a fashion degree program for every type of student. Some traditional four-year colleges, as well as graduate programs, offer majors in fashion design. Associate's programs and online fashion schools offer options for students exploring the field or those who need to study part-time. There are also fashion degree schools offering professional development and continuing education coursework. These options ensure that students, professionals and anyone with an interest in fashion can gain the knowledge and experience to work in the field.
Function
A longtime moniker for working in fashion is "the rag trade," implying that fashion is as random as a pile of fabric scraps thrown together. The fact is that fashion can be random, but it can also be brilliant, setting new trends, accentuating a person's assets, hiding a person's defects and combining craftsmanship with creative expression. Fashion design school is the ideal preparation to work in the field because it combines theory with practice, usually in the form of apprenticeships or internships.
Types
A fashion degree school typically offers coursework in the basics of design, merchandising, marketing and the history of fashion. Students can opt to specialize in areas such as menswear, knitwear, textiles, sportswear, visual merchandising and store design. Others may branch into the area of beauty, studying cosmetics and fragrances. Environmentalism has also hit the fashion curriculum, in the form of courses such as sustainable design, green design and organic textiles.
Preparation
The ideal preparation for fashion design school and a career in fashion begins with academic preparation in the areas of art, art history and practical experience in constructing garments. Classes in sketching, figure drawing, drafting and computer programs are useful. Language classes in Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, Italian or French can help in a future career. Prospective and current students should create and maintain a fashion portfolio, a frequent admission requirement as well as a necessary item to obtain internships and bring to interviews.
Criteria
Among the basic criteria prospective students should consider when choosing between fashion degree programs are the facilities, cost, accreditation, length of the program and the areas of specialty. Location should be a key consideration, because opportunities in the fashion industry are often obtained through connections. Internships and apprenticeships also have the potential of turning into full-time work, so it can be beneficial to study where you eventually will work. Look at the list of faculty to determine whether they are working professionals who are abreast of industry trends. Coursework should combine practical work with theory.
Potential
A degree in fashion opens the door to several types of work in the fashion industry. The most well-known positions are fashion designer, product manager, fashion marketer and fashion buyer, but there is also work in textile design, knitwear design, accessories, store design and product development. Some students wind up working in fashion journalism, and others veer into the beauty industry.
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