Many people think that attending a school of art and design means that your "art education" will be focused on studio art or the fine arts. However, there are some other options, such as fashion studies and other programs in fashion, which are offered from a variety of design schools. The schools deemed the best fashion design schools are often the ones that are best known, or the ones found in fashion capitals such as Paris, where Paris Fashion Week takes place. However, those looking to become fashion students can also find programs in fashion from a variety of schools in the world, including throughout the United States.
A local school of art and design may offer you a BFA fashion design degree or another option that gives you everything you need to get into the business of fashion. These programs in fashion will offer a variety of courses covering every subject in fashion studies you need for your chosen specialty, including aspects of fashion you may never have considered, such as:
- Product Development
- Costume and Accessories Design
- Apparel Design and Merchandising
- High Fashion Merchandising
- Apparel and Textiles Design
- Fashion and Textile Technology
- Textile Design
- Fashion Media and Business Communication
- Designing for Long-Term Value
- And More
Once you earn your Associate in Applied Sciences (AAS) in Fashion or BFA fashion design degree, you’ll be ready to accept an entry-level position, working with textiles services, fashion, clothing, the construction of clothing, principles of clothing construction and selection, design of clothing patterns, fabric care, making alterations to ready-to-wear items, maintaining clothing, custom tailoring, textiles testing, apparel merchandising, and working in home furnishings. The career possibilities are wide.
What Does a Designer Do?
In fashion design, you’ll be putting your creative processes to work on developing new fashion items. You may be involved in the business end of things. If you don’t create the newest items that people will be buying and wearing, you’ll be working on product development, merchandising, marketing, production, fashion communication (journalism, communications, or promotion), or public relations.
What is the Difference Between Design School and Fashion Schools?
In fashion design school, you’ll learn about everything related to fashion design. If you’re more interested in the business management side of the equation, you’ll be able to take those classes. If your interest is in buying, you’ll be able to tailor your class selection to that. Design school comprises art, fine art, graphic design, and game design.
Typical Educational Requirements
Be ready to request your official transcripts be sent to the schools of your choice. You’ll need to show proof that you graduated from high school. If you didn’t finish high school, you’ll have to take your GED exam, then show this proof of completion of your high school graduation.
Typical Certifications Needed
If you have opted for a certificate of achievement rather than an AAS degree, you’ll receive this certification once you completed every required course with a grade of C or higher.
Academic Standards
In your fashion design program, you’ll have to take required general education courses, core courses, and electives related to your major. Once you get into the core classes for your major and before you graduate, you’ll have to show proof of your understanding terminology and the ability to design and execute your own clothing designs.
Exam/Experience Needed for a Degree/Certification
If you received your GED, you’ll have to send in either your GED, HISET, or TASC test score results via USPS. There is no entrance examination into an AAS or certificate fashion design program. Any design or fashion experience you have obtained from a high school fashion program will help you as you enter an AAS or certificate fashion design program.
Important Questions to Ask (FAQ)
How Long Does It Take to Earn a Degree or Certification Online?
A program in trade school fashion design will take about two years to complete. Depending on the program you choose, you may take several general education classes, such as history, English, and math. Next, you’ll move to your core courses in the fashion design major, along with a few electives. Since these degrees are much more focused, the time spent will be reduced greatly from a normal bachelor’s degree.
How Much Does This Online Degree or Certification Cost?
Trade school (or community college and vocational school) will cost less than a four-year institution. Expect to pay about $177 per credit hour at one school. At about 60 credit hours all together, the total cost should be somewhere around $11,000.
How Many Students Graduate “on Time,” in 12 or 24 Months?
Just as with four-year universities, the graduation timeframe for trade school students is on the increase. Students experience situations in their lives that keep them from continuing school; a family member gets sick, they experience money problems that make paying for future school semesters difficult or impossible. However, as the time frame for this type of degree is shorter, there is a good chance that you will be able to finish in 3 years at the most, even if you run into issues.
What Kind of Accreditation Does the Online Program Hold? How Does it Regarded in the Field?
Community colleges are accredited in the same way as four-year institutions. The Higher Learning Commission extends accreditation to those trade schools that indicate an interest in this recognition.
Fashion design programs are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Fashion design programs that are interested in being accredited indicate this to NASAD. Once it completes an on-site review, provides a self-evaluative description of its program and undergoes a judgment by a decision-making body, it may receive accreditation for a set number of years. NASAD is well-regarded in the fashion design industry.
Professional Organizations
AAFA
American Apparel and Footwear Association
This organization represents more than 1,000 name brands famous all around the world. It is the political voice and policy arm of the apparel and footwear industry. AAFA also represents management and shareholders. With four million U.S. workers in the fashion apparel and footwear industry, it has a significant voice in fashion.
ITAA
International Textile and Apparel Association
This organization works to promote the discovery, publication and application of textile knowledge to its members. ITAA stresses the need to make leadership stronger and also promotes service to society. It also strives to further excel in education, scholarship and the innovation of new products.
AAPN
American Apparel Producers’ Network
This organization and its member companies represent more than two dozen industries within the supply chain. This includes supplies such as yarn, fiber, fabric, and apparel. Roles such as logistics, markets, and retail are also represented.