Final Presentation A student preps a garment for a Collection Development class.
ASSOCIATE OF ARTS
FASHION DESIGN
The Fashion Design Program prepares students for careers in fashion design for the apparel industry. The curriculum stimulates creative expression in all aspects of fashion design, including fashion sketching, creative design, computer applications, draping, pattern drafting, and textile knowledge. Students will understand the importance of communication and critical reasoning and the effect they have on this diversified and global industry. The program is structured to challenge and inspire students by incorporating artistic, technical, and theoretical elements into a realistic approach to the fashion design industry.
What Our Students Learn In our program, students learn skills such as fashion sketching, draping, and pattern drafting through hands-on experience. They also learn programs such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. Students gain an understanding of the theories of fashion and abstract and critical thinking.
Why FIDM FIDM offers a unique career-oriented and reality-based Fashion Design program taught by industry professionals. The program teaches students how to develop their own unique vision. Students leave the program with a portfolio that includes traditional sketches and Computer-Aided Design (CAD) sketches. They also learn to create Tech Packs, that include Spec Sheets, Cost Sheets, and Line Sheets.
[from top to bottom] Illustrations of a final portfolio collection; Class: Portfolio Preparation & Presentation; Student: Duston Jasso (recipient of the GUESS?, Inc., scholarship)
REQUIRED CLASSES FOR ASSOCIATE OF ARTS (A.A.) (for students without a prior college degree)
| DESN 1150 | Fashion Sketching for Design I | 3 |
| DESN 1250 | Industry Sewing | 3 |
| DESN 1420 | Applied Draping Techniques (6 hours)* | 3 |
| DESN 1550 | Fashion Sketching for Design II | 3 |
| DESN 1760 | Pattern Drafting I (6 hours)* | 3 |
| DESN 1850 | The Business of Fashion | 3 |
| DESN 2160 | Pattern Drafting II (6 hours)* | 3 |
| DESN 2280 | Creative Design Applications | 3 |
| DESN 2530 | Computer-Aided Fashion Design I | 3 |
| DESN 2540 | Computer Pattern Drafting I | 3 |
| DESN 2560 | Pattern Drafting III (6 hours)* | 3 |
| DESN 2680 | Creative Design Analysis & Collection Development | 3 |
| DESN 2700 | Collection Development (6 hours)* | 3 |
| DESN 2840 | Computer Pattern Drafting II | 3 |
| DESN 2980 | Portfolio Preparation & Presentation | 3 |
| GNST 1040 | English Composition | 3 |
| GNST 1170 | History of Costume | 3 |
| GNST 1230 | Color & Design Theory | 3 |
| GNST 1440 | Textile Science | 3 |
| GNST 1450 | College Mathematics | 3 |
| GNST 1600 | Effective Speaking | 3 |
| GNST 1650 | Critical Thinking | 3 |
| GNST 2020 | Survey of Western Art I | 3 |
| GNST 2420 | Survey of Western Art II | 3 |
| GNST 2960 | American Political & Economic History | 3 |
| GNST 2980 | Professional Practices | 3 |
| MFTG 2330 | Computer Grading, Marking & Cutting | 3 |
| MPDV 1800 | Fundamentals of Sketching | 3 |
| MPDV 2200 | Digital Design | 3 |
| TSCI 1800 | Fabric Identification | 3 |
| Total Units of Credit | 90 |
REQUIRED CLASSES FOR PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATION (A.A.) (for students with a prior college degree)
| DESN 1150 | Fashion Sketching for Design I | 3 |
| DESN 1250 | Industry Sewing | 3 |
| DESN 1420 | Applied Draping Techniques (6 hours)* | 3 |
| DESN 1550 | Fashion Sketching for Design II | 3 |
| DESN 1760 | Pattern Drafting I (6 hours)* | 3 |
| DESN 1850 | The Business of Fashion | 3 |
| DESN 2160 | Pattern Drafting II (6 hours)* | 3 |
| DESN 2280 | Creative Design Applications | 3 |
| DESN 2530 | Computer-Aided Fashion Design I | 3 |
| DESN 2560 | Pattern Drafting III (6 hours)* | 3 |
| DESN 2680 | Creative Design Analysis & Collection Development | 3 |
| DESN 2700 | Collection Development (6 hours)* | 3 |
| DESN 2980 | Portfolio Preparation & Presentation | 3 |
| GNST 1440 | Textile Science | 3 |
| MFTG 2560 | Computer Pattern Drafting, Grading & Marking | 3 |
| MPDV 1800 | Fundamentals of Sketching | 3 |
| MPDV 2200 | Digital Design | 3 |
| TSCI 1800 | Fabric Identification | 3 |
| Total Units of Credit | 54 |
*Three (3)-hour lab included in 6 hours
For important information about the completion rate, educational debt, and earnings of students who attended this program, go to fidm.edu/go/ge/fd.