Fashion Design and Merchandising

Curriculum Guide

Faculty

Margaret Hull MFA, Lecturer
Roslyn Karamoko BA, Lecturer
Heather McCali MFA, Assistant Professor (Fibers and Fashion Design and Merchandising)

Program Description

The Fashion Design and Merchandising program offers a professional concentration in the fields of Fashion Design and Fashion Merchandising. The Fashion Design curriculum enables student development in conceptual and technical aspects of clothing design from material testing and ideation to finished garment. Studios and labs are well-equipped to provide students the space and tools necessary to explore materials and forms that fulfill their design goals. The Fashion Merchandising option promotes understanding and practical skills related to the buying and selling of fashion products and their development. Instructors bring a range of professional experience to program courses and are active participants in creative fields. Guest lecturers share relevant experience with students and offer networking, internship, and other opportunities in design, fashion journalism, and styling, among other career paths.

Mission

To provide interdisciplinary training that combines skills in fine arts and design with technical training in Apparel Design and Fashion Merchandising fields.
To address aesthetic, behavioral, historic, cultural, and marketing aspects of Apparel Design and Fashion Merchandising.
To promote professional practices including portfolio development to prepare students for careers in the fashion industry.
To engage in critical dialogue about the role of fashion in contemporary culture.
To challenge students to consider how they might respond to and positively impact the world of fashion.

Facilities / Equipment :

Fashion Design and Drafting Lab

Textile Performance Testing Lab

Digital and Physical Costume Collection

Sewing Lab with Sergers, and Industrial and Non-Industrial Sewing Machines

Computer-Aided Drawing Software

iPads with Apple Applications for design work

Computer Lab with Adobe Software

Dress Forms

Gravity Irons

Steamers

Techniques: Fibers, Fabrics, Visual Merchandising, Product Development,Textile Testing, Garment Construction including Tailoring, Flat Patterning, Draping and additional advanced construction techniques, Machine Sewing, Ideation and Conceptual Development, Fashion Illustration, Group/Individual Critiques,Portfolio Development

What can you do with a degree in Fashion Design and Merchandising? Fashion Design and Fashion Merchandising majors working in related professions include: Apparel Designer, Accessory Designer, Costume Designer, Fashion Designer, Textile Designer, Display Coordinator, Fashion Stylist, Personal Shopper, Visual Merchandiser, Retail Manager, Textile Performance, Consumer Behavior, Trend Forecasting, Fabric Buyer, Fashion Journalist, Contemporary Business Technology. For more careers in this field, speak to your academic advisor or the FD&M area coordinator.

Spotlight:

Fashion Design and Merchandising Organization (FDMO): FDMO is a student organization that is dedicated to the ideas of collaboration, creativity and community. Students of all majors, minors, and backgrounds are welcome to join in and gain event planning knowledge and indulge in fashion culture to shine light on the vibrant students of Wayne State and help make their vision into reality. Students interested in participating in this organization should email art@wayne.edu.

Dorothea June Grossbart Historic Costume Collection: This collection is the result of collaboration between the University Libraries and the Fashion Design and Merchandising program of the Department of Art and Art History in the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts.