Innovation in fashion design results from a rigorous process of developing and editing ideas that address specific design challenges. Students in our program work alongside expert, professional faculty and guest mentors, who are current and visible designers, to become educated and practiced in all aspects of the design process. Throughout their experience, students produce original designs and develop collections for their portfolio. In their Junior and Senior year, students have the opportunity to work in teams to create unique designs under the guidance of mentors, emulating professional designers and following the industry's seasonal schedule. Recent mentors for the Junior and Senior class have included Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, Nike, Universal Studios, Armani Exchange, BCBG, Trina Turk, Ruben & Isabel Toledo, and Bob Mackie. Junior and Senior designs are featured at the annual Scholarship Benefit and Fashion Show at the Beverly Hilton.
Students may choose to pursue an emphasis in Costume Design. With a focus on new directions in character development for film, television, live performance, concept art, and video, students emerge from the Costume Design Emphasis track as relevant, creative professionals prepared for the future direction of this exciting field. Under the guidance of critically- acclaimed costume design professionals and leading costume houses, students will produce original designs and dynamic illustrations, combining traditional and digital methods, for their portfolios. Costume Design mentors have included: Disney, Cirque du Soleil, Theadora Van Runkle, Betsy Heimann, Western Costume, Bill Travilla, Albert Wolsky, and Bob Mackie.
Student Work
Program Learning Outcomes
Students will:
- Adapt their artistic abilities to support their future design careers.
- Assess, propose, and apply various techniques related to drafting, draping, and constructing of garments.
- Develop a systematic, critical approach to problem solving at all levels of the design process.
- Relate the design process to the appropriate manufacturing process.
- Demonstrate professionalism by managing time to meet deadlines with quality work and effectively collaborating in teams.
- Research and relate fashion design to a broader socio economic, historical, and environmental context.
- Articulate design ideas verbally, visually, and digitally.
Assessment Measures
Student learning in Liberal Arts and Sciences courses is assessed using level-appropriate rubrics and evaluations of presentations, papers, projects, reflections, exhibitions, Capstone, and the Fashion Show as well as Departmental Programmatic Assessment projects. Collectively these measures allow us to determine the level and quality of education attained by our students.