The fashion industry knows what consumers want to wear, often before they do. Recently, fashion houses have been predicting that we will soon be using our clothing not only to look good, but to communicate, and learn from our behaviours. Integrating wearable technology into a wave of new designs offers everyday consumers the opportunity to interact with fashion.
Certificates in Fashion Technology
Typically,
fashion technology is an area of study offered as a Certificate of
Achievement or Certificate of Completion program at community colleges
in the United States. Students learn the fundamentals of the fashion
business and learn to design men, women and children's clothing and
accessories. Other focus areas are window displays, design software and
issues in fashion merchandising. Coursework covers a broad range of
fashion studies, including courses that teach draping, fashion modeling
and design materials. Other topics of discussion include:
- Fashion terminology
- Sewing
- Design elements
- Inventory
- Fashion business management
Associate's Degree Programs in Fashion Technology
Offered as an Associate of Applied Science, the program's curriculum includes concentration areas like fashion design, merchandising and illustration. Students in the fashion design option learn to sketch original designs, use computer-aided design programs and construct apparel. The merchandising option teaches skills like fashion buying, promotion and marketing, and the illustration option includes training in manufacturing, textiles and typography. Students complete fashion technology courses in traditional classrooms and design studios where they work with textiles, fabrics and fashion materials. Coursework includes topics like:- Marketing trends
- Retail
- Fashion accessories
- Digital design
- Tailoring
Popular Career Options
Graduates are prepared for entry-level positions in the fashion industry, including jobs at fashion design studios and advertising and marketing firms. Fashion technology graduates may pursue the following jobs:- Fashion designer
- Retail associate
- Tailor
