Inside Fashion Design and Merchandising
VCU School of the Arts

Inside Fashion is part of a series relating majors at VCU to occupational fields. The information in this pamphlet can help you in planning your education and career.

The fashion industry is a multi-faceted industry covering a wide range of businesses - from the production of raw materials, through the manufacturing process, to the distribution of goods into the hands of the consumer. The Department of Fashion Design and Merchandising at VCU offers concentrated study in three areas: fashion design, fashion merchandising, and home fashions merchandising.

Through the requirements of the art foundation program, taken in the freshman year, design students typically gain the following skills:

• solid foundation in design, form, color, composition, and drawing
• creative problem-solving and conceptualization skills
• written communication skills
• knowledge of the history of the visual arts

(Completion of the foundation program is a prerequisite to entering fashion design. Merchandising students enter the department as freshmen.)

Some skills typically developed in each area of concentration include the following:

• Fashion Design: drawing, pattern making, draping, and garment construction
• Merchandising: business management as applied to fashion and merchandising, forecasting, retail data analysis, and technology

To become more marketable:

• Enroll in the Cooperative Education program to gain valuable work experience
• Participate in, and take an active role in, extracurricular activities such as the American Fashion Council and the Annual Young Designers Fashion Show
• Take electives related to your career goals or minor in a supporting field
• Arrange for a departmentally approved internship or get a part-time job in the field

Some representative courses students in fashion take include the following:

• For Design
  • Construction
  • Drawing
  • Patternmaking
  • Draping
  • 20th Century Fashion
  • Textiles for Apparel
  • Design Studio
• For Fashion Merchandising
  • Advanced Store Development
  • Fashion Forecasting
  • Importing and Exporting Fashion
  • Fashion Promotion
  • Cyber Marketing
  • Supervision and Management

Typical areas of employment entered include the following:

• Fashion Designer
• Pattern Maker
• Finisher
• Fashion Editor
• Buyer
• Retail Store Manager
• Merchandise Coordinator
• Manufacturer's Representative
• Product Development
• Marketing

Graduate study is not necessary for entry into this field. Some students may pursue graduate work in other areas, such as business, costume design, crafts, textiles, education, or theater.

Further information is available at the Career Center (Student Commons, first floor) or through the department:

Virginia Commonwealth University
School of the Arts
Department of Fashion Design and Merchandising
Pollak Building, 325 N. Harrison St., Room 432
PO Box 842519
Richmond VA 23284-2519

804-828-1699

This brochure is published by the VCU Career Development Council in cooperation with academic departments.

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