Academy of Art University’s School of Fashion stands as a globally recognized leader in fashion design education, consistently praised by both domestic and international publications. While industry accolades are appreciated, the true measure of success lies in the accomplishments of our students and alumni as they make their mark on the fashion world. Our comprehensive programs extend beyond the traditional realms of fashion design and textiles, encompassing every facet of this dynamic industry. From marketing and visual merchandising to journalism, communications, styling, and product development, we equip our graduates with the diverse skills, hands-on experience, and industry connections needed to not just enter, but to shape the future of fashion. Embrace innovation and Integrate AI into your fashion career to unlock unprecedented opportunities in this evolving landscape.
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We offer a wide array of degree programs tailored to diverse career aspirations within the fashion industry:
- Fashion Design: BFA MFA CERT
- Textile Design: BFA MFA
- Costume Design: BFA MA MFA
- Fashion Art Direction: MA
- Fashion Journalism: AA MA
- Fashion Marketing: AA BFA MA
- Fashion Marketing & Brand Management: MFA
- Fashion Merchandising: AA BFA MA
- Fashion Merchandising & Management: MFA
- Fashion Product Development: AA BFA MFA
- Fashion Styling: AA BFA
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What You’ll Learn
Our curriculum is meticulously crafted to provide a comprehensive understanding of Art Fashion Design and its multifaceted applications within the industry. We emphasize a hands-on, industry-focused approach, ensuring that students are not only creatively inspired but also technically proficient and commercially aware.
Fashion Design: Delve into the core of creative expression under the guidance of leading fashion professionals. Our Fashion Design program nurtures your unique artistic vision and design ethos. From initial visual research and concept sketching to advanced design development, technical flat sketching, material sourcing, line planning, draping, and garment construction, you will master the entire fashion design lifecycle.
Textile Design: Unleash your creativity in fabric and surface design. The Textile Design program equips you with the skills to transform your artistic concepts into tangible textiles. Explore techniques ranging from fabric manipulation and photographic screen printing to digital print design and knitwear. Develop your expertise in drawing and color theory, blending design excellence with artistic innovation and cutting-edge technology.
Costume Design: Merge your passion for fashion with the dramatic arts in our Costume Design program. This specialization combines rigorous sewing training with specialized design coursework, preparing you for a career in theater and film. Gain invaluable practical experience through collaborations with the School of Motion Pictures & Television and the School of Acting, bringing your costume creations to life in real productions.
Fashion Art Direction: Shape the visual narrative of fashion brands and publications. The Fashion Art Direction program cultivates your creative and technical abilities for diverse roles such as photo and video producer, art director for fashion magazines and brands, creative director, fashion editor, fashion stylist, visual content creator for social media, and visual merchandiser. Master the art of visual storytelling in the fashion industry.
Fashion Communication & Styling: Become a visual storyteller in the fashion world. The Fashion Communication & Styling program integrates Fashion Styling and Fashion Journalism, building your capabilities in styling, image creation, video production, written communication, and social media engagement. This collaborative degree is designed to help you build a compelling styling portfolio that showcases your industry acumen, distinctive creative perspective, and specialized skills.
Fashion Journalism: Report on and interpret the ever-evolving global fashion landscape. Our Fashion Journalism program, with a strong emphasis on social media, provides you with the subject-matter expertise to navigate the complexities of the international fashion industry. Learn to conduct insightful interviews, contextualize fashion news, and critically analyze fashion collections. Develop cross-platform storytelling skills for impactful communication across print, digital, and social media channels.
Fashion Marketing: Bridge the gap between creativity and commerce in the fashion industry. You will learn the essential skills to balance the artistic and analytical dimensions of fashion marketing. Master the use of consumer insights and market analysis to formulate effective marketing and promotional strategies for fashion brands, products, and services in the global marketplace.
Fashion Marketing & Brand Management: Build and elevate fashion brands on a global scale. This program teaches you the strategies to create, market, and manage fashion brands worldwide. Conduct in-depth market research to understand global consumers, emerging and established markets, and current trends in the fashion industry. Acquire the knowledge and skills to develop comprehensive marketing and brand strategies using both creative and analytical methodologies.
Fashion Merchandising: Master the art of fashion product planning and sales in the global market. Through hands-on projects simulating real-world scenarios, you will build a strong foundation in fashion merchandising and fashion business management. Learn to effectively plan, manage, and market fashion products across international markets, gaining the skills and knowledge needed for a successful global fashion business career.
Fashion Merchandising and Management: Navigate the intricacies of global fashion business operations. We provide you with in-depth knowledge and skills in market research, analysis, and application. Learn to plan, manage, and sell fashion products globally, optimizing strategies for both online and traditional retail environments.
Fashion Product Development: Bring innovative fashion products to market. In the Fashion Product Development program, you will learn to create and develop products that align with brand identity and cater to diverse customer segments. Analyze current trends, create technical drawings using both manual and industry-standard software, identify and source materials, and plan for seasonal collection production.
Allied Skills
To further enhance your expertise in art fashion design, we encourage exploration of allied skills that complement and enrich your primary focus.
Jewelry & Metal Arts: The School of Jewelry & Metal Arts offers techniques ranging from classic jewelry craftsmanship to advanced methods like laser technology, kinetics, mixed media, electronics, and 3D modeling. Collaboration with the School of Fashion is integral for portfolio development, documentation, and presentation.
Photography: Transform your perspective through the lens of fashion photography. The School of Photography immerses you in the history, artistry, and science of capturing images. From learning to tell compelling visual stories to mastering the technical aspects of shooting in natural and studio lighting, you will develop a keen eye for detail and visual communication.
Fine Art: Ground your creative practice in the fundamentals of artistic expression. A Fine Art education at Academy of Art University not only imparts the principles of classical tradition but also prepares you for a thriving career across artistic disciplines, including fashion. Foundational skills in composition, design, drawing, painting, and sculpting are universally applicable and highly valuable in fashion design.
Online Learning
Extend your art fashion design education beyond geographical boundaries with our comprehensive online programs.
The School of Fashion offers fully online degree programs, making our top-tier, accredited education accessible to students worldwide. Our online programs mirror our on-campus curriculum, featuring over 200 courses taught by industry professionals. We provide flexible learning options, including asynchronous formats and real-time virtual classrooms, alongside robust technical support.
Our commitment to hands-on learning extends to our online environment. We offer a collaborative virtual space where you can share your work, exchange constructive feedback with peers, and receive personalized instruction, evaluation, and critiques from leading industry experts, ensuring a rich and engaging learning experience.
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Student Work
Explore the innovative creations and exceptional talent emerging from our School of Fashion.
Fashion Careers
Launch your career in diverse and exciting roles within the art fashion design industry:
- Fashion Designer
- Design Director
- Executive Editor
- Fashion Editor
- Patternmaker
- Stylist
- Knitwear Designer
- Textile Designer
- Visual Merchandising Director
- Fashion Journalist
Companies That Have Hired Our Students
Our graduates are sought after by leading companies in the fashion world, a testament to the quality and industry-relevance of our education.
Muskan Bhardwaj, Fashion, BFA shares, “I have always been a creative person, but I had never done sewing and putting things together before. I was scared, but my professor helped me a lot, and I discovered something new in myself—that I can really excel in this. My professors motivate me to try things. They keep me on my toes, I love that about them.”
