Bachelor - Fashion Marketing and Design

In the fashion industry, the lines between the role of the fashion designer and fashion marketer can sometimes become blurred, with one person assuming the responsibilities of both. Even when those lines are clear, it can be beneficial to each professional to understand the role of the other in order to form more productive working relationships.

At AIU, students who are interested in fashion may pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in which fashion design and fashion marketing are combined. The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Marketing and Design includes coursework that can help graduates enter either the design or marketing field by combining the marketing and retailing knowledge of fashion marketing with the creativity and technology of fashion design.

Career Opportunities

The BFA in Fashion Marketing and Design can help prepare students interested in developing and advancing a career as a/an:

• Fashion or Retail Buyer
• Design Consultant
• Associate Designer
• Retail Store Manager
• Technical Designer

Challenging, Relevant Coursework

The BFA in Fashion Marketing and Design features industry-relevant coursework taught by faculty members with real-world experience in the industry. Some of the key design topics addressed in this degree program include patternmaking, sketching and illustration, and computer-aided design. On the marketing side, the program covers fashion business practices, product development, trend forecasting, retail buying and the principles of global retailing.

Students who successfully complete the program should be able to:

• Research information and trends in fashion marketing, such as the fashion profession; marketing plans, tactics, and principles; and product development.
• Analyze fashion trends, consumer needs, and preferences that are used to forecast, plan, develop, and promote clothing lines.
• Create original fashion designs-either by hand or with computer-aided design software-that demonstrate creativity with design elements.
• Demonstrate the appropriate use of measuring, marking, cutting, sewing, and pressing equipment and tools.
• Discuss and apply processes used in the creation, construction, tailoring/alteration, and fitting of patterns and clothes through the flat pattern and draping methods.
• Discuss how consumer needs and characteristics affect areas such as production, management, sourcing, marketing, and merchandising.
• Analyze the quality of design, materials, and construction techniques that are used in commercially produced and hand-made textiles, apparel, and accessories.
• Explore strategic marketing techniques and management concepts used to advertise and sell fashion merchandise.