BFA.FDES - Fashion Design, B.F.A.

Accreditation

National Association of School of Art and Design (NASAD)

Introduction

Woodbury School of Design and Media offers a four-year Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design. The program is tailored to meet the needs of students wishing to enter the challenging, varied, and exciting world of the fashion or costume professional, and prepares students with a diverse set of skills and knowledge needed to successfully compete in these industries. The curriculum promotes strong technical skills, as well as critical and creative thinking, with equal emphasis on research and experiential learning.

Freshman students may enter with no previous training; transfer students should submit samples of their work for placement evaluation. Choose a minor in Costume Design to work in film, theater, and television, or one in another department, such as Graphic Design, Fashion Marketing, or Business. Woodbury School of Design and Media graduates will enter the workforce with confidence, creative problem-solving skills, an eloquent command of professional terminology, a pertinent internship under their belt, and up-to-date knowledge of new practices and research involving green sources and production.

Design educators and industry professionals mentor students in creating their own collections and finding their aesthetic voices. Fundamental skill areas include design process, figure and model drawing, illustration, digital fashion design, pattern drafting, draping, technical design and apparel construction, as well as fashion history and new approaches to the study of textiles, including a class on treatments and embellishments. Computer-assisted design and illustration are integrated into the curriculum throughout the four years of study. Studio classes are sequenced to promote progressive learning and include leading categories of womenswear, menswear, swimwear, knitwear, accessories, and couture techniques. The program supports the need of a greater diversity in inclusive fashion, and our students include into their creations conscious gender-neutral designs, plus-size clothing and sustainable fashion. Courses are also offered in shoe design, fashion photography, costume for animation and game art, lingerie, denim, and other specialized areas.

The creative work of fashion and costume design students is showcased at the University’s annual fashion show. The program’s capstone project is an industry-level portfolio designed to open the doors to high-level opportunities.

The Woodbury Woodbury School of Design and Media Fashion Study Collection, consisting of more than 5,000 garments and accessories that represent the clothing history of the past 200 years, is available as a hands-on resource to students and faculty. Resources also include extensive runs of historical fashion magazines and trend reports. The Judith Tamkin Fashion Center houses rotating exhibitions of items from the Fashion Study Collection as well as designer and student work. Students may intern with the curator and work on the themed exhibitions and management of the collection. As part of the School of Media, Culture & Design, Fashion Design students can benefit from studies in related disciplines, such as Film, Game Art, Applied Computer Science, and Animation. Woodbury’s location in the hub of the media capital of the world—near an immense network of fashion designers, design studios, movie studios, animation houses, advertising agencies, and production companies— allows for unique field trips, guest lecturers, internships, and job opportunities that set Woodbury apart. Career opportunities include fashion designer, technical designer, fashion illustrator, stylist, wardrobe consultant, costume designer, costumer, fashion brand developer, game art consultant, accessories designer, manufacturer, and fashion design instructor.

Fashion Design (BFA)

Mission

The Department of Fashion Design is committed to the development of students’ unique creative voices as evidenced by articulate expression, effective visuals, esthetic sophistication, and innovative design. The integrated innovate learning systems taught by fashion professionals applies directly to industry requirements. A strong grasp, deep understanding of fashion history, theory and the cultural relevance of clothing generates work inspired by personal vision and research, rather than trends. Graduates, having mastered an array of technical, collaborative and problem-solving skills will be resilient and ethical force in this competitive and rapidly changing global industry.

Additional Learning Opportunities

Internship/Work Experience

Prior to graduation, students must complete 120 hours of internship or work experience in the fashion, costume, or apparel industries. The internship placement is approved by the department chair as well as the student’s advisor. It is recommended that each student have passed the Progress Portfolio review and be, at minimum, in junior standing before interning. This may be paid or unpaid internship. Students are responsible for completing an internship contract with the sponsor company and the chair of the department, and maintaining a written journal, which may include art detailing the experience, how they met the learning objectives, and what professional skills they gained from the internship. At the completion of the internship, the host company must complete an evaluation of the student’s work, including a statement of number of hours completed. This signed evaluation will be submitted to the chair of the department to complete the requirements of the internship.

Professional assessment, conducted by internship host companies, demonstrates each student’s preparedness for real-world design environments.

Lecture Series and Special Workshops

Students are required to attend lectures, panel discussions, and workshops by industry professionals, often as part of their course syllabus. Lecturers include designers, business owners, historians, and other practitioners. Special workshops vary depending on the design direction of key projects.

Fashion Student Organization

Fashion Design Students have an active organization, Behind the Seams, which puts on fundraisers and other special events. Students also are encouraged to join professional organizations, such as Fashion Group International of Los Angeles (FGILA), the California Fashion Association (CFA), and the Costume Society of America. They also are taught the skills needed to participate in social media networking and blogs.

Technology and Computer Requirements

The Fashion Design Department requires its graduates to be literate in the current media of fashion and costume design as demonstrated by the following:

• Proficiency in digital applications using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, and in executing creative concepts in fashion using CAD

• Proficiency in computer-based programs to create presentation boards, technical flats, tech packs, and finished design groups

• Proficiency in word processing, document formatting, and file management for creating specification sheets, pattern cards, and cost sheets. Bibliographic documentation of database use and citation of web-based sources are required for all Fashion Design courses

• Proficiency in internet research, library research using online search engines and online fashion market predictive services

• Students are responsible for email, printing, and network log-on accounts

The Fashion Design Department does not require a laptop computer, but recommends that each student have one.

Assessment Process

Portfolio Requirements 

Placement Portfolio Review for Transfer Students

Formative Assessment Experiences

Fashion Design student performance is evaluated systemically throughout the program in five areas of study: design, visual skills, construction, research/ critical thinking, and professional practice.

1. Students are assessed in every class at semester’s end by the chair and relevant faculty members.

2. Milestone assessment occurs via the Sophomore Progress Portfolio review at the end of the second year of study. This process documents student progress and a passing evaluation is required for entrance into upper-division studios.

Progress Portfolio Review

At the end of the sophomore year, students are required to submit a comprehensive portfolio of work from their major’s first- and second-level studio courses. The portfolio should demonstrate sufficient development of the knowledge and skills in the five areas of study for the student to be successful in upper- level coursework. The goal of the review is to assess student progress, strengths and challenges, and the ability to integrate technical skills into creative projects. The presentation process also allows faculty to gauge the development of each student’s oral and written communication skills as well as those of self-assessment. A reflective essay addresses each student’s learning process and helps to set goals for the next level of the program. A panel of fashion design faculty members and the department chair review the portfolios. Passing the Progress Portfolio review is a pre-requisite for upper- level fashion design classes. Students who fail must make appropriate remediation and resubmit their portfolio for review. Portfolio requirements can be found on the Fashion Design website.

Summative Assessment Experiences

Summative assessment takes place at the senior level through the capstone project.

Capstone Courses

To demonstrate proficiency in research, creative problem solving, project management, and entrepreneurial thinking, seniors must successfully pass final capstone courses: FDES 410, Senior Design; FDES 431, Senior Collection 1; FDES 432, Senior Collection 2; FDES 411 Fashion Portfolio; and FDES 400, Professional Practice. A successful Senior Collection demonstrates the student’s design mastery and the development of a strong aesthetic voice. Industry professionals will critique the collections in a formal design review, and the final looks are showcased at the annual runway event. A professional portfolio completes the senior thesis.

Program Specific Academic Standards

Fashion Show

Woodbury’s annual fashion shows bring together fashion design students to showcase their talents. A fashion show is the most important marketing tool of the industry. These highly anticipated events provide an opportunity for senior students to create a complete capstone collection and send it down the runway. The annual fashion show is a tradition and rite of passage for Fashion Design seniors.

Senior designers gain an experience working with professional runway models, photographers, hairstyling, and make-up team.

Each spring, a Senior Design Review is held before the fashion show in which all graduating students showcase their collections to guests of honor and industry professionals. This gives all senior student designers an opportunity to receive critique from industry professionals and to engage in face-to-face conversations about future employment.

Woodbury’s fashion shows include the work from the second- and third-year Fashion Design classes. Sophomore and junior Fashion Design students have an opportunity to showcase their collections in a runway show, followed by faculty review or juried by industry professionals.

The shows come with a reputation of hard work, innovation, and dedication creating an experience unlike any other. It presents an opportunity for the students to be a part of the production. Freshman, sophomore, and junior Fashion Design students are required to assist backstage with Woodbury’s fashion shows as dressers, while senior student designers oversee and manage their collections backstage at show time. Working backstage provides hands-on experience in styling and team cooperation to stage a successful fashion show.