Clothing, Textiles and Design

In this major, you will learn the historical and social context of clothing, including how it defines our individual and group identities. You will also learn the business of product sourcing, merchandising and marketing.

Graduates are involved in the apparel industry in many capacities from positions in major clothing manufacturers to independent business owners.

Choose from two emphases: apparel design or fashion merchandising.

In class, you will design actual garments, explore the history of specific types of garments and practice product development. Your senior year, you will draw on everything you’ve learned when you and your classmates take on a service project, assessing the needs of a real-world client and a product that meets client specifications.

Students are encouraged to complete an internship the summer between their junior and senior year.

Prepare for Success

This major is a good fit if you can see yourself:

• Following fashion trends and innovations.
• Studying the historical and social significance of clothing and other body ornamentation.
• Discovering what motivates apparel buyers and finding ways to meet consumer needs.

To prepare, you may want to:

• Learn to sew, visit thrift shops or watch Project Runway.
• Develop your leadership skills in student office.
  
• Volunteer in your community.

Your First Year

Your first year, you will hone your communication skills with course work in writing and public speaking. You will also take classes in apparel design, visual art and textiles.

More advanced major courses cover consumer economics, the history of Western dress, and marketing.

See the four-year plan.

What You Can Do

With this degree, you’ll have job possibilities such as:

• Product developer: Stay abreast of innovations in the apparel industry through travel and research. Incorporate your findings into existing products or develop new products.
• Designer: Create costumes for theatre, movies, television or a fashion label. Work with an art director to develop a vision and then select fabrics, make patterns, and fit actors or models.
• Fashion journalist: Chronicle evolving trends for a newspaper or magazine.
• Import specialist: Work with retailers and manufacturers around the world to move their products from one country to another within the context of trade regulations.
• Sales director: Determine marketing strategies for retail merchandise, both in-store and online. Prepare visual displays, promotions, pricing and markdown planning.
• Owner: Operate your own boutique. Do it all—buying, merchandising and marketing—on a more personal scale.

Opportunities

The apparel industry is the second largest employer in the world. Jobs for qualified applicants are plentiful, with starting salaries of up to $40,000.

You may also choose to continue your education. Earn an advanced degree in fine arts, anthropology, sociology, business or apparel trade law.

Current Research

Our faculty’s research interests include high-performance fabrics, innovations in merchandising, and sustainable products and marketing practices.

Activities

International Textile and Apparel Association: Stay abreast of current issues in textiles, apparel and merchandising as a member of the student chapter.
Family and Consumer Sciences Club: Find out about opportunities for service, attend an annual state conference and meet professionals in the field.
Phi Upsilon Omicron: Join the national honor society in family and consumer sciences.

Hands-On Experience

Intern. Get real-world experiences likes these:

• Coldwater Creek: Work on product development and sourcing at corporate headquarters in Sandpoint, Idaho.
• Idaho Repertory Theatre: Assist the costume designer in creating one-of-a-kind looks for a major theatrical production.
• Macy’s: Develop merchandising strategies to respond to research on customer opinions.

Study abroad. Deepen your understanding of your major—and the world—in countries like these:

• England: Learn how the oldest retailer in the world, Liberty House, manages textile sourcing.
• India: Gain knowledge of a rich culture with a long history of supplying other countries with exquisite cloth.
• Taiwan: Visit athletic apparel manufacturers and gain a new perspective on the global marketplace.

Volunteer. Make a difference. Put on a fashion show to benefit teacher education in Uganda. Make costumes for children in a child care center. Mentor an at-risk teen.