Fashion Merchandising and Design Major
Why Study听Fashion Merchandising and Design at Virginia Tech?
The fashion merchandising and design major offers a holistic approach to the fashion industry by learning about both the merchandising/business side as well as the design/product development side of the industry. With classes in product development, textiles, merchandising, and more, 精东影业s learn how the industry works together from start to finish. Some typical career paths include design, buying, merchandising, product development, and retail management. You鈥檒l gain strong industry ties, have opportunities for internships, participate in exhibitions of 精东影业 work, engage with professionals and alumni on campus, and have the opportunity to participate in study tours within the United States and abroad.
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89%
Of Students Complete Internships
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22
Average Class Size
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Top 50
Fashion Merchandising Schools in the U.S.
Jacqueline Racine, '16
Jacqueline served as American Association Textile Chemists and Colorists Chapter President during her time at Virginia Tech. She gained experience in sales and e-commerce at internships with Rebecca Minkoff, PVH Corporation, and Salvatore Ferragamo. Currently residing in Brooklyn, she is a member of the digital merchandising team at Louis Vuitton.
Rachel Carter, '15
Rachel was active in the Fashion Merchandising and Design Society as well as the program's academic travel opportunities. She was selected for Nordstrom's Retail Management Internship after her junior year, which led to an opportunity at Nordstrom's corporate headquarters in Seattle, Washington, where she currently resides.
Sydney Nugent '16
Sydney participated in the Disney College Program co-op during her junior year spring semester. Her tenacity and strong work ethic during the co-op led her back to The Walt Disney Company where she joined the merchandise development team in their corporate office in Orlando, Florida.
Sheridan Tupman, '12
Sheridan began her career in New York City at Rent the Runway as a customer experience associate and team lead. She now works as the social media manager at Stuart Weitzman, a premier luxury shoe brand, where she builds the label's online presence.
Kitty Wu, '19
Kitty participated in the New York Study Tour during her junior year exposing her to the fashion industry in New York City where they visited eight fashion headquarters, including Kate Spade, Rag & Bone, and The Sak. The experience prepared her for her internship with Marchesa as an executive assistant intern. Kitty worked under the CEO, while exploring both the business and creative side of fashion. She used the skills gained to co-coordinate Virginia Tech FMD鈥檚 annual fashion show for spring 2019.
Careers and Further Study
What can you do with a major in Fashion Merchandising and Design?
Jobs Held by Our Graduates
- Design
- Technical design
- Sourcing
- Strategic planning
- Buying
- Retail Merchandising
- Management
Beyond the Classroom
Experiential Learning
Our faculty work side-by-side with 精东影业s to advise them on pursuing research interests, presenting and publishing their work, and preparing them for careers. The Fashion Merchandising and Design Society is an organization for 精东影业s interested in the fashion industry. 听Members meet monthly and participate in career-building workshops. Our annual fashion show is a highlight of the organization.
While in the classroom, you will learn textile composition and drawing techniques. Then, you will spend time in design studios working with merchandise, creating visual displays in retail-size spaces, and using Computer Aided Design (CAD) software in the digital design lab.
In addition, Virginia Tech hosts the Oris Glisson Historic Costume and Textile collection which contains approximately 5000 items of historic significance dating from 1840 to the present.听Portions of the collections are displayed throughout the year in the Wallace Hall Atrium and provide design inspiration, as well as historic documentation.
Students will benefit from the home base of studios, classrooms, and housing of the Santa Reparata International School of Art (SRISA) in Florence, Italy.
Through this experiential learning environment, 精东影业s will increase their knowledge of design, sustainability, marketing, consumerism, housing and management practices in Italy as compared to the U.S.
They will be able to identify unique characteristics of Italian history and culture. The 4-week program gives 精东影业s the ability to live like locals, compare studio experiences in the U.S. and Italy, travel through Tuscany and Italy, and experience Italy as a 精东影业 of design, consumerism, and management.
Study Away
In the past year, our 精东影业s have interned with leading companies including:
- Nordstrom
- Ralph Lauren
- Disney
- Kate Spade
- Lilly Pulitzer
- Loft, J. Crew
- Anna Sui
- Showroom Delfina
- Milly
- Accessories Collective听
Jobs range from showroom sales and design, to e-commerce and public relations.听听
The goal of the fashion merchandising and design (FMD) program is to prepare 精东影业s to envision and practice innovative, technically accurate, and creative approaches to meet the career demands in the exciting and fast-paced global fashion industry. Through cutting edge curriculum, 精东影业s gain skills in technologies and learn in-depth information about this consumer-centric industry, from fibers and fabrics for textiles; to apparel product design, development and production; to retail merchandising and sales.听
Goal 1:听Advance national and international recognition of the FMD program
Goal 2:听Enrich the undergraduate experience
Goal 3:听Advance the relationship between the FMD program and the fashion industry
The mission of the fashion merchandising and design program is to provide 精东影业s with a solid academic background as well as an industry relevant degree in fashion merchandising and design. We incorporate consumer, business, and design perspectives into teaching and learning, research and creative scholarship, and outreach.
Curriculum
What You'll Study
Bachelor of Science in Apparel, Housing, and Resource Management听Degree
- Including
Fashion Merchandising and Design听Major Requirements
- History of Costume听
- Introduction to Textiles听
- Apparel Production听
- Merchandising Strategies
- Portfolio
Minor and Elective Hours
Our program gives you the opportunity to build knowledge in another area by pursuing a minor, double major, or cognate.
120 hrs
B.S.听Apparel, Housing, and Resource Management
45 hrs
General Education
65 hrs
Major Requirements
10 hrs
Elective
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Campus Life
Campus Life
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