Fashion Design and Merchandising Degree Program
The mission of the instruction program in FDM is to provide students with appropriate knowledge and skills for career positions in apparel and fashion-related industries; to promote understanding of the effects of global social, economic, sustainable, and political issues on apparel and fashion-related industries and on modes of dress; to foster appreciation of the role of dress and appearance as these reflect and shape individual behavior, social and economic exchange, and cultural conditions; to nurture intellectual growth and creativity, and to support the mission of the College of Tropical Agriculture & Human Resources by fostering student acquisition of problem-solving, analytic, and communication skills.
The FDM curriculum provides students with the knowledge and skills needed for career positions in apparel- and fashion-related fields. Students learn fashion industry operating methods; develop buying and merchandising plans; study textile fibers and fabrics; create fashion apparel lines; examine Hawaiian, Asian, and western costume artifacts; analyze the effects of social, political, and economic conditions on local, national, and global industry operations and consumer needs; and study current concerns relating to social responsibility, ethical issues, and environmental impacts as these relate to fashion businesses and consumers.
Courses cover these and related topics:
- Fashion sketching
- Textile properties
- Apparel design and construction
- Retail buying and merchandise management
- Fashion promotion and fashion show production
- Costume history
- Social and cultural aspects of dress
- Fashion computer-aided design
- Fashion forecasting and marketing
- Branding
- International trade issues.
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