Have you ever seen a new fashion trend and wondered where the inspiration came from? Was it from a fashion show, or a viral video on social media? Fashion is in our daily lives, from simple commercials to brand names that define a product. If you’ve ever wanted to learn where fashion design and inspiration originates from, how to turn that creativity into a fashion show, or how to create your own clothing line, the Fashion and Merchandising program at Sno-Isle TECH is the perfect opportunity to get in at the ground floor.
About the Class
The Fashion and Merchandising program surveys the fashion industry with emphasis in retail, wholesale, manufacturing, and design. Students will gain practical knowledge creating displays, designing a line of clothing, producing a fashion show, and studying the history of fashion and the textile industry. Students will create and market businesses and clothing lines, run and promote an embroidery and clothing business, plan and execute special events and fashion shows, as well as visit local industries to gain career focus. The end goal is to learn the skills needed to succeed in the industry and execute a professional business plan.
Fashion related employment offers limitless options and environments, especially in the Pacific Northwest. The Seattle metro area is set for industry growth with local and international designers and retailers. The area offers access to the world through the Port of Seattle, IT Industry support, and excellent educational opportunities in the Apparel, Merchandising, Design and Textile career fields to expose our students to many career options.
Meet the Instructor
Susan Rowe brings family tradition and industry knowledge to the program at Sno-Isle TECH. Her career began in high school helping her mother in a family owned boutique. With that foundational knowledge learned by working in the family business, she went on to manage her own store before attending buying trips to New York and working in clothing manufacturing. Susan also earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Commerce from Niagara University and a diploma in Fashion and Merchandising from Shaw Business College Toronto, Ontario. She has been a mentor and educator for over 25 years teaching Fashion courses at Bryant & Stratton Business School, Edmonds Community College, and The University of the South Pacific in Suva, Figi, before coming to Sno-Isle TECH.
In-Depth Class Information
The Fashion and Merchandising class is taught twice daily, Monday through Friday during the school year. The morning session is from 7:55am to 10:25am, while the later session is from 11:10am to 1:40pm. Students should have the prerequisites of math, marketing, computer apps., art, and theater are completed before enrolling in the class as these will benefit the student while enrolled.
This course provides students with the most current information about the basic aspects of fashion marketing and merchandising. Class topics introduce each student to the field of fashion promotion and provides foundational fashion concepts related to business economics, the textile industry, and product design. Other areas covered include technological advances in manufacturing, mass customization, niche specialization, inventory planning, management, retail trends including Omni channel retailing and show rooming. Sno-Isle TECH will provide a Fashion Marketing & Merchandising textbook for each student to use during the class.
High School Credits: 3.0 elective or CTE
Equivalency Credit: 1.0 Fine Arts
CTE Dual Credit
- Shoreline Community College
- BUS130 Intro to Fashion, 5 credits
What Can I Do After the Fashion and Merchandising Class?
Students completing the Fashion and Merchandising class will be able to identify and discuss each of the major categories within the fashion industry and proficiently use industry terminology. With that knowledge, they can also identify potential career paths, evaluate trend information, and determine correct timelines for new product development and current product makeovers. During the school year, students may opt to join field trips industry partners in the fall and spring classes, Macy’s: Careers beyond the cash register, Zulily: E-Commerce careers, Filson: Manufacturing, Catalog, Design, Lifestyle Retailer, the Seattle Metropolitan Museum, the Pacific Northwest Ballet/Costume Curator, and to Nordstrom Headquarters: Design, Merchandising, Photo Lab Studio “N”. Students can also attend the Fashion Industry Conference in Seattle in late April, as well as local apparel keynote speakers will contribute to the class. Industry experts will host three apparel industry focused workshops, have lunch, a fashion show, and mentor in an apparel competition where students have an opportunity to compete with other high school students across Washington and potentially win prizes and gain recognition for competing.
Each student will create a portfolio of his or her work during the course. The portfolio is a collection of documents to share with prospective employers, to document learning, to keep a record of attendance, to collect pictures of work and for organizing your schoolwork. The portfolio can also serve as a journal of your personal growth while attending school. The portfolio will be a three ring binder with pictures of work, all training certificates from continuing education, a resume, and any additional assignments.
Don’t miss your chance to get started in the Fashion and Merchandising program and get started in a career in the industry. For more information on Sno-Isle TECH and the Fashion and Merchandising program, click here. If you’re ready to sign up and get started, apply here beginning Feb 6th, 2020 Classes for the next semester will fill fast, and you don’t want to miss out. To learn more about how to apply check out our video tutorials.
