Lasell College

Course Details

Fashion and Retail Merchandising

Course Description

The world of fashion retail and merchandising is fast-paced and exciting. A Lasell Fashion degree can lead to various opportunities during college and eventually to exciting fashion merchandising careers. Fashion courses at Lasell focus on the specialized areas of retail merchandising, clothing design, and visual and promotional design techniques. Other supporting industries such as marketing and advertising are examined through courses in business, textiles, garment design, pattern marking, grading, photography, buying, operations and fashion history. Students use the latest computer-aided design (CAD/CAM) equipment in their fashion classes to make production markers and engineer patterns for optimal material use. The fashion merchandising degree includes a solid foundation in both liberal arts and business courses. Through Lasell's Connected Learning philosophy, Fashion & Retail Merchandising students have ongoing opportunities to apply theoretical concepts of academic studies in both their fashion classes and by working in the field with recognized leaders in the fashion industry. The upper-level professional courses are oriented toward decision-making tasks that students will face when making the transition from college to middle and upper management positions in their fashion merchandising careers. Students learn the foundations of fashion retail, including how to plan strategically, organize for profitability (using design cost sheets and computer costing technology pertinent to each degree), control design operations, and promote creativity. Every Fashion & Retail Merchandising student, in each of the four years, has contact with industry professionals who provide consultation on academic projects and insight into the realities of fashion merchandising jobs. All Fashion students are involved directly in on- and off-campus fashion show productions as designers, producers, set designers, or stylists. Involvement in professional application projects becomes particularly intensive in the senior year through our capstone fashion courses in Thesis Development and Production or the Internship Seminar and Field Assignment in Fashion Merchandising. Each student in the Fashion Design major develops an electronic portfolio that documents his or her educational experiences from the first year through graduation. Our graduates pursue careers as fashion designers, technical designers, buyers, and merchandisers. Our graduates are known for their accomplishments and talent, and they are recognized with awards, high-level job placements, and accolades from industry leaders. Graduates receive a Bachelor of Science Degree in Fashion and Retail Merchandising from the Fashion Department.

Course Duration

NumberDuration
1year

Career outcomes

Lasell's fashion courses offer more than just classroom experience - they prepare students for professional fashion industry experience. Learn about the career outcomes for graduates of our fashion design programs, and find out how Lasell College can give you an edge to succeed. An article that encompassed emerging trends during Boston's Fashion Week highlighted three Lasell students: "Up-and-coming Boston designers included Crystal Noe, Greg Hugill and Dawn Mostow. All are graduates and/or current students of Lasell College, and all have a unique sensibility." Read the entire article: http://joonbug.com/boston ******************************************************************** ******************************************************************** Lasell Fashion graduates have gone on to lead many exciting careers: Owner, Poor Little Rich Girl stores in three locations Meredith Bynam, Class of 2000 Senior Art Buyer, TJX Stacy (George) Scarsella, Class of 2005 Product Development, Hearts On Fire Co. Marissa Hart, Class of 2001 Designer, Little Marc (Marc Jacobs) Isabel Miller, Class of 2005 Regional Manager, Abercrombie & Fitch Jess Shaw, Class of 2006 Designer, US Department of the Navy Julie Kontos, Class of 2007




Fashion and Retail Merchandising Lasell College