Apparel Design and Technology

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Challenging Undergraduate Program

Apparel design and technology is a highly competitive, but rewarding field for the creative individual. A successful designer is able to predict consumer reaction and to work within the financial budgets of the production and manufacturing process to design apparel that is both fashionable and functional.

The curriculum prepares students to apply the elements and principals of visual design to meet the physical, social, psychological, and aesthetic apparel needs of people. Students learn to design and produce apparel both manually and using computer-aided design (CAD) systems. From concept to costing, every phase of apparel product development is covered, including pattern making, grading, marker making, spreading, cutting and assembly.

Graduates seek positions in major design centers such as New York City, Atlanta, Dallas, Miami or Los Angeles, or work with apparel firms located throughout the United States and abroad.

Internship

Internships are available on a competitive basis with apparel firms both in Florida and throughout the U.S. An acceptable portfolio and a 2.50 GPA is required to intern and to graduate. Students have successfully completed internships with notable firms such as Tommy Hilfiger, Donna Karan, Liz Claiborne, and Federated Merchandising Group.

Study Abroad Program

The Department offers a six-week study abroad program during the summer in London, Paris and Milan where students learn about the global fashion marketplace and have interactive sessions with executives from world-renowned retail and design firms. This study program is an unprecedented on-site exploration of both the history and present state of textiles, apparel, and the retail industry of Europe. Students participate in extraordinary learning opportunities and return to the U.S. with an unsurpassed academic credential.

Resources

The Lectra Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Laboratory provides students with experience (using a leading-edge CAD system) in the design and manufacture of apparel and textiles. The laboratory includes 20 workstations for students to use in their classroom projects.

• The Apparel Assembly Laboratory - has 20 workstations where students physically assemble their work. Also, the lab features the Eton unit production system that gives students hands-on exposure to apparel manufacturing techniques.
• Historic Clothing and Textile Collection - Apparel Design and Technology students also benefit from the Historic Clothing and Textile Collection, which is an outstanding teaching and study collection of historic clothing dating from the early 1800s and the historical textiles including the unique Carter Collection of pre-Columbian Peruvian textiles from the late 1400s.

Networking Opportunities

Students have many opportunities to network and interact with design companies through lectures and seminars, sponsored by TCS, which are held year around with executives representing manufacturers and forecasters. In addition, recruiters visit campus on a regular basis to give presentations on their companies and to interview interested students.