Fashion Design Management (FDM)

This course introduces designers to the complexities of the design development calendar within a global corporate structure. Students will go through the entire design development timeline linking design/merchandising/prototype development and brand positioning processes within an overseas sourcing structure. The process will begin with an understanding of historical data and how it informs design choices. Overview of creative teams and understanding the interaction between design, merchandising, production, sales and marketing. Students will learn how design decisions impact time lines throughout the organization building toward industry wide product launch dates.

This course will be a simulation of the complete research and design development cycle beginning with a specific design brief and designing into a targeted existing brand aesthetic. Designers will be introduced to the broad range of parameters influencing branded product offerings. They will be challenged to create within market constraints including; targeted channels of distribution, season, sku plan, delivery, targeted wholesale/cost of goods/margins, raw material sourcing and competitive landscape.

The critical relationship between design/merchandising/marketing will be explored in this course with a focus on benchmarking today's global fashion leaders. The course will integrate the distinct roles of the designer, the merchandiser and the marketing team, identifying how they are strategically intertwined. Students will move beyond product design and development by creating a design/merchandising strategy for the branding aspects of a collection including: brand name, logo, labelling, packaging, hangtags, signage and web home page layout. Approaching the collection in a broader sense, in the role of the Creative Director, students will focus on communicating a well-articulated, focused and cohesive branded message across all assets.

Students in the Diversity in Design course will examine and study the market in design inclusivity. As a part of the research, students will frame the question and engage with focus groups to identify areas of need in underserved populations. Students will utilize their findings to develop a fashion design product that solves a need in the inclusivity market. During the final presentation, students will present the products to the focus groups, potential investors and industry professionals