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Fashion Business

School of Communication & The Arts

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A Focused Concentration for the Fashion Industry

This Fashion Business Concentration within the Fashion Merchandising program is designed to enhance the educational experience for students and allows you to hone in on your interests in the industry. By focusing more deeply on the business principles and practices of the industry, you’ll have a competitive edge when you enter the field after graduation.

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Student Learning Outcomes

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Fashion Scholarship Fund Recognizes Student Sustainability Case Study

Madison Breemen ’23 was honored with a prestigious scholarship from The Fashion Scholarship Fund in New York City. Breemen’s award-winning case study focused on fashion giant Zara, where she developed a solution for the brand to rethink its business model to operate more sustainably. At Marist, Breeman, has received hands-on experience at MPorium, an entrepreneurial student-run retail boutique at Marist, as a member of the e-commerce team. A native of Massachusetts, she is also in the honors program.

Read Madison's Story
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Striking a Balance Between Fashion and Business

The Fashion Business curriculum not only incorporates business coursework into your educational plan, but it integrates with the Fashion majors by teaching you about business principles as they apply to the fashion industry. You’ll continue to have access to leading faculty in Fashion, but now you’ll also be working with leading faculty in Business, Marketing, Accounting, and Economics. You’ll take courses such as:

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Front Row and Backstage at Milan Fashion Week

Marist students got a front-row seat and backstage access to one of the most exclusive fashion events in the world — Milan Fashion Week. Nearly two dozen students studying fashion design, fashion merchandising, and global marketing communications were immersed in what’s considered one of the "big four" global fashion events. Through Marist's partnership with Italian designer Francesca Liberatore, hands-on learning at premiere industry events has helped make Marist’s Fashion Program among the best in higher education.

Read About Students Attending Milan Fashion Week

Develop The Skills Needed To Succeed

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Fashion Theory

Gain a foundational-level understanding of fashion trend theories; begin to effectively anticipate, understand, and utilize basic terminology used to describe fashion, garments and textiles; and explain the process of apparel production from concept.
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Fashion Trend Forecasting & Analysis

Understand theory and practice components for forecasting fashion and use professional case studies to demonstrate each technique and concept. Learn the mechanics and functions of trends and responsibilities of the Fashion Forecaster.
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Concept Board Development

Learn the ability to develop trend concept boards for visual presentation in order to convey inspiration, color, fabrics, styling, and key items.
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Retail Strategies

Analyze the retail industry by store/customer type, and store strategy. Understand different consumer behaviors and perform a trading area analysis, identify target markets, and discuss how relationship marketing is the key to success.
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Analytical Merchandising

Learn mathematical concepts involved in profitable merchandising, understand the approach used in organizing the buying activities of retail organizations that affect profit, and explore the scope of responsibilities for a buyer.
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Public Presentation

Prepare for your senior capstone project, where you will develop a research report that defines a successful product, marketing, and financial plan. You will be required to present your project to a group of faculty and industry executives.

 

Cutting-Edge Fashion Facilities

At Marist, we’re determined to provide not only the educational but the physical tools to promote your success and preparedness to enter to fashion industry. Along with our Textile Design Lab and the Maker Lab, Fashion students perhaps get the most use and experience out of MPorium: our on-campus, award-winning entrepreneurial boutique stocked and operated by our Fashion Merchandising students. Functioning as a retail laboratory, MPorium gives you the opportunity to delve into the nuances required for running and maintaining a fashion enterprise, including Human Resource Management/Staffing, Customer Service, Marketing, Visual Merchandising, and Merchandise Planning & Control.

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Marist Named "Best Colleges That Are Shaping The Future Of Fashion" by Forbes

"Just north of NYC, the Marist campus overlooks the Hudson River providing a more serene setting to focus on your creative process. How serious is Marist about its commitment to fashion? A brand-new, dedicated Digital Arts & Fashion Building opened in January 2019 with all the state-of-the-art tech at the students’ thimble-topped fingertips. You can catch the 35th anniversary Silver Needle Runway presentation of fashion graduates to experience the Marist style for yourself."

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Learn from Industry Experts Across Diverse Areas of Expertise

Marist faculty members come from a wide range of backgrounds and possess various areas of expertise, providing students with insights from experienced industry professionals. With small class sizes, students receive personalized attention and gain hands-on experience, which helps them develop a thorough understanding of the Fashion Industry. Meet a few of our faculty members below, or view all our faculty members. >

 

Stephanie Conover

With over 20 years of experience in the retail industry, Stephanie has worked for Saks Fifth Avenue, Valentino, Giorgio Armani, Tory Burch, and Derek Lam.  This background has provided her with a vast knowledge of retail buying, planning, and merchandising from both the perspectives of a department store and vertical retailer. 

Patrick Boylan

Patrick’s fashion industry and diverse entrepreneurial experiences demonstrate how design education can be adaptable, fluid, and marketable. He sees his role as not just teaching the fundamentals of design but mentoring students on how to connect the dots towards a viable future in the ever-changing world of fashion and beyond. 

Rebecca Brown

Rebecca M. Brown joined Marist as a professional lecturer of fashion merchandising. She is an innovative merchandising executive specializing in footwear, handbag, fashion accessory lines, merchandising and brand development. She spent 20 years building a career and reputation as a highly accomplished industry expert.

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The Value of a Marist Education

Marist cultivates the intellectual growth and well-being of its students through unique and personalized combinations of coursework and experience in and out of the classroom. These experiences provide valuable personal growth and occupational expertise to reflect students' individual passions. 

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Employed or attending grad school 6 months after graduation

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Of Marist Graduates Participated in one or more internships

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Graduation rate, higher than the average for public and private colleges

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Marist study abroad is the national leader for academic year programs, per Open Doors Report.

Top 10 Regional Universities-North

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Top 20 for Most Innovative Universities-North Region, per The Princeton Review.

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Check out Paris in Poughkeepsie; a Goldman Sachs Ayco information session; a cultural art and fashion show; blanket-making; and the Southwestern Undergraduate Conference.
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