Fashion Design

School of Communication & The Arts

A Fashion Degree To Build Your Future

At Marist, Fashion Design is much more than a major – it’s a hands-on, immersive learning experience. By absorbing the theories and history of design and applying it to real-world fashion design from your first semester at Marist, you’ll be well-prepared for a successful career in the Fashion Design industry.

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Student Learning Outcomes >

Isabel Holden: Collaboration Between Fashion and Chemistry

Holden, a fashion design major who is committed to cross-disciplinary and environmentally conscious work, worked with chemistry students to develop a sustainable collection of 12 looks. This collection won her the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s (CFDA) Liz Claiborne Design Scholarship Award, a prestigious $25,000 scholarship is awarded to one undergraduate fashion student in the United States each year.

Read Isabel’s Story

Isabel Holden: Collaboration Between Fashion and Chemistry

Holden, a fashion design major who is committed to cross-disciplinary and environmentally conscious work, worked with chemistry students to develop a sustainable collection of 12 looks. This collection won her the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s (CFDA) Liz Claiborne Design Scholarship Award, a prestigious $25,000 scholarship is awarded to one undergraduate fashion student in the United States each year.

Read Isabel’s Story

Image of student presenting her senior design project to fashion industry executives.

A Foundational Curriculum That Will Help You Flourish

The Fashion Design major relies upon foundational courses such as Fashion in Culture & Commerce and Creative Process then is augmented by a combination of technical and creative design courses to create a well-balanced curriculum. You’ll develop skills in design, textiles, draping and flat pattern making, garment construction, and computer-aided design, and event present your own apparel collection at the annual Silver Needle Runway Fashion Show. Fashion Designs majors also have minors available to them in Fashion Merchandising and Product Development.

View Full Curriculum >

A Foundational Curriculum That Will Help You Flourish

The Fashion Design major relies upon foundational courses such as Fashion in Culture & Commerce and Creative Process then is augmented by a combination of technical and creative design courses to create a well-balanced curriculum. You’ll develop skills in design, textiles, draping and flat pattern making, garment construction, and computer-aided design, and event present your own apparel collection at the annual Silver Needle Runway Fashion Show. Fashion Designs majors also have minors available to them in Fashion Merchandising and Product Development.

View Full Curriculum >

Cutting-Edge 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. Marist has equipped the Steel Plant, the academic building in which fashion students spend much of their time, with the facilities to ensure your best work:

Textile Design Lab

Fashion Design Studios

Makerspace, equipped with 3D printers
Fashion Exhibition Gallery

MPorium fashion retail space

Learn More About The Steel Plant

Image of the senior studio space in the Steel Plant.

Cutting-Edge 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. Marist has equipped the Steel Plant, the academic building in which fashion students spend much of their time, with the facilities to ensure your best work:

Textile Design Lab

Fashion Design Studios

Makerspace, equipped with 3D printers
Fashion Exhibition Gallery

MPorium fashion retail space

Learn More About The Steel Plant

Image of the Silver Needle Runway fasion show.

Hands-On Industry Experience

A balanced education at Marist combines rigorous classroom experience with practical application in the desired field, and the Fashion Design major is no exception. Fashion Design students will find themselves in the Design Studios from day one, collaborating on projects with peers inside and outside their major. Internships are an essential piece of real-world experience for our Fashion Design majors; in fact, over 83% of Marist students complete at least one internship. And all their hard work culminates at the annual Silver Needle Runway Fashion Show, a fully produced fashion show for which they design and execute an apparel collection under the guidance of a professional designer, select professional models to walk an industry-grade runway, and showcase everything they’ve learned during their time at Marist.

Hands-On Industry Experience

A balanced education at Marist combines rigorous classroom experience with practical application in the desired field, and the Fashion Design major is no exception. Fashion Design students will find themselves in the Design Studios from day one, collaborating on projects with peers inside and outside their major. Internships are an essential piece of real-world experience for our Fashion Design majors; in fact, over 83% of Marist students complete at least one internship. And all their hard work culminates at the annual Silver Needle Runway Fashion Show, a fully produced fashion show for which they design and execute an apparel collection under the guidance of a professional designer, select professional models to walk an industry-grade runway, and showcase everything they’ve learned during their time at Marist.

Career Success in the Fashion Industry

As a Fashion Design student at Marist who has completed industry experience long before graduation, you’ll have a competitive edge unlike any other student entering the field. And our students have landed the jobs to prove it. Below are only a few examples of the major fashion institutions that proudly employ Marist Fashion alumni today:

Annual Student Runway Project

The Silver Needle Runway is the largest event production presented by Marist College. Since 1984, the show has continued to heighten levels of expertise, professionalism, and creativity. The runway features garments designed and realized by our talented senior Fashion Design students in a professional runway setting. In the Spring of 2020, the dedicated Fashion Show Production class took a new approach to the show, creating a digital platform for the immensely talented senior design students to showcase their work.

Watch the video to learn about the exciting and innovative process for SNR34, or visit the SNR34 website.

Annual Student Runway Project

The Silver Needle Runway is the largest event production presented by Marist College. Since 1984, the show has continued to heighten levels of expertise, professionalism, and creativity. The runway features garments designed and realized by our talented senior Fashion Design students in a professional runway setting. In the Spring of 2020, the dedicated Fashion Show Production class took a new approach to the show, creating a digital platform for the immensely talented senior design students to showcase their work.

Watch the video to learn about the exciting and innovative process for SNR34, or visit the SNR34 website.

The Value of a Marist Education

At Marist, we pride ourselves on our dedication to providing our students with a well-rounded liberal arts education that prepares them for practical experience and profound success in their field. But don't just take our word for it - the numbers speak for themselves.