Everyone wants to represent the latest trend by getting things that are considered fashionable. But, only a few people know the creativity behind fashion.
“Fashion is very important. It is life-enhancing and, like everything that gives pleasure, it is worth doing well.” — Vivienne WestwoodDiane von.
If you can spot fashion trends, you can simply turn your creative ideas into use by attending a good fashion school.
Moreover, getting a fashion degree is very easy these days as most fashion schools feature distant learning options allowing you to learn the skills you need at your pace and comfort.
What should be your next line of thought is how to get started but, you don’t have to worry about that. You can learn right in this article how to start a fashion career to benefit you.
What Is Fashion?
Fashion is simply how things are made or done at a particular time, especially in clothing, footwear, lifestyle, accessories, and makeup. For instance, the hairstyle trend in the past decades was a quick bob and afro, but it has changed to a longer style with curls.
Just a few years ago, a woman could wear a layer of plain linen underneath her dress, but recently, women rarely put on pants. It’s so amazing how fashion evolves overnight.
Do you know the people behind this sudden evolution? The fashion designers of course!
These professionals work with various materials, colors, patterns, and styles. They adopt the use of modern technology, and that helps improve their business greatly.
Why Online Fashion Schools?
In the past years, fashion was just about wearing clothes that were made from synthetically dyed fabrics and fixed with a sewing machine. Anyone with a passion for style would easily make clothes.
Today, the fashion industry uses computer software to create sketches and designs for clothes, accessories, and shoes.
Only individuals with certain skills and entrepreneurial spirit can shine in the industry. So, if you want to be a leader in this field, enrol in a good fashion school.
Fashion designers who attend fashion schools are knowledgeable about technologies, which often opens the door for a bigger opportunity in the industry and leads to higher salaries, as they are best positioned for growth.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 2015 median income of a fashion designer is $63,670 per year.
Additionally, an online fashion school will prepare you to gain employment in creative or technical fields in the fashion industry at the corporate level, emerging small business level, or in entrepreneurship as a fashion-based start-up.
What Skills Do I Need as A Fashion Designer?
To become a successful fashion designer, you need business skills to help you stay within your budget and market your product.
Some top qualities of a fashion designer include but are not limited to the following;
- Artistic ability: you must be able to sketch your initial design ideas and use them to create prototypes of your clothing.
- Detail-oriented: As a Fashion designer, pay attention to details that can make a design successful
- Computer skills: You must know how to use computer-aided design (CAD) programs and be familiar with graphics editing software. This will help you improve your designs.
- Communication: you need to communicate an idea to your team with retailers to pitch your designs.
- Creativity: This very important. You must be highly creative to create top-notch designs that are unique, stylish, and functional.
What Can I Do With My Online Fashion Degree?
The fashion industry is very broad and therefore offers individuals a wide range of career opportunities. Some career paths that can come from this degree are;
- Fashion designer
- Fashion illustrator
- Textile designer
- Fashion photographer
- Retail buyer
- Merchandiser
- Fashion and public relations writer
READ ALSO: 20 Undergraduate Scholarships For Fashion Designing Students
How Much Does It Cost To Enroll In An Online Fashion School?
The cost of enrolling in an online fashion program varies by school. A school with more programs is bound to charge higher compared with a school with few programs.
In summary, the total cost of getting a fashion and design degree online can range from $10,000 to $50,000.
How Long Does It Take To Complete An Online Fashion School?
The time to complete an online fashion program depends on a few factors. First is the program type; whether students enroll part-time or full-time.
In general, full-time students graduate from fashion programs in four years, while completion times for part-time depends on the students.
Additionally, you must understand that your online courses’ duration lies in your power.
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Online Fashion Classes – How It Works
Basically, online education uses the Learning Management System LMS method which includes the use of Blackboard, Canvas, and Moodle, which provides an accessible exchange of information between instructors and students.
You receive your study materials, lectures, and assignments via email or some file transfer system during online classes. You submit course assignments through LMS by posting on discussion forums and submitting tasks through applicable links.
Another option for online classes involves the use of an online proctoring service. This helps to monitor students as they work.
It also permits degree candidates to take assessments away from campus and provides schools with confidence that students honestly earned their grades. If you exhibit any form of cheating or malpractice, the service may alert the school.
Best Online Fashion Schools?
Below is a list of fashion schools in the US arranged in no particular order.
These schools feature online fashion programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. They offer programs and concentrations that will give you an excellent foundation to build practical skills in fashion.
Our criteria for selection of these schools are rankings & reputations, accreditation, No of fashion programs, tuition, and other relevant factors.
We got our data through testimonials, reviews, and by contacting individual schools.
- Academy of Art University
- Central Michigan University
- Lindenwood University
- Northwood University-Michigan
- Framingham State University
- Johnson & Wales University
- Liberty University
- Southern New Hampshire University
#1. Academy of Art University
Tuition: $24,664
Accreditation: National Association of Schools of Art and Design
No. of Programs: 11
Academy of Art University is an accredited online fashion school and of course, one of the best. If you seek a career as a fashion professional, AAU should be the first place on your mind.
As an online fashion student, you work with expert instructors to gain hands-on training and real-world industry expertise like the on-campus students.
What makes this school stand out is the support they give to students. AAU provides financial help to students.
Data on the school website shows that they have helped over 45 thousand aspiring artists and designers pursue their educational goals.
With all these outstanding qualities, every aspiring fashion designer will want to choose AAU.
#2. Central Michigan University
Tuition: $23,670
No. of Programs: 6
Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission
Central Michigan University is a top-ranked and highly recommended fashion school. This school offers six fashion design programs and award degrees at levels.
The program features aesthetic & functional design, marketing & retailing of apparel and textiles. The program curriculum integrates distance learning options that allow students to learn some or all of their courses online.
In fact, as a student of its fashion school, you will learn how to position yourself for jobs in the design, production, and distribution of apparel and textile products.
The graduate program at CMU covers key concepts in apparel design, buying, store management, visual merchandising, product development, and more.
SEE ALSO: Rita Bolland Fellowship for Textile, Dress, and Fashion Study 2024
#3. Lindenwood University
Tuition: $16,960
Accreditation: HLC
No. of programs: 2
Lindenwood University offers a bachelor of science in Fashion Business and Entrepreneurship. The school is accredited and recognized as one of the best online fashion design schools.
Studying fashion and design in Lindenwood is worth it. You’ll learn how to bring the latest styles and trends to the runway and also manage a successful business built in the fashion industry.
At the end of your program, you will gain the managerial and economic skills you need to thrive as an entrepreneur.
#4. Northwood University-Michigan
Tuition: $26,080
Accreditation: HLC
No. of Program: 1
Northwood awards a degree in Fashion Marketing & Management. This major immerses students in the world of fashion from every angle.
Students learn how to use raw materials in design and production and also the important business side of the industry.
Northwood is the best place to learn how to succeed in retail promotion, visual merchandising, and pricing.
Also, at Northwood, you will learn how to manage a business, whether you want to start your own fashion business at a major retailer or design house.
#5. Framingham State University
Tuition: $16,000
Accreditation: NECHE
No. of programs: 1
Another top-ranked fashion school is Framingham State University FSU. This school awards a Bachelor of Science Degree in Fashion Design and Retailing.
The curriculum features one fashion program and two core concentrations in Apparel Design or Merchandising.
Students can prepare for a career as a fashion designer, retail buyer, technical designer, retail merchandising analyst, product developer, retail manager, and patternmaker.
#6. Johnson & Wales University
Tuition: $13,365
Accreditation: NECHE
No. of Programs: 2
Johnson & Wales University offers a 100% online program that prepares students for a career in fashion and design. The course curriculum is very flexible; you can attend all your classes right in the comfort of your home at your convenience.
The program features fashion and retail concepts such as merchandise buying, visual merchandising, and fashion marketing.
At JWU, you can participate in experiential education, which gives you real-world exposure? There is a lot to learn from this fashion school.
You will be prepared for entry-level fashion in various merchandising careers after graduation. Isn’t that interesting?
#7. Liberty University
Tuition: $390 per hour
Accreditation: SACSCOC
No. of Programs: 1
We cannot complete the best online fashion design school list without Liberty University making the top 10.
This school offers a flexible online fashion merchandising degree and allows you to gain access to training without commuting to a physical campus.
You’ll complete an internship in your area, giving you the real-world experience you need to be career-ready.
Upon graduation, you will gain hands-on experience that will prepare you to enter the field confidently.
#8. Southern New Hampshire University
Tuition: $320/credit
Accreditation: Accreditation Commission of Business Schools and Programs
No. of programs: 3
Southern New Hampshire University(SNHU) fashion merchandising degree online courses are taught by industry experts working in the field.
This school features small class sizes allowing students to interact one-on-one with instructors who understand how style, business, and technology intersect.
Upon graduation from SNHU, you won’t only learn fashion, but you will also gain powerful skills in communication, problem-solving, writing, and analysis.
Are There Professional Organizations For Fashion Designers In the US?
Do you know being a part of a professional association can benefit you as a Fashion Designer? This is necessary especially if you are freshly out of fashion school or a prospective fashion designer looking to launch your career.
These associations offer continuing education opportunities and connect you to top networking events, where you can gain networking opportunities.
INTERNATIONAL TEXTILE AND APPAREL ASSOCIATION (ITAA)
The ITAA was established to promote excellence, scholarship, and innovation in the fashion merchandising field.
Through this organization, you can access networking events, the ITAA journal, and other publications.
FASHION INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION
The FIA organizes fashion industry meetups across the globe. The organization provides a directory for members searching for specific opportunities in specific places.
AMERICAS APPAREL PRODUCERS’ NETWORK
The AAPN advocates for sourcing and producing apparel products in America. The network operates its headquarters in Atlanta and has branches across North, Central, and South America and in Asia and Europe.
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FASHION DESIGNERS AND EXECUTIVES
The IACDE was set up to bring together talented fashion executives by hosting global conventions and forming local chapters, which offer events and programming to support executives.
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How Much Do Fashion Designers Make?
Fashion designers are among the top-paid professionals. In the US, Maryland, New York, and Texas offer the highest-paying salaries. The average annual income for fashion designers in US is about $67,420.
However, if you become a Creative Director of a well-known fashion brand, you can earn up to $135,490.
Fashion and Design Job Outlook
According to recent data, there are about 23,100 current job openings in this field, and growth is expected to continue at about 3 percent a year.
Additionally, BLS projects that employment of fashion designers to show little or no change from 2018 to 2028.
With the information above, one can conclude that the fashion industry has a bright future.
Conclusion
Fashion designers handle the entire creative process that goes into clothing from sketching to finished garment. With a degree in fashion from one of the best fashion schools in our list, you can develop your creative skills while gaining the practical tools needed to excel in the fashion industry.
References
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