Some might say style isn’t something you learn, it’s something you’re born with. But everyone knows that’s crazy talk! So where can you turn when you want to learn more about the fabulous world of fashion?
Here at Eastern Michigan University, we’re lucky to have a wide variety of courses with a good handful tailored (pun not intended) to the fashion-minded among us. Digging through the tedious lists of classes online can be a bit of a chore, but lucky you! I’ve assembled a cute, concise list of entry-level courses for the aspiring young designer.
*ATM 105—Integrated Arts: *
Picture your favorite clothing shop. Is it well-lit and decorated with obnoxiously bright colors, or is it sort of dark and surfy and crammed with palm tree motifs? Believe it or not, the atmosphere of a retailer can be almost as important as the clothes themselves. Enroll in this course and you’ll be sure your little shop is the most alluring in the whole mall.
As apparel, textiles & merchandising major Andre Moses said, “It is a class that teaches you how the appearance of your store matters in the retail industry.”
Instructed by Holly Mosher, this relatively small, lecture-based class comes with an enjoyable final project in which you can create and promote your own shop through a website and ads.
Another project prompts you to choose a designer and pull together a presentation giving information on his or her life and influence, as well as the impact his or her art might have in the future of the fashion industry.
*ATM 118—Apparel Studio: *
If you’re anything like me, you suck at sewing. Enter Apparel Studio, an entire class dedicated to — you guessed it — sewing, and you’ll do enough sewing to make up for years of not knowing how to do it properly.
Moses warns against half-hearted commitments to this course, saying, “Students have cried in that class.”
Although the material is difficult, you’ll learn a great deal from this hands-on course, taught by Cathryn Amidei in a classroom filled with mannequins, fashion ads, and of course — sewing machines. Not to mention the fact that you’ll wind up with some cool handmade stuff you can brag about crafting yourself.
The late nights spent finishing projects is well-worth the trouble.
“It’s kind of no pain, no gain,” Moses said, who cites this course as his favorite among the ones listed here.
“Even though I’d stay up all night to finish projects, I still learned a lot, and it brought me close to my goal of being a designer.”
*ATM 145—Intro to Apparel, Textiles, & Merchandising:
*
This is the go-to course for anyone looking to dip their feet into the world of fashion. Everything you need to know about retailing, designing, marketing and promoting is covered in this informative course, including trends, the history of fashion and careers in the field.
Julie Becker is the instructor, and the class itself is mostly lecture-based with many exciting projects, culminating into a presentation in which you’re asked to articulate your aspirations for your future in the fashion industry.
Of the projects, Moses said, “Be good at selling yourself and you’ll do fine.”
Sadly, none of these courses can fulfill general education requirements, but for the student considering a future life in the field of fashion, these courses are invaluable. If you can see yourself bringing together ideas and inspiration to design clothing as a living, perhaps spending a little time in one of these classes will help you know for sure.
