Apparel Design is about the marriage of fabulous style and precise construction, about communication, technology and entrepreneurship, about beauty and function. Students learn under the tutelage of instructors with great experience in the fashion industry. Classmates motivate each other to innovate through originality and adaptability, both essential characteristics of successful professionals in the industry.
In the classroom, apparel design students are expected to develop skills in clothing design, sketching and illustration, patternmaking and draping, garment construction, textiles, critical analysis, and computer-aided design.
The curriculum offers exposure to business practices, marketing and presentation that are critical to the success of apparel lines and brands. Students can learn to develop their own collections and have opportunities to exhibit their creations in fashion shows and competitions, including The Art Institute of Portland?s annual fashion show which is student planned, produced and executed.