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Fashion Design for the Future

Hybrid

Format

Hybrid

Duration

Duration

10 days

Week 1: 7 hours total, Week 2: 6-8 hours per day

Cost

Cost

$5,500

Date

Next Start Date

Coming Soon

Fashion is an industry in which a balance must be maintained between form and function, creativity and commerce. At the center of this process are fashion designers, who must constantly master new tools, solve problems, and innovate in order to stay competitive in an ever-changing marketplace.

Parsons stands at the center of cutting-edge design strategy, theory, and practice, developing both big-picture concepts to prepare designers for the future and actionable skills using the latest technologies for designers to employ today. 

Program Overview

Fashion Design for the Future provides participants with an opportunity to explore four key areas: materiality, digitization, shifts in the understanding of the human body, and entrepreneurship. Through lectures, readings, and workshops, guided by leading experts at the cutting edge of fashion design, participants learn to challenge their own preconceptions and practices, as well as traditional design theories, philosophies, and approaches, with the aim of expanding their creative practice to meet market opportunity.   

What You Will Learn

Materiality

At the heart of fashion design are materials—the medium through which fashion designers create. This program focuses on sustainable and high-tech fabrics and their relation to apparel construction. Key areas of interest are environmentally friendly fabrics, health-driven fabrications and innovations, and new manufacturing tools and technologies. 

Digitization

The fashion industry stands at the forefront of the digital revolution. This program explores digital design processes (e.g., 3D design), the creation of digital products (e.g., NFTs), and the selling and wearing of digital clothing in the metaverse. A key area of focus is the shift from traditional methods of design—patternmaking and draping—to the digital space.

Body Diversity, Inclusivity, and Performance

As science progresses, it offers us a deeper understanding of how the human body functions in our world. This program examines how humans perform or express identity in their daily lives. Key areas of interest include the way gender identity, body ability, and performance enhancement affect design processes and outcomes. 

Entrepreneurship

While fashion design is a creative endeavor, it is predicated on the ability to sell products to consumers. In this program, we explore ways to synthesize design theories and philosophies of materiality, digitization, and the human body to develop successful business strategies that connect with the consumer.  

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Program Topics

Unit 1

Materiality

Unit 2

Digitization

Unit 3

Body Diversity, Inclusivity, and Performance

Unit 4

Entrepreneurship

Program Experience

In this ten-day hybrid program, you begin by engaging with a robust suite of faculty-designed content and exercises. This self-directed module provides industry research and knowledge to prepare you to participate in a live online panel in which you connect with leading industry experts. In the second week, you interact with faculty and peers in NYC and gain familiarity with the industry through faculty-led real-world experiences. You meet and collaborate with renowned specialists, have the exclusive opportunity to visit studios, and benefit from personalized professional feedback as you apply insights to a customized project.

Features

  • Taught by faculty who are industry-recognized leaders and subject-matter experts

  • Proprietary tools and insider insights from the industry

  • Peer discussions and exercises

  • Proprietary real-world case studies

  • Experiential learning environments with studio visits for hands-on learning

  • Exclusive network-building opportunities

  • Certificate of Completion

Register Now

Date Format Day and Time Cost

Oct 17 – 28, 2022

Hybrid

Week 1, Monday-Thursday: Online
Friday: Live online

Week 2, Monday–Friday: In Person

$5,500

Who Is This Program For?

This program is designed for professionals looking to broaden their understanding of current developments in fashion design, including the use of cutting-edge materials and technologies, the impact of expanding scientific knowledge about the human body, and evolving philosophies of fashion. The program is aimed at mid- to senior-level creative and technical designers, product designers, and apparel manufacturers seeking to transform their businesses.

Faculty

Our programs are developed and taught by a diverse community of academics and industry leaders with hands-on, real-world experience in a range of industries.

Program Lead

Joshua Williams

Assistant Professor, Parsons School of Design

Joshua is an award-winning fashion creative director, consultant, and educator. Over the past 20 years, he has excelled at bringing together creativity and commerce, combining his talents as a writer, theater director, and musician with skills in marketing, retail, and business. He has developed expertise in omnichannel branding, marketing, and retailing, with a focus on authentic engagement between customer and brand across a complex supply chain. He has worked with such brands as threeasFOUR, Miguelina, INSPR, J.McLaughlin, Lindsay Phillips, JM, Andrew Marc, and Anne Valérie Hash. 

Why Parsons?

Parsons Executive Education operates at the intersection of design and the global socioeconomic trends transforming our organizations and communities. Our programs are designed for industry leaders and entrepreneurs who have the courage to engage in high-impact learning—those who come at challenges differently, celebrate creativity, and are capable of acting in the face of continuous change. 

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