Introduction
Fashion designing courses for forward-thinking designers
The fast-paced, rapidly changing world of fashion needs people to produce innovative and forward-thinking designs. If you are interested in a career that rewards your passion for developing and creating a cutting-edge product, the Fashion Design program will help design your future.
About Fanshawe's fashion design program
Fanshawe's fashion design program provides a supportive and nurturing environment for you and other emerging Canadian fashion designers. Through our fashion designing courses, you'll develop creative designs, visual communication, and business marketing skills, as well as apparel production technologies. As well, you'll have the opportunity to learn practical skills like fashion illustration, computer-aided design, pattern-making and draping, and garment construction.
In addition to learning these valuable techniques in your fashion design courses, you'll have the opportunity to apply them through a combination of lab work, field trips, and work term experience. As part of these experiential learning requirements, you'll also receive advice from faculty and other professionals in the Portfolio and Career Development course. By the time you've finished your degree, you can be on the job and ready to work.
With a focus on a balance of artistic, theoretical, and practical training, the Fashion Design program can give you a head start in the career you're looking for.
Co-operative Education
This three-year program has two co-op work terms. Students who fulfil both the academic and co-op requirements of the program will be eligible to graduate with a Co-op Endorsed Diploma.
Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
Recognize the interrelationships among designers, manufacturers, merchandisers, and consumers in the domestic and international marketplace.
Create original designs using flat pattern and draping techniques that incorporate design principles and address fitting variations for women's wear.
Use state of the art manufacturing computer technology in the Apparel development and design process.
Produce originally designed apparel that demonstrates an understanding of raw materials, colors, silhouettes, textures, and techniques, and meets industry standards.
Source and select raw material, illustrate concepts, apply production specification and costing information, and develop patterns to produce apparel that reflects quality standards.
Analyze the organizational functions, systems, and logistics in the manufacturing and marketing of apparel.
Apply business principles that relate to launching products, starting up a new business and planning, organizing and running a special event.
Adapt global fashion trends from the historical, current, and future perspectives to produce salable designs for consumers.
Produce and present work that meets the standards, ethics, and practices of the domestic and global fashion industry.
Apply visual communication skills that allow for creative product development, design collaboration, and professional portfolio development.
Courses
Level 1
Take all of the following Mandatory Courses:
WRIT-1036 Reason & Writing 1-Art & Design
DRAF-1057 Pattern Making 1
ARTS-1024 Fashion Drawing & Theory
DESG-1062 Sample Room Production 1
FASH-1003 Design Studio 1
FASH-1005 Fashion Industry Analysis
Level 2
General Education - See requirement below
Take all of the following Mandatory Courses:
COMP-1353 Computerized Fashion Illustration 1
FASH-1001 Textile Science 1
DRAF-1058 Pattern Making 2
FASH-1009 Design Studio 2
DESG-1063 Sample Room Production 2
COMM-3074 Communications for Design
COOP-1020 Co-operative Education Employment Prep
FASH-1041 Technical Drawings & Specifications
Level 3
General Education - See requirement below
Take all of the following Mandatory Courses:
COMP-1386 Computerized Fashion Illustration & Specification
DESG-3038 Sample Room Production 3
COMP-3005 Computers for Apparel Manufacturing 1
DRAF-3027 Pattern Making 3
FASH-3013 Design Studio 3
FASH-1007 Textile Science 2
HIST-1027 Style Influences & Attitudes 1
Level 4
General Education - Take a 3 credit General Education elective course
Take all of the following Mandatory Courses:
BUSI-1078 The Business of Fashion
DESG-3039 Sample Room Production 4
COMP-3011 Comp for Apparel Manuf 2
FASH-3021 Design Studio 4
DRAF-3028 Pattern Making 4
HIST-3014 Style Influences & Attitudes 2
DESG-1079 Drape
Level 5
Take all of the following Mandatory Courses:
BUSI-3034 Global Apparel Sourcing & Mass Product
DESG-5020 Sample Room Production 5
COMP-5003 Computers for Apparel Manufacturing 3
FASH-5011 Design Studio 5
DRAF-5014 Pattern Making 5
METH-5009 Industrial Pattern Grading
COMP-3097 Portfolio & Career Development
Level 6
Take all of the following Mandatory Courses:
DESG-5021 Sample Room Production 6
FASH-5013 Line Development
FASH-5012 Fashion Show Production
General Education - Electives
Take 6 General Education Credits - Normally taken in Levels 2 or 3 and Level 4
Programme Residency
Students must complete a minimum of 30 credits in this program at Fanshawe College to meet the program residency requirement and graduate from this program.
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Admission Requirements
OSSD with courses from the College (C), University (U), University/College (M), or Open (O) stream with:
Any Grade 12 English (C) or (U)
Any Grade 11 or Grade 12 Mathematics* (C), (U), or (M)
or
Academic and Career Entrance Certificate (ACE)
or
Ontario High School Equivalency Certificate (GED) and:
Any Grade 11 or Grade 12 Mathematics* (C), (U), or (M)
or
Mature Applicant with standing in the required courses stated above
Note:*Grade 12 Foundations for College Mathematics (C) preferred.
English Language Requirements
Applicants whose first language is not English will be required to demonstrate proficiency in English by one of the following methods:
A Grade 12 College Stream or University Stream English credit from an Ontario Secondary School, or equivalent, depending on the program's Admission Requirements
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) test with a minimum score of 79 for the Internet-based test (iBT), with test results within the last two years
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic test with an overall score of 6.0 with no score less than 5.5 in any of the four bands, with test results within the last two years
Canadian Academic English Language (CAEL) test with an overall score of 60 with no score less than 50 in any of the four bands, with test results within the last two years
Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE) with a minimum score of 53, with test results within the last two years
A Cambridge English Test (FCE/CAE/CPE) with an overall score on the Cambridge English Scale of 169 with no language skill less than 162, with test results within the last two years
An English Language Evaluation (ELE) at Fanshawe College with a minimum score of 70% in all sections of the test, with test results within the last two years
Fanshawe College ESL4/GAP5 students: Minimum grade of 80% in ESL4/GAP5 Level 8, 75% in ESL4/GAP5 Level 9, or 70% in ESL4/GAP5 Level 10
Recommended Academic Preparation
Grade 12 Drama (M)
Grade 11 Understanding Fashion (C) AND/OR Grade 12 The World of Fashion (M)
Grade 12 Business and Technological Communication (O)
Keyboarding Skills
Architectural Drafting Skills
Recommended Personal Preparation
Students are encouraged to develop strong fashion drawing and sketching qualities using various techniques
A strong sewing background is very important
A personal interest in global fashion awareness in industry, textiles, and computer
Applicant Selection Criteria
Where the number of eligible applicants exceeds the available spaces in the program, the Applicant Selection Criteria will be:
Preference for Permanent Residents of Ontario.
Receipt of Application by February 1st (After this date, Fanshawe College will consider applicants on a first-come, first-served basis until the program is full).
Achievement in the Admission Requirements.
Career Opportunities
Graduates find employment in positions of development production and production in apparel manufacturing including designers, assistant designers, technical designers, computerized fashion illustrators, pattern makers, graders, quality controller technicians, or CAD aided design technologists. Graduates could also become independent designers or consultants.
