FMAD 3231/3231H

“There is a preconceived notion that fashion is only for designers—not true! There are a multitude of career options in the fashion industry,” says Ashley Kubley, visiting instructor of Fashion Merchandising and Apparel Design. As fashion majors at Georgia Southern, students learn fashion terminology, study influential designers of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and explore today’s major industry influences, from leading fashion centers and auxiliary enterprises to career opportunities and current trends in merchandising.

Part of the College of Health and Human Sciences, Georgia Southern’s fashion merchandising and apparel design program is one of the top in the United States according to fashion-schools.org. In 2013, Georgia Southern’s program ranked among the top 25 percent at No. 49 in the nation. The University was also ranked ninth on the list of Top 15 Fashion Schools in the South.

The fashion fundamentals class is a requirement for students pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in fashion merchandising and apparel design. Graduates often find jobs as e-commerce fashion stylists, in celebrity styling or working with corporate brand identity. In addition, there is a wide variety of design positions, including technical design, production managers, pattern-makers, marketing and product development experts, visual merchandisers and corporate buyers. With a Georgia Southern fashion degree, students are also qualified to become fabric producers and fiber engineers, as well as print designers and both domestic and international apparel manufacturers.

During Kubley’s April 2 lecture, “Children’s and Teens’ Apparel,” the professor led a discussion on how children’s clothing is marketed, and covered topics such as licensing, labeling and manufacturing. Students also learned about the impact of demographics on children’s apparel as well as its overall industry history.

“My favorite thing about being a fashion fundamentals instructor is observing the students when they have that ‘aha!’ moment, when the light bulb turns on over their head and something they may not have considered a part of their fashion vocabulary clicks,” says Kubley. “I believe that students don’t expect this course to have philosophical depth but consumer behavior, the movement of fashion and the theories behind what drives fashion, is not only about aesthetics, but also a psychological, sociological and theoretical thought process.” – Rebekah Faulk (‘05)