Merchandise Product Development

Why FIDM?

Video: Learn about
Merchandise Product
Development

It's simple really: no other college offers a program exactly like this one.

Students live and breathe a brand in the classroom to prepare them for their career.

Speakers from top companies (think PacSun, Levi's, BCBG, True Religion, and Rock & Republic) come onsite for Q&A panels and lectures.

Our field trips give behind-the-scenes tours of trend offices, working factories, and showrooms.

Students graduate from the program having created a portfolio of work for a variety of companies, products, and brands.

A Closer Look

The Merchandise Product Development Program prepares students for a variety of careers dedicated to the design and development of fashion apparel lines. Students have the option of focusing on the merchandising and design aspects of product development or on technical design. Both options emphasize creativity in problem solving, effective communication, and critical reasoning to strengthen the students’ ability to compete in the global fashion industry.

Students have the option of choosing Merchandising & Design or Technical Design as their focus in Merchandise Product Development.

Merchandising & Design:
In this option, students learn how to plan, develop, and present branded apparel lines for a target market. Students learn how to use market and trend research to generate product concepts and think strategically about assortment, styling, pricing, and timing.

Technical Design:
In this option, students gain the valuable skills to communicate design and construction specifications to global suppliers from a sketch into a finished garment. Students learn to work with design details, flat measurements, construction methods, cost requirements, and quality guidelines to create garment prototypes that are approved for production.