New Sustainable Fashion Design Course Taught By Angela Fuentes and Tomy Huang
FIDM Instructors Angela Fuentes and Tomy Huang are teaching students how to be conscious designers, both creatively and in innovation in sustainability. Beginning this quarter, the Fashion Design Program now offers a Sustainability Course in which the students create a repurposed design as well as a second zero waste garment.
Industry Special Projects (DESN 2788) is a special project course conducted in conjunction with either a community service partner, an industry partnership, and/or an industry objective/specialized subject matter related to a pertinent subject matter. This class requires students to design, draft patterns, and sew complete looks according to industry requirements.
In the first half of the quarter, students compete with one another in a sustainability challenge. Instructed to shop thrift stores for items to deconstruct and reconstruct, they design a completely new full look.
The second major project in the class addresses zero waste design. Zero waste fashion refers to garments that generate little or no textile waste in their production. In essence, patterns are created in such a way that all of the pattern pieces are placed on the fabric so that they all fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. Students must go above and beyond to design a pattern layout, followed by the construction of their piece.
Mini projects throughout the course involve research as students look into the ins and outs of sustainable companies and their competitive market. They create a board with swatches showcasing the natural dye process. And for their thesis, they come up with a concept and market for their overall project outcome from their research and hands-on work.
Throughout the course, students consult with Kristine Upesleja, Manager of Textiles & Materials at the FIDM Library as she teaches them about sustainable materials and the future of the fashion industry. As an educator, researcher, curator, and visionary, Upesleja founded FIDM’s Innovative Materials Department and Collection, the largest of any U.S. college.
DESN 2788 - Student Learning Outcomes:
- Demonstrate comprehensive and professional patternmaking ability through the development of complex design concepts into production patterns.
- Demonstrate a level of understanding the meaning of sustainable designs and different examples of sustainable designs, including upcycling and zero waste.
- Demonstrate quick sketching abilities by establishing a style notebook for original designs.
- Exhibit expertise in fitting techniques by participating in garment analysis and pattern refinement.
- Demonstrate excellence in sewing skills and garment production methods by constructing several sample garments to industry standards.
- Apply marker making and cutting expertise through accurate fabric spreading and marker usage.
- Exhibit proficiency in design analysis, time management, and communication skills.
Attend our Online Lecture Series event, Fashion Sketching Workshop: Ideas Beyond Words, on Tuesday, August 24, 2021, from 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM PDT. Register for the free event here.
Categories: Fashion Design
