Essential Skills

Fashion Design and Merchandising Program

These essential skills are required by the Harper College Fashion Design and Merchanding Program. Mastering these skills will help you be successful in the program. They also reflect the skills required in the professional fashion industry.

Students who are not able to meet one or more of these essential skills due to a disability are encouraged to contact Access and Disability Services (ADS). ADS will help in determining reasonable accommodations based on a thorough review of disability documentation and the functional impact it has on the required skills. 

 

Safety

  1. Follow dress code for safety. This includes wearing closed-toed shoes in sewing labs and use of goggles in dyeing labs.
  2. Remove jewelery when operating or in close proximity of knitting machines. Jewelry which can catch in machines and cause injury.
  3. Follow safety procedures when using machines and equipment--as demonstrated and applied in lab environment.
  4. Work around and be exposed to chemicals and adhesives as part of their “learning experience”.

Critical Thinking

  1. Translate knowledge and use of design principles into an acceptable design. This is demonstrated in presentation boards and 3D design projects, drawing and pattern.  
  2. Analyze and discuss design ideas based on visual research in color, fabrics, silhouettes, and trends and historical research of same principles as well as cultural setting.  This is assessed through individual project completion and written presentation.
  3. Critically analyze and discuss design ideas based on visual research in color, fabrics, silhouettes, and trends work, critique work of others and accept critique from
  4. Instructor and students in classroom setting. Assessment is made through classroom observation and discussion.
  5. Justify choices made according to visual art principles such as proportion, balance, color rhythm, etc. Assessment is made through discussion with student.
  6. Determine how pattern pieces relate to one another in 2 dimensions and translate to 3 dimensions by constructing according to symbols and directions given on the pattern pieces.

Math Skills

  1. Accurately use a ruler for taking measurements
  2. Draw straight accurate lines with pencil and pen, paint, etc.
  3. Have basic arithmetic skills including being able to work with fractions. as illustrated on measuring instruments such as see-thru rulers, measuring tapes, L squares, and curves.  Skills are demonstrated in accurate patterns and classroom work.

Motor Skills

  1. Able to use microscope and linen testers to count threads in a fabric, assessed through lab activities.
  2. Use fabric pins and scissors accurately to pin fabrics and cut out patterns with clean, crisp lines.
  3. Understand and use basic hand tools such as hammer, screwdriver, saw, mat knife, rubber mallet, etc.
  4. Safely use various cutting tools, scissors, rotary cutter, seam rippers, exacto knives, single edge razor blades, self sealing surface and rulers.
  5. Use sewing machines – such as straight stitch and sergers, buttonhole, and hemmers.
  6. Use equipment whose weight may be over 5 lb. (use of fabric weights at 5 lb. ea and iron at 10 lb.).  Manage suitcase with supplies and possibly a sewing machine.
  7. Demonstrate drawing skills by having the ability to use various drawing media such as markers, pens, pencils, and paints.
  8. Move to various work stations depending on the function to be completed.
  9. Use drafting tools in pattern development accurately.  FAS 212 Forecasting requires a student to be able to look for trends. This is done in the industry through frequent travel and shopping, people watching, etc.  The student must be able to apply this research to the development of individual forecast and demonstrate knowledge of this activity through development of forecast through the explanation and use of aesthetic principles
  10. Dress a mannequin, using pins to shape garments on mannequin.
  11. Work collaboratively in the development and execution of window display.  Activities may include painting walls, lifting props, moving and setting props, and using various tools to build props (hammer, drill, circular saw, etc.)
  12. Understand and use basic hand tools such as hammer, screwdriver, saw, mat knife, rubber mallet, etc.  This is assessed through observation of student in lab activities.

Visual Skills

  1. Have sufficient visual ability to perform burn tests on fabrics and fibers of all kinds - requires that student hold fabric or fiber over a flame with tweezers.  Determine the fiber category by visual burning characteristics, touch and smell.  Identification of fibers and fabrics occurs in a lab environment.
  2. Have sufficient visual ability to recognize pattern, texture, color, etc. and apply knowledge to other visual projects.
  3. Have sufficient visual ability to understand visual concepts in 3-dimension (puzzles) and be able to develop a flat pattern for a 3D project.
  4. Have sufficient visual ability to identify texture in both physical and visual dimension.  Knowledge is demonstrated in students’ explanation of this property and application to projects such as fabric choices, paint methods, paper layering, etc.

 

Written and Oral Communication Skills

  1. Demonstrate written and oral communication skills in application to Industry related activities such as the Fashion Show, Jury Session, presenting Trend Reports.
  2. Read and follow directions, as demonstrated by student’s ability to complete written project requirements which involves the use of symbols such as those found on patterns.
  3. Share information as demonstrated through class participation in discussion.
  4. Demonstrate competency to work independently using the following software packages: Powerpoint, CAD, and Internet capabilities as applied to individual projects.
 
Last Updated: 10/24/12