Above:Designed by Nikki Oswald '09, this dress was part of her senior collection and won the Outstanding Surface Design Award.  Modeled by Maddie Smith '09. More photos form the show.

If you are interested in any aspect of the fashion industry, the Stephens Fashion program is for you! Along with knowledge of the industry and a strong foundation in technical training, Stephens uses hands-on training and projects that will prepare you for the competitive, global world of fashion.

QUICK FACTS

• Produce the College’s annual spring fashion show
  
• Explore fashion capitals such as New York City,Chicago and Las Vegas for college credit
  
• Study abroad in Paris, London or Italy
  
• Complete a required internship at companies like Escada, Marie Claire, Women's Wear Daily, Christopher & Lalou, Target, Anna Sui or Baby Phat
  
• Participate in fashion-related programs, leadership challenges and networking opportunities through the Innovative Fashion Association
  
• Consider minors in Graphic Design, Interior Design, Entrepreneurship and Business Management or Theatrical Costume Design, Filmmaking or Event Planning
  
• Learn from more than 30 visiting international industry professionals each year
• Earn a Master of Business Administration in as little as one additional year through our “Plus One” master’s program (for Marketing and Management students only; certain requirements apply; must indicate intent by the beginning of sophomore year)
  

STUDENT SUCCESS STORIES

Hayley Griffith ’08 and Maggie Robey ’08
Sara Emami '08
Ashley Steffes '07

FASHION IN THE NEWS

• DIHStyle web site featuring Stephens junior Allyce King
• Stephens College Senior Ashley Steffes Wins $1,000 Build-A-Business Challenge—Bath Cocktails: Positively Intoxicating, Inside Columbia Oct. 2007 (PDF)
• Crochet! Magazine features Stephens Student (PDF)
• Inside Columbia (PDF)
• Columbia Home & Life (PDF)

B.F.A. IN FASHION DESIGN AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
By combining a liberal arts education with marketing, technical training and creativity, you will learn elements of design and their interaction as well as techniques of industry-based construction. Learn patternmaking and draping; and create original designs in career sportswear and dresses, active sportswear and suits and coats. You also will study costume history; assist in fashion show productions on and off campus; and create fashion graphics, technical sketches, textile designs, and patterns using industry-specific Gerber, Kaledo, and off-the-shelf Macbased applications. You will create sketches and final designs critiqued by professional designers, merchandisers, and product developers for inclusion in the College’s spring student-managed fashion show. In the capstone senior collection course, you will develop a line in your preferred market niche and end the year with a professional portfolio to enhance your job search.

B.S. IN FASHION COMMUNICATION
Have you ever wanted to work at a fashion magazine or a trend forecasting service? Perhaps you excel in visual merchandising or fashion show, special event planning. Success in such fields requires expertise in both fashion and the media. As a Fashion Communication major, you will enroll in fashion courses that teach graphic design, journalism and marketing. Through Stephens’ business and mass media programs, you will also learn the necessary presentation skills to succeed in the competitive field of fashion.


B.S. IN FASHION MARKETING AND MANAGEMENT
Have you dreamed of opening your own boutique or becoming a buyer for a major retail store? A strong business sense and knowledge of fashion are in order. As a Fashion Marketing and Management major, you will take classes in both the Stephens Fashion and Business departments, learning about fashion show production and event planning, fashion promotion and marketing, advertising, and buying and control techniques. You also will study the constant transformation within today’s
fashion industry, with emphasis on global trends, and evaluate management strategies, decision-making
processes, techniques, and consequences in industry-based situations.

"PLUS ONE" MASTER'S PROGRAM
Through our “Plus One” master’s program, Fashion Marketing and Management students may earn a bachelor’s degree followed by an M.B.A. in as little as one additional year. Certain requirements apply.*

Our traditional two-year Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) program offers a blend of online learning with classroom instruction. Students enjoy the flexibility of online coursework as they enhance their learning through classroom interaction in the evening or during an on-campus seminar. You can choose your emphasis area based on your interests and career goals.

*Students must indicate their intent by the beginning of their sophomore year.

ALUMNAE
Stephens alumnae include successful professionals such as:

• Ying Li' 89, designer
• Anne Appleby ’81, YogaForce founder
• Dawn Radue ’99, Coach Leathers regional sales manager
• Katherine Marble ’96, Nordstrom technical designer
• Michele Fifis ’02, Columbia Sportswear designer
• Anne Marie Mullins '06, designer, Dillard's, Paris
• Camille Palmer ’04, GAP, Inc. technical designer
• Christina Marie Potter ’00, knit and crochet designer
• Bea Barton '04, apparel and textile designer, Gear for Sports women's division
• Merdith Ordonez '99, Macy's corporate marketing
• N. Jayne Seward '93, fashion editor, California Apparel News

ADVISORY BOARD
Composed of global fashion industry executives, Stephens Fashion Advisory Board members provide students with networking opportunities and the development of industry relationships prior to graduation. Advisory board members work in companies like Lane Bryant, Columbus, Ohio; Paris American Academy, Paris; Fratelli Rossetti, N.Y.; and Gear for Sports, Lenexa, Kan.

STEPHENS COSTUME RESEARCH LIBRARY
The Matilda Magnus Price Historic Fashion Collection, a working collection of garments and accessories dating back to 1730, allows students to study garment construction and fashion that provides inspiration for current styles through actual classroom experience.

Housed in the Costume Research Library, the collection contains more than 12,000 garments and accessories, including designs by Coco Chanel, Oleg Cassini and Arnold Scaasi.

The library is located in the newly renovated Lela Raney Wood Hall. Storage areas protect the integrity of the collection, and classroom space allows students to conduct research and hold lectures. The mezzanine gallery provides public access to the collection through yearly exhibits.

Read about last fall's Oleg Cassini exhibit: Oleg Cassini: A Tribute to his Legacy.”

The Costume Research Library has lent several examples of mourning attire to the University of Missouri Museum or Art and Archaeology.

• Mourning Attire
  
• Mourning Accessories
  

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