FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising

FIDM/ Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising's curriculum is intense, concentrated, and rewarding. Its purpose is to prepare students for careers in the Fashion, Interior Design, Graphic Designs, and Entertainment industries. FIDM's philosophy is: "Do what you love and you will be successful." FIDM challenges you to channel your dreams and live up to your greatest potential. Our graduates enter the global market as highly trained professionals ready to make a contribution.

We offer Associate of Arts, Associate of Arts Professional Designation, Associate of Arts Advanced Study, and Bachelor of Science degree programs. Every program leads to a degree. Our curriculum has been developed to reflect the needs of each industry served by our majors and is continually updated.

Los Angeles Campus
Tucked between L.A.'s bustling Fashion District and Hollywood, FIDM Los Angeles is a veritable fashion hub. Located in the heart of a city that dominates the Entertainment, Fashion Retail, Manufacturing, Interior and Graphic Design industries, the architecturally stunning main campus is mere steps away from the International Jewelry Center and the California Market Center, the country's largest year-round mart with 2,000 showrooms. The LA Campus is only a few miles away from great shopping centers like the Third Street Promenade and Rodeo Drive. With its plentiful cultural and art museums, galleries, theaters, and performance art venues, Los Angeles FIDM students have a lot to see.

Table of Contents

Accreditation
AA in Apparel Manufacturing Management
AA in Beauty Industry Merchandising & Marketing
AA in Merchandise Marketing
AA in Merchandise Product Development
Advanced Study in International Manufacturing & Product Development
BS in Business Management*

Accreditation

FIDM/ Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). FIDM art and design programs are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

AA in Apparel Manufacturing Management


Do you see yourself launching a clothing line? Want to start your own label? The Apparel Manufacturing Management program is designed to prepare students for eventual ownership and/or management of a fashion manufacturing company. This applied learner-centered program involves the student in all phases of:

Product and line development
Global sourcing
Production planning
Use of technology
Sales management
Financial control
Human resources management
The curriculum stresses the importance of teamwork and effective communication in decision-making from the development of the initial concept to the delivery of the finished product.

Students have access to FIDM's 12,000-square-foot Fashion District loft that simulates a manufacturing facility, where they study costing, production planning, line development, textile testing, and other applications in the apparel industry. Career opportunities are exploding as companies adapt new technology to methods that have been used for generations.

FIDM's program prepares graduates to meet the demand for highly skilled technicians and management personnel able to bridge the old with the new in this dynamic field. Students in this major may apply for the Advanced Study Degree Program in International Manufacturing & Product Development, Fashion Design, Footwear Design, or Bachelor of Science in Business Management Degree Program upon completion of the A.A. Degree Program.

AA in Beauty Industry Merchandising & Marketing

Are you always first in line to try the latest makeup or fragrance? Do you have shelves of hair, skin, and body products? The Beauty Industry Merchandising & Marketing program is a comprehensive curriculum that offers students an insight into the World of Beauty, as it reveals the complexities and challenges of each of the components and factors that make up the industry. Students become insiders who design and market the skin, hair, fragrance, and color products that help people look and feel their absolute best.

The 13-course Beauty major offers theoretical and practical disciplines as well as interactive demonstrations and hands-on application in a broad range of subjects from concept, product, and package development to strategic planning, brand management, communications, and entrepreneurship. Graduates will possess the knowledge, language, and skills to distinguish career opportunities in many fields including Marketing, Product Development, Management, Package Design, Entrepreneurship, Sales, Retail Operations, Spa, and Wellness. Some of the careers students can pursue after completing this program include: Business Owner of a spa or salon, Account Coordinator for a cosmetic company, Beauty Advisor for a cosmetics line or a Buyer for a chain of cosmetics stores.

Students in this major may apply for the Bachelor of Science in Business Management Degree Program upon completion of the AA Degree Program.

AA in Merchandise Marketing

Do you dream of owning your own boutique? Love to shop 'til you drop-on someone else's budget? Do you want to manage a team that loves fashion as much as you do? FIDM's Merchandise Marketing program allows students to become Fashion Developers and Fashion Buyers. They travel to national and international Fashion markets in order to track the latest trends. The curriculum trains students in the planning, purchasing, allocation, and promotion of merchandise, the application of technology to this task, and the development of human resources dedicated to the selling of goods and services.

Students will understand the importance of professionalism, effective communication, and critical reasoning for achieving results in this diversified industry. Some of the careers students can pursue after completing this program include: Personal Shopper, Store Manager, Merchandise Coordinator, Showroom Manager, or Merchandise Planner. Students in this major may apply for the Bachelor of Science in Business Management Degree Program upon completion of the AA program.

AA in Merchandise Product Development


Do you love to re-make thrift store clothes, or decorate your jeans? If you enjoy changing or rethinking the look of clothes but aren't into sewing, you might want to investigate a career in the growing field of Merchandise Product Development. The Merchandise Product Development program at FIDM prepares students for a career in merchandising established fashion brands. The curriculum focuses on planning, developing, and presenting product lines, and on the technical design of individual styles within the line. Students learn to compete successfully in trend analysis, strategic planning, line development, and preproduction planning. Some of the careers students can pursue after completing this program include: Product Developer, Trend Analyst, Sourcing Assistant, Assistant Designer or Fabric/Trim Buyer. Students in this major may apply for the Advanced Study Degree Program in International Manufacturing & Product Development and the Bachelor of Science in Business Management Degree Program upon completion of the A.A. Degree Program.

Advanced Study in International Manufacturing & Product Development

The Advanced Study Program in International Manufacturing & Product Development provides students with a professional education designed to equip them with the essential skills they will need to compete in the fast-paced, global community of manufacturing and product development.

The comprehensive program involves students in all phases of the product development cycle from the initial concept and design of the product through technical design, sourcing, costing, production, and marketing to the consumer. In addition, trips to Europe and Asia keep students up-to-date with the latest trends affecting and impacting the international marketplace.

BS in Business Management*


Do you have an entrepreneurial spirit? Are you fascinated by how businesses operate worldwide? If you're interested in running a business or starting your own company one day, you can further your knowledge through our Bachelor of Science Degree Program in Business Management. It's designed to prepare advanced students, who already earned have their A.A Degree at FIDM for success in the global industries of Fashion, Interior Design, and Entertainment. Students interact with and learn from professionals in the business community. The graduate is equipped with the necessary business analytical, planning, and management tools; ethical understanding; and leadership skills to be successful. Courses include:

Marketing Communications
Import/ Export Management
Global Marketing
Business Law
International Finance
Some of the careers students can pursue after completing this program include: Company Owner/ Manager, Department Branch, or Store Manager, Logistics Manager, International Business Development Manager for Apparel Distributor.

Information
If you are interested in this school and would like to find out more, please Request Information from FIDM/The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising - Los Angeles.