Wade College
The Concentration in Fashion Design allows students to work within the constraints of market demands while being experimental and innovative in their designs.
Wade College offers the most up-to-date technology for fashion design to prepare students for the workplace. Our facilities include such amenities as single-stitch sewing machines and multi-thread sergers, a variety of both standard and custom-made dress forms, industry-standard pattern drafting tables, and steam irons. There are several resources in the college's graphics lab such as workstations equipped with color laser printers and scanners, and software such as Photoshop and Illustrator.
College sponsored field trips to showrooms and the Fashion Design Student Association sponsors industry factories, conferences, and workshops in accessory design. Skills in areas such as fashion sketching, design, forecasting, promotion, and presentation along with a strong technical background in sewing and pattern making are emphasized in the fashion design concentration. In addition, students become familiar with the aesthetics of fashion design.
The Wade College Portfolio and Design Show or Fashion Show, held each trimester, gives the students an opportunity to present the collection they have designed. A faculty panel of judges will assess each presentation before staff, faculty, and fellow students choose the best collection. Students also create a professional portfolio tailored to their individual career interests. Competitions featuring accessory design and student art shows held throughout the year provide the opportunity for students to exhibit their creativity. Wade College is specialized in providing a merchandising and design associate degree simultaneously.
The importance of both general education and specialized study is emphasized in the educational program. Students are able to broaden their perspectives by completing courses in fine art, social science, behavioral science, math, and general subjects that prepare them for visual field careers. Courses in general studies help students develop the analysis, communication, business, and presentation skills necessary to bridge their specialized fields of study with the demands of the larger world of business and industry when completed by the design and merchandising programs at the college. Students develop abilities necessary to advance in their career field through intense study of graphic design, fashion design, interior design, and merchandise marketing.
