Texas

Texas

Texas has brought more to fashion than Western jeans and cowboy boots. Where would U.S. fans of haute couture and mainstream designers be without Neiman Marcus? Since opening in Dallas in 1907, the store has expanded across the United States and has always been associated with top fashion. And, more recently, the state has seen its native son Tom Ford go on to top design and creative positions at Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent.

Think you've got what it takes to follow in Ford's footsteps? You don't have to be a Texan to know that a state so large is full of creative variety, giving its fashion students a lot of styles and flavors to study and get influences from. Just take a brief look at three of Texas's major cities to see how different they are:

-- Austin: The state capital is widely regarded as an artistic hub in Texas. It's perhaps best known for its thriving music, growing theater scene, and great art museums.

-- Dallas: A large metropolis, Dallas is home to a number of historical sites, from the West End's red brick warehouses to the famous Sixth Floor Museum dedicated to the Kennedy Shooting. It's also a major shopping center, with the famous Neiman's sharing the spotlight with other national department stores and great boutiques.

-- Houston: An important business city, Houston is home to a number of companies related to the oil and tech industries. The city caters to its hardworking residents with a growing arts scene, gastronomic diversity, and its famous, innovative architecture.

Which scene is most in line with your style and fashion philosophy? Whether it's one of the above or something totally different, there's a Texas school of fashion near you.

 

Programs to consider:

The Art Institutes
Locations:
  • San Antonio, TX
  • Houston, TX
  • Dallas, TX
  • more...
Programs available:
  • Fashion Design (BFA)
  • Fashion Design (AAA)
  • Fashion Retailing (C)
  • more...

Recent Articles

Southwest

Each day we receive emails from aspiring fashion designers asking us for advice as to which fashion design schools are the “best” in the US, a given state, or in a particular area of the country.  As such advice is difficult to provide on an individual basis, we have instead created this list of the Top 10 Fashion School Programs in the Southwest. For the record, we define the Southwest as Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Nevada. 

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In preparing this list, we reviewed the program offerings of over 200 schools in the US that offer fashion related programs. Our goal with this list is to give students who are interested in fashion merchandising a starting point by which they can identify the schools that offer fashion merchandising specific programs. The criteria we used in making this list consists of the following, in no particular order: academic reputation, admission selectivity, depth and breadth of the program and faculty, and geographic location. More info on our criteria.

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Each day we receive emails from aspiring fashion designers asking us for advice as to which fashion design schools are the “best” in the US, a given state, or in a particular area of the country.  As such advice is difficult to provide on an individual basis, we have instead created this list of the Top 75 Fashion Design School Programs in the US.

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Houston

The Houston Fashion Scene

Houston’s got talent and it’s not afraid to show it! Designers such as Cesar Galindo, Toni
Whitaker, David Peck, Elaine Turner and Chloe Dao all hail from Houston and the city is home
to one of the country’s most competitive fashion weeks. The city has a number of shopping
districts, but one of the most recognized is the Uptown District—a business district and premier
shopping destination all rolled into one. Other popular shopping districts are East End, Kirby
District, Montrose/The Heights, Southwest Houston, and Katy Mills (outlet mall). The city’s
fashionistas flock to these shopping districts to buy fashions ranging from funky to vintage to
upscale.

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University of North Texas

University of North Texas: Merchandising, Home Furnishings/Merchandising,
E-Merchandising, Merchandising/Business
Denton, Texas
School of Merchandising & Hospitality Management

The Merchandising program at University of North Texas combines leadership, education, and research experiences to create a dynamic program that uses both classroom instruction and hands-on experience to incorporate all aspects of the merchandising industry. Students learn about merchandising strategies in regards to the distribution, evaluation, development, and use of fashion products in the global market. The program has a foundation of five concepts: merchandising foundations, merchandising applications, industry analysis, consumer segmentation, and product evaluations.

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University of Houston

University of Houston: Consumer Science & Merchandising
Houston, Texas
Department of Human Development and Consumer Sciences

The Consumer Science & Merchandising program at University of Houston focuses on consumer-oriented business practices in customer service, merchandising, retailing, sales, and technology entrepreneurship. Students then learn to integrate this knowledge with technology-based consumer practices. Students may choose to specialize in Technology Entrepreneurship, Consumer Science and Merchandising, Training and Development, e-Tailing, or Professional Studies.

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The Art Institute of Dallas

The Art Institute of Dallas: Fashion Design
Dallas, Texas
Fashion Design Department

The Fashion Design program at The Art Institute of Dallas focuses on providing students with a thorough understanding of apparel production and manufacturing including flat pattern drafting, sewing, draping, and drawing and illustration techniques. Students learn to develop their creative ideas from concept to complete products and collections. Students use Computer Aided Design to learn pattern drafting and grading and textile design. The program also includes instruction in business practices, client relations, and industry procedures to prepare students for the real experience of the industry.

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Texas Tech University

Texas Tech University: Apparel Design & Manufacturing
Lubbock, Texas
College of Human Science, Department of Design

The Apparel Design & Manufacturing program at Texas Tech University provides students with a variety of skills to prepare them to enter the fashion world. Students learn to create, design, and produce apparel from start to finish. Students also receive instruction in how to research and apply trends and in designing and producing costumes for the theatre. Professional development is possible through a required internship and study abroad opportunities.

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Texas State University San Marcos

Texas State University: Fashion Merchandising
San Marcos, Texas
Department of Family & Consumer Sciences

The Fashion Merchandising program at Texas State University focuses on providing the skills students need for successful careers in the industry. Students learn about the merchandising, promotion, and production of apparel and fashion services. Internships with wholesalers, retailers, and fashion communication firms along with study abroad opportunities and student organizations provide ample opportunities for students to network and develop their professional communication skills and contacts.

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Texas Christian University

Texas Christian University: Fashion Merchandising
Fort Worth, Texas
Department of Design, Merchandising & Textiles

The Fashion Merchandising program at Texas Christian University prepares students for careers in the industry with hands-on instruction in all parts of the supply chain. Students develop skills in fibers and fabrics, product compatibility, computer aided design, product development, buying, quality control, and apparel production, selection, and coordination. The program teaches professionally relevant skills in the development, buying, and selling of merchandise to prepare students for success in the industry.

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Stephen F. Austin State University

Stephen F. Austin State University: Fashion Merchandising
Nacogdoches, Texas
School of Human Sciences

The Fashion Merchandising program at Stephen F. Austin State University provides students with strong product knowledge to prepare them for careers in retailing, wholesaling, or manufacturing apparel and accessories. The program features a low instructor/student ratio and hands-on projects based on industry standards. Students leave the program with an appreciation for lifelong learning and development, research, and service.

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Sam Houston State University

Sam Houston State University: Fashion Merchandising
Huntsville, Texas
Department of Family & Consumer Sciences

The Fashion Merchandising program at Sam Houston State University combines business operations management with a solid basis in apparel knowledge. Students learn to work collaboratively as part of a product development team as they create a trend board and collection board, then work on the patternmaking process of an apparel item from that collection. Fashion majors are required to complete a four-course business core to better prepare them for careers in the industry.

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International Academy of Design & Technology

International Academy of Design & Technology – San Antonio, Fashion Design
and Merchandising
San Antonio, Texas
Fashion Design & Merchandising

The Fashion Design & Merchandising program at International Academy of
Design & Technology – San Antonio focuses on preparing students for positions
in merchandising, retail, and fashion. Students learn clothing construction,
draping, apparel design, pattern drafting, and market and trend research. The
interdisciplinary program also includes instruction in merchandise displays,
business management, and publicity and promotion.

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Houston Community College

Houston Community College: Fashion Design, Fashion Merchandising
Houston, Texas
Lifestyle Arts & Design Careers Division

The Fashion program at Houston Community College focuses on preparing students for careers in the fashion industry. Experienced, professional faculty make instruction and coursework directly relevant to the real world of fashion. Internships in top companies and study tours to New York and around the world provide opportunities for professional experience and development. The program’s nationally accredited courses are transferable to four-year schools.

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El Paso Community College

El Paso Community College: Fashion Technology, Fashion Merchandising/Fashion Design/Fashion Illustration/Industrial Patternmaking
El Paso, Texas
Department of Fashion Technology

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El Paso

The El Paso Fashion Scene

With a population of more than 650,000, El Paso is the 6th largest city in the state of Texas and one of the top 25 largest cities in the U.S. In addition to a large and diverse population, El Paso is home to a wide variety of retail venues that cater to both American and Mexican shoppers seeking everything from southwestern wear to the latest styles from the runways of New York. The city’s main shopping district is Downtown El Paso where you’ll find shopping venues that sell trendy fashions, nothing but boots, and more. Cowtown Boots at 11451 Gateway W. considers itself the world's largest Western wear store. The 40,000 square foot boot emporium sells styles from alligator to ostrich as well as jeans, clothing, and accessories.

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Fort Worth

The Fort Worth Fashion Scene

Fort Worth is part of the Dallas-Forth Worth-Arlington metropolitan area. This means, the Forth Worth fashion scene is like Dallas’s baby sister. Fort Worth takes fashion cues from its big sister, and it’s all too happy to do so. Located only 30 miles or so from Dallas, Fort Worth fashionistas take full advantage of having easy access to one of the top 22 fashion capitals of Four Seasons Magazine—and all it has to offer. Upscale shopping, Couture Fashion Week, and dozens of shopping districts are just a few major attractions.

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Austin

The Austin Fashion Scene

It’s been featured in the Wall Street Journal and it’s a frequent topic of conversation on local news and entertainment shows—Austin’s fashion scene is growing and the world’s high-end retailers have taken notice. The scene has been under a microscope for more than a decade and the transformation has been big. More than 30 high-end retailers, from Burberry to Louis Vuitton, have opened stores in North Austin, and many local retailers have taken their shops to the next level by offering their best creations online, granting access to the rest of the world. This has also helped place the spotlight on Austin’s fashion scene. What this means for aspiring fashion designers and fashion merchandisers is, they have an amazing opportunity to become a part of the transformation by working with a growing group of talented designers and boutique owners or by opting to take a position with a high-end retailer in one of the city’s most progressive shopping districts.

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