fashion education OPPORTUNITIES

Growing up, I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted for myself, I mostly followed what my parents encouraged or envisioned for me. During my sophomore year of high school, I had the opportunity to take a fashion marketing class that was offered as an elective, and from that moment on, I knew I wanted to pursue something within the fashion industry. I had always been interested in fashion, but that class really solidified my passion, and my teacher was incredibly supportive in helping me learn about VCU and what the industry is really like.

There was also a fashion design class available through our academy program, but unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to take it. I was very lucky to be in a county that offered a fashion course, whether it was directly at my school or through the academy. I know that most counties and states don’t offer these kinds of programs, often due to the stigma that people in fashion don’t make much money. Most of my friends didn’t have access to any fashion-related classes at their schools, or even an academy option at all.

Fashion education in the K–12 system isn’t widely accessible or commonly taught, and when it is, it’s usually limited to elective courses under programs like Family and Consumer Sciences or Career and Technical Education. Some schools offer classes in fashion marketing or use tools like Digital Fashion Pro to introduce students to design, and a few specialized schools, like Baltimore Design School, do provide fashion-focused curriculums. However, these opportunities are more the exception than the rule. Fashion is often seen as non-essential, so it’s not prioritized in most school systems.

Add in budget constraints, a lack of resources, and the need for trained educators, and it’s easy to see why fashion doesn’t make it into the standard curriculum. There are some workshops and pre-college programs available, especially for high schoolers, but for younger students, exposure to fashion as a creative career path is pretty limited. As conversations around sustainability and innovation in fashion grow, there’s definitely room for improvement in how we introduce students to this industry early on.