It’s a common misconception that a student who’s interested in pursuing a fashion degree must go to a school like FIT or Parsons to have any credibility in the industry. Luckily, this illusion couldn’t be farther from the truth. I started at the University of Alabama as a general business major with no idea that a fashion major was even an option at an SEC school. A someone who was passionate about fashion, I joined the Alabama Student Fashion Association on campus and quickly discovered just how strong the fashion merchandising and design program is here. A few months into freshman year, I changed my major to fashion merchandising and never looked back. If you’re interested in this major and hesitant to take the leap, here are a few things you need to know and consider before pursuing a fashion degree at an SEC school:
- There aren’t many different concentrations.
While a fashion-focused school might have many more specific majors and concentrations under the fashion umbrella, Alabama only offers two concentrations: Fashion Design and Fashion Retailing. However, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as having a broader major means you will have a much broader skill set!
- It is way less competitive
One benefit for fashion majors at an SEC school is the more relaxed, non-competitive environment. At a fashion school, everyone is studying the same things and they all have their eyes on the same prize: a post-grad job in the fashion industry. While this is also true on this campus, it is on a much smaller scale, and one where your fellow fashion students are more likely to lift you up and help you along the way rather than compete with you for coveted jobs and internships. You also tend to stand out to fashion companies in big cities like NYC or LA when they notice you came from somewhere very different than most of their other applicants!
- Less professors = deeper connections
My personal favorite thing about being a fashion major at Bama is the smaller and therefore, more personal faculty experience. It is likely that you will have many of the fashion professors for several different classes throughout your four years, which makes it so easy to get to know them on a more personal level. And most of them are so knowledgeable and have lots of experience and advice for the fashion industry!
If you’re interested in this major and hesitant to take the leap, my advice is to just go for it. If the fashion industry excites and inspires you like it does me, pursuing that passion might just be the best decision you ever make.