FM 10 Introduction to the Fashion Industry
Introduction to the Fashion Industry
This course explores the relationship of the fashion
industry to society and consumer demand. It
includes fashion history development, a survey of
select fashion industries, fashion design, apparel
manufacturing, textile marketing, fashion
merchandising, and accessory marketing in a global
marketplace.
Credits: 3
Every Fall
FM 12 Business of Fashion Merchandising
This course covers the business side of the fashion
industry. It provides students with realistic
information about the evolving landscape of the
retailing and apparel merchandise industries.
Whether working for a fashion brand or starting a
business in fashion, this course explores how a line
is created from the research and design stage to the
marketing, sourcing, production and distribution
stage. It provides insight on how the industry is
organized, how apparel and accessory companies
operate, and how they are affected by changin
technology and globalization. To engage students
with real world application, the course meets
regularly in The Student Body Boutique. Further to
this, the course will include periodic excursions to
trade shows, visits to vendors and showrooms.
Credits: 3
Every Spring
FM 14 Math for Merchandising
This course develops the mathematical and EXCEL
skills for individuals who will be directly or
indirectly involved in the activities of
merchandising and buying for a fashion company
or at the retail level. This course explains the
essential concepts, practices, procedures, formulas,
calculations, and interpretations of figures that
relate to producing profitable buying and selling
operations. At the same time, this course uses real
world examples often modeled using EXCEL that
reflect current industry practices and trends, so
students are prepared for merchandising careers.
Credits: 3
Every Fall and Spring
FM 20 Buying for the Fashion Industry
This course provides students with the skills and
savvy needed to become effective buyers in any area
of retail. Typical buying tasks, such as identifying
and understanding potential customers, creating a
six-month merchandising plan, and developing sales
forecasts, will be discussed in the context of current
business automated software. Additional topics will
include the coverage of important retailing trends
and technological advances, including social
responsibility, sustainability, fast fashion, and the
use of new media and social networking. This
course will meet periodically in The Student Body
to engage course concepts in a retail environment
and on occasion work with the buying team at an
actual trade show.
Pre requisites: FM 10 and FM 14
Credits: 3
Every Spring
FM 24 Fashion Trend Forecasting
Fashion trend analysis and forecasting is vital to
product and brand development. Through trend
analysis and forecasting using current industry
forecasting service software, students gain an
understanding of how consumers and industry
serve as product developers, gatekeepers and
promoters of fashion. This course explores the roles
of how fashion consumption impacts the
environment and economic development. It looks
at how socio-cultural changes, social responsibility
and the digital consumer affect fashion trends. An
ideal mix of creativity and professionalism are
employed toward course deliverables including
trend boards and associated presentations.
A pre requisite of FM 10 and FM 12 is required.
Credits: 3
Every Spring
FM 25 Brand Management
Students will develop core skills needed towards
understanding, crafting, measuring, and managing
brand strategies within fashion and other related
industries. The course draws on marketing,
sociological, and psychological theories of consumer
behavior and examines branding as a co-creation of
consumers, marketers, and culture. The course
objectives are to: 1) design effective brand identities
and value propositions as part of overall business
strategy; 2) develop brand-building strategies 3)
apply brand licensing and creative elements for
effective branding; 4) leverage digital technologies,
such as social media marketing, to promote
branding and licensing programs. Coursework may
incorporate a live business case and project
designed to develop collaboration, critical thinking
and creativity in brand management.
Prerequisite of MKT 11 is required.
Credits: 3
Every Fall and Spring
FM 26 Importing and Exporting
A global industry for sourcing, the fashion industry
must take advantage of low-cost producing
countries and their respective manufacturing.
However, international trade is a necessity in order
to grow and generate profits. The U.S. export-import
trade policies/ procedures, current trends
and key trade relationships are covered in this
course. Students will become skilled in what
research, resources and analysis skills come into
play in order to decide whether to export or import
and then how global trade issues affect the textile
and apparel industries.
A pre requisite of FM 10, FM 12, and FM 14 is
required.
Credits: 3
Every Fall
FM 32 Fashion Media
This course will successfully cover how fashion
media marketing communicates the value of a
brand’s product or service to their target customer.
Presently, with the emergence of new media: ecommerce,
social media, digital content, interactive
media, and mobile apps, the marketing process is
moving at light speed. Companies and marketers
with this enhanced customer information must be
prepared to engage dynamically. In this class,
students will explore all facets of new media
through discussions, readings and exploration of
pertinent websites, blogs and Instagram accounts.
Special emphasis will be placed on current new
media applications, activities and campaigns, using
topical articles and case studies. Students will learn
to identify and differentiate key media platforms
and understand the pros and cons of each to
effectively build targeted marketing strategies.
Credits: 3
Every Spring
FM 34 Special Events
Students will learn about a variety of special events
and how to organize and manage them.
Additionally, they will learn about special events
history, rationale, goals and strategies, as well as the
value of special events in a public relations strategy.
The types of events to be discussed include fashion
shows, tours of business facilities, conferences,
openings, employee and customer recognition
initiatives, product and services launches,
community relations, sports promotions,
fundraisers, galas, anniversary celebrations, and
entertainment premieres. (Note that this course is
cross-listed with PR 14)
A pre requisite of FM 30 is required.
Credits: 3
On Occasion
FM 35 Computer Aided Design: CAD for Merchandising
This fundamental course introduces the basic two dimensional
and three-dimensional graphic design
software platform, known as Computer Aided
Design (CAD). This tool can be used in various
design and technical applications to enable
designers to create and produce various design
presentation products, such as visual display
concepts, retail design, space planning, digital trend
and concept boards, textile color developments,
among other things. This course offers students the
opportunity to upgrade their digital visual
merchandising skills to industry standards and add
an additional technical capability to their resumes.
Credits: 3
Every Spring
FM 39 Sustainability in Global Fashion
Sustainability has emerged as a central issue for
contemporary societies and for the world
community as a whole. Furthermore, many of the
social and environmental concerns that are
embodied in the term 'sustainability' are directly or
indirectly related to design and the world of fast
fashion. Sustainable fashion refers to fashion
products that are manufactured, marketed and used
in the most sustainable manner possible, taking
into account both environmental and socioeconomic
aspects. Designers help to define our
human made environment- how it is produced,
how it is used, and how long it endures. This course
provides students an opportunity to acquire a
foundational understanding of the scientific,
political and social issues related to the design of
resilient urban futures. The topic of sustainability
in textile manufacture has been the subject of
considerable research. In this course, we will also
explore the textile industry from the perspective of
social sustainability, shifting the focus from the
materiality of
textile production to the industry's relationships
with the communities from which the products
originate.
Credits: 3
Every Spring
FM 40 Fundamentals of Textiles
This course explores the science of textiles
including information regarding fabric
identification: fabric name, fiber content, yarn
construction, count, coloration, finishes, weight,
and list of characteristics. Students will learn the
inherent performance properties and construction
of fibers and yarns which are relevant for
professionals in the fashion industry, such as
product developers, stylists, buyers, designers, etc.
This course brings together a wide variety of
information enabling students to spend less time
trying to connect the ideas and more time applying
the concepts so they can make appropriate choices
in textile selections for a product.
A pre requisite of FM 10 is required.
Credits: 3
Every Fall
FM 45 The Business of Fashion and Sports Event Planning
In this course we will cover the dynamics of event
planning, integrating social media, marketing and
public relations as well as project management. We
will cover a broad range of industries with an
emphasis on fashion organizations.
Student will perform actual event planning in real
time across fashion, sports, entertainment and
other disciplines which will vary based on the
semester.
Credits: 3
On Occasion
FM 50 Visual Merchandising and Display
This course will uncover the many techniques used
in the visual merchandising industry. A hands-on
approach is utilized whereby students design and
construct interior displays. By the use of ingenuity
and creative thinking, apparel items are employed
to produce selling displays. Institutional and
abstract concepts will be discussed and practiced.
The language of the retail industry will also be used
to explain and familiarize each student to this
discipline. Discussions on digital retailing, “Pop
Up” shops and Brick and Mortar will be explored
and may include possible on site retail visits.
Weekly projects and presentations on window prep
and store design will be integrated into the
coursework.
A pre requisite of FM 10, and FM 12 is required.
Credits: 3
Every Fall and Spring
FM 56 Luxury Branding
Luxury has been both celebrated and condemned
throughout history right up to the present day. In
this course, we will examine luxury and its
relationship with desire, status, consumption and
economic value, exploring why luxury always
triumphs in spite of the economy and world affairs.
Brand strategy is the compass directing creative
brand solutions. To this means, students will study
the brand, its purpose and target audience, shop
the market and analyze merchandising and
marketing strategies to reveal insights and create
meaningful brand ethos. We will take a look at case
studies from the luxury sector such as like Chanel,
LVMH and Tiffany, as well as luxury travel, retail
store design, tech, beauty and accessories in
exploring how the most successful luxury brands
function and defining what luxury represents in the
contemporary world. Explore old luxury and the
democratization of modern affordable luxury with
its criteria and strategy for today's consumer. The
final project of the program results in a deliverable
that responds to current trends in the luxury
marketplace, culminating in a paper and
professional presentation.
Credits: 3
Every Fall
FM 60 Fashion Law
From fashion start-ups to ongoing business, fashion
professionals must be savvy regarding the legal
decisions and regulatory developments that affect
fashion companies. This course explores intellectual
property protection, licensing, anti-counterfeiting
and litigation. It also covers the legal aspects for
start-ups, and commercial transactions in local,
custom, and international settings. Just as
importantly, students will learn about the legal
challenges and caveats in fashion advertising,
marketing and celebrity endorsements.
Pre requisites: FM 12; FM 25 or MKT 25
Credits: 3
Every Spring
FM 70 Fashion Entrepreneurship
Starting a business is a daunting task whether
individuals want to open their own stores, sell their
own products or establish their own brands. This
course focuses on the ready-to-wear process so
students can identify market opportunities and
execute a business plan in a competitive retail
environment. It explores all areas of a "fashion start
up" and examines how products are planned and
developed. From the perspectives of consumers,
manufacturers and retailers in a global context,
students will look at the requirements and
relationships needed to develop a plan, build a
business, launch a brand and channel it to the
ultimate consumer.
Credits: 3
On Occasion
FM 72 Fashion Style Writing
Clear, compelling and correct writing skills are
essential for success in any field. A fashion writer is
someone who writes journalism or copy relating to
aspects of fashion and style. This course
incorporates the construction of creative prose into
the field of fashion with an emphasis on style.
Features and copy for a variety of media including
fashion magazines, advertising, trade publications,
newspapers and increasingly online forums such as
blogs and social media will be addressed. Ideas for
source material will be identified in this course the
same way as in the industry by attending fashion
shows and collaborating with professionals to
identify trends in the marketplace. Pitching
articles, conducting interviews, and writing fashion
features are some of the learning activities
incorporated in this course.
A pre requisite of FM 10 and FM 12 is required.
Credits: 3
Every Spring
FM 82 Global Fashion
This course will explore how retailers and
manufacturers are responding to the challenges of a
rapidly expanding and evolving marketplace.
Drawing on lessons learned from manufacturing,
retailing, and global commerce, we will address the
rise of the global consumer, the in-store shopping
experience, and managing the retail experience
across multiple channels. We will also explore the
economic, geopolitical, and cultural factors
governing the basic tenets of today's globalized
marketplace. Various international regions are
analyzed in terms of their market characteristics and
current retail environment. U.S. retailers operating
globally are also discussed and analyzed in detail.
Topics will include fair trade, free trade and the
expansion of the globalized marketing system
through multi-channel retailing. The course will
have an optional travel component with a
subsidized week long trip in which students will
experience the culture, working environment, and
commerce of a major fashion capitol in the world.
Credits: 3
Every Spring
FM 87 Fashion Merchandising Internship
This internship opportunity permits students to
supplement classroom instruction with real-world
experience. After preparation of a resume for review
by the faculty mentor, the student selects an
appropriate internship geared to the individual
student’s interests and abilities with the mentor.
The student works approximately 120 hours per
semester, with times arranged by the student and
employer. Meetings with a faculty mentor, a
journal, and periodic papers are required.
Pre requisites: FM 10, FM 12, and FM 14 and
permission of the Program Director is required.
Credits: 3
On Demand
FM 88 Fashion Merchandising Engaged Learning
This course is designed for any type of engaged
learning on campus relatied to the fashion industry,
such as working at the Student Body Boutique (one
of LIU's Student Run Businesses). Global learning
experiences organized by the department may also
satisfy the requirements of this course. For example,
the Fashion Merchandising week-long study abroad
trip to a fashion capital may fulfill the course
requirement with approval. Students will
participate in engaged learning activities and work
with a designated faculty mentor on appropriate deliverables to earn credit for the course.
This is a one-credit course that can be repeated up
to three times for a total of up to three credits upon
approval of the Director.
Credits: 1
On Demand
FM 92 Capstone
The Capstone Project integrates experience,
knowledge and skills acquired and developed
during the course of study. This project reflects the
many ways fashion merchandisers connect with
business, media, and communication professionals
within the fashion, textile and luxury sectors. Over
the course of the semester, students will develop a
Fashion Start-up Entrepreneurial Venture by
analyzing their target market and competition that
culminates in a comprehensive business plan.
Students will learn how to craft a mission
statement, company name, product description,
SWOT analysis, samples, merchandising plan,
timeline, marketing strategy, and pitch. The final
work can be used to demonstrate to future
employers and other interested parties the students'
skills and aptitude for similar independent external
work assignments. A written and oral presentation
will be required.
Credits: 3
Every Spring
Sport Management Courses
SPM 140 Introduction to Sports Management
This course focuses on the basic philosophy,
function, and principles of sports at all levels.
Students will be exposed to the various career
options plus their attendant roles and
responsibilities.
Credits: 3
Every Fall and Spring
SPM 141 Facility Management
This course will focus on planning, designing and
financing of athletics facilities. In addition
attention is accorded to the primary goals and
objectives of facility managers.
A prerequisite of PE 140 or instructor's permission
is required.
Credits: 3
Every Fall
SPM 142 Sports Marketing
This course focuses on the process of designing and
implementing activities for the promotion and
distribution of a sport product to a consumer. The
principal steps in developing a marketing plan are
outlined.
A prerequisite of PE 140 or instructor's permission
is required.
Credits: 3
Every Spring