Back in college, the first days of school are really interesting for me since I got to see how words in a course description translate into real, practical classes. This is even more apparent now that I’m in fashion school! I have read and reread the course descriptions several times when I was choosing my major. Now I get to experience the real thing! Anyway, It’s been 3 weeks since school started. I’ve been wanting to write about my classes but didn’t have the luxury of time. Now I am taking a break from studying so here goes my blog entry.
My major is Apparel Manufacturing Management and I am in the Professional Designation Program (for those who have college degrees already). Here are the classes that I’m currently taking:
1. Survey of Manufacturing And Merchandising
An overview of the Manufacturing and Merchandising industry in the US. It aims to teach us everything from the phases of the fashion cycle to the product development stages, elements of fashion marketing, types of retailers, etc. The basic lessons and terminologies that you SHOULD know if you would like to work in fashion. I think that this class can be learned simply by reading the texbook, but our teacher really makes things interesting by giving us experience-based information and by entertaining all kinds of questions about the industry. He has worked in fashion for around 50 years so he really has lots of things to share. I always bring out my post it notes during this class to write down random, practical infos from my teacher. For instance, when starting a business, it is important to establish an online store first (have an established customer base before shelling out money for a physical store). Uhuh I should keep that in mind.
Books for Survey of Manufacturing and Merchandising
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2. Textile Science
Yes there is science even in fashion school. Just imagine, what if a designer made children’s clothes out of a really flammable material? Disaster. So really, it is important to learn about the properties of different textiles in the market. We were also told that there are no more new designs being created right now, just old ones with new fabrics (ultra absorbent ones, non-wrinkling ones, etc.). I am definitely not a science person, but seing the practicality of what I’m actually studying makes science much more bearable 
Books for Textile Science
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Book with samples of 172 different fibers! Cool cool cool
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3. Wholesale Selling
A whole class devoted to giving us lessons on how to sell our lines to buyers (those who choose the items that department stores sell). Lessons include how to negotiate prices, how to keep the buyer’s attention during a presentation, how to maintain a good relationship with a buyer, etc. We are also asked to develop our own line (complete with infos about showroom location, production facility, turn time, etc.). For the finals, each student will be doing a selling simulation. It’s interesting since we haven’t opened our text book at all. Everything comes from the teacher and from his so many years of experience. Also, this class exciting for me since I used to be a merchandiser / buyer for a local department store. It feels challenging to be on the other side of the coin this time 
My book for Wholesale Selling which we haven’t opened yet. According to my teacher, you can’t teach sales through a book. Although I agree with him, I’ll probably read this anyway during my free time.
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4. Apparel Process I
The hands on part of fashion production. Here, we are taught about patternmaking and sewing. Our classroom for apparel process is located at the heart of the LA Fashion District, which is a few blocks from the main campus. We are actually having class in a building where garments are being produced for real fashion lines. So cool. We were also given a toolbox with all the things that we would be needing for sewing and patternmaking. Uhuh I will be using these things forever and ever.
Materials for Apparel Process I
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3 books for 1 class. Since I have so many books and materials for this class, I am now like the elementary school me since I drag a stroller bag across downtown LA. Nope I am not complaining at all.
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5. Technical Sketching
Before this class, the closest that I got to fashion sketching was during my really boring college economics class that forced me to draw menial clothes on the border of my notebook since I had no other interesting choice. So the bottom line is, I was so scared of this class. But after 3 weeks, I grew to like it. Our instructor teaches us drawing techniques which make it seem like we’re so good in sketching! Hehe. I would like to think that our creations are out of sheer talent, but really, most of it are based on “drawing formulas” and our really good rulers
Book and materials for Technical Sketching
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So there you have it. 5 classes down, 19 more to go before graduation
are you kicking ass in school? I hope you are
I hope I am too. Hahaha! Cum laude na ‘to LOL!
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