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Students in Dominican’s Department of Fashion Merchandising and Fashion Design have plenty of opportunities to explore their interests and gain real-world experience.

Fashion Club

Dominican University’s Fashion Club is an outlet for students interested in fashion and style. We aim to bring experiences from the fashion industry to Dominican students and to encourage their involvement in the industry. We highly encourage fashion merchandising and design majors to take part in all Fashion Club events. However, Fashion Club is open to all students of the Dominican University community.

Fashion Club is a fundraising and event club. We hold monthly meetings to discuss ongoing fashion industry opportunities in the Chicagoland area. Events include industry guest speakers, employment and internship opportunities, and fundraising to support the department's Annual Spring Fashion Show.

Fashion Club hopes to educate members on current trends, industry news, and provide volunteer and networking opportunities within the industry. Through everyone’s commitment we hope to continue to grow as a positive impact in our school and community, and shed a light on the entrepreneurship and innovation that is the fashion industry..

For more information, please contact fashionclub@dom.edu.

Fashion Show

The highlight of every academic year for the fashion department is the annual fashion show. Held each April, the show features the design work of all fashion students from that year’s courses.

In particular, the fashion show highlights the year’s Senior Collections. Each graduating senior fashion design major is required to design, construct and display a thematically linked collection of at least three garments.

The senior class of fashion design and merchandising students is responsible for all aspects of the fashion show, including:

  • Set coordination, construction and lighting
  • Poster and program design and advertising sales
  • Photography and videography
  • Music
  • Hair and makeup
  • Model selection and training
Study Abroad

Study abroad benefits all undergraduates, but with the European fashion capitals beckoning, it’s no wonder that the fashion department sends more of its students overseas than nearly any other department at Dominican.

Apparel students won't want to miss Paris: Essentials of French Fashion. Students spend one month in Paris, the fashion capital of the world, and attend courses at the Paris American Academy. The intensive course provides an overview of the French fashion industry and the opportunity to become immersed in a specialization (design, couture or merchandising and communication) from a French fashion perspective. The course is conducted in English; however, students receive a hands-on introduction to French culture and language.

The fashion department also sponsors a trip to New York City where we tour design houses, talk to industry leaders, and meet with top retailers. Students can observe the workplace in action and explore employment and internship opportunities.

“Fashion is a global industry, and it’s very appropriate that apparel students should travel the world to seek inspiration. Any study abroad experience is definitely a plus in employers’ eyes.”  

–Tracy Jennings, EdD

Professor, Department of Fashion Merchandising and Fashion Design