The Business of Fashion: Proposal to Implement Fashion Resources at Arizona State University

Today, the global fashion industry is valued at $450 billion, and considered one of the most important sectors of the global economy (Global Action Through Fashion, 2015). The term fashion means more than just designing apparel or accessories as the industry encompasses jobs from production to inventory management, merchandising, marketing, production, and retail management. The fashion industry is one of the world’s largest markets as it employs over 75 million people and generates $1.7 trillion in revenue annually (Global Action Through Fashion, 2015). It is a dynamic, fast-paced industry that requires constant innovation ideas and strategic planning.

Chloe Bosmeny and Audree López, senior marketing students at W. P. Carey have created a proposal for W. P. Carey School of Business and Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts to join together to create an interdisciplinary resource for students interested in pursuing a career in fashion. There are three recommendations in the thesis: the implementation of a Fashion Merchandising certificate encompassing both W. P. Carey and Herberger curriculum, ASU joining the Fashion Institute of Technology’s 3+1 program for dual degrees in New York City, and lastly, improving professional development and career recruitment for ASU students interested in fashion.

But why fashion at Arizona State University? Throughout college, Bosmeny and López struggled to gain the background, skills and experience needed to understand the fashion industry. They, like many of their peers, felt that without the credentials of a university-sponsored fashion program, they weren't marketable to employers. These challenges drove Bosmeny and López to advocate for more fashion resources at ASU.
Based on support from student surveys, in-depth interviews with industry professionals, feedback from ASU Alumni and input from ASU’s largest fashion organization, The Business of Fashion Club- there is a strong desire for increased fashion programming at ASU. There are currently 266 student theses surrounding the keyword “fashion” from Barrett, the Honors College, but there has not been a direct push from students to implement a program at ASU. This thesis aims to illustrate the important ways such programming will greatly benefit ASU and its stakeholders.

In our thesis we will investigate current ASU opportunities related to fashion, gather information from fashion business professionals, gauge student interest in pursuing careers in fashion, and look to peer and aspirational schools in an effort to better understand fashion career resources nationwide. Our hope is to build a stronger curriculum and more successful resources for students to give them the skillsets needed for a successful career in fashion.