Technical Design
Technical designers are in demand across the fashion industry — and have some of the highest-paying jobs — because they’re key to a company’s bottom line. They’re the linchpin between designers and patternmakers, many of whom are overseas, ensuring that garments fit and function in every size, that every design detail is correct, and industry standards are met.
We teach tech design exactly as it’s practiced in the industry, immersing you in every step of the production process, from pattern to finished garment. You’ll master current equipment and software, work with live models and 3D avatars to understand fit, and learn to incorporate technology into clothing.
Check It Out
Our 2023 graduating Technical Design students recently presented their final capstone projects.
Program
Technical Design BS
You’ll learn every phase of product development, including hands-on patternmaking, specification review and technical sketching, live model fittings, PLM, Accumark computerized pattern making, 3D fit, and production. A third semester internship can be taken, and as a senior, you will participate in the capstone presentation, developing and creating an innovative garment using technology, sustainability, problem-solving innovations, new innovative fabrications, and 3D technology. Learn more about eligibility for this program.
Our Work
In our program, the first of its kind in New York City and the SUNY system, students learn to ensure that final production samples — and garments shipped to stores — are produced exactly as the designer and buyer intended.
Caitlin Robbins, Technical Design ’16, employed her skills to help style her father, who has ALS and uses a wheelchair. This experience led to a position with Tommy Hilfiger.
Working with assistant professor and breast cancer survivor Yoko Katagiri, Sidney Nobleza, Technical Design ’18, created three garments for post-op mastectomy patients.
Using a biodegradable material he sourced from pineapple leaves, resin, and a renewable plastic, Alan Romo, Technical Design ’19, created a coat-dress that won the Ideation 2019 contest.
Impact
Every detail matters … Even the smallest particulars are essential to fit, comfort, and function.
Outside the Classroom
Students have interned at Polo Ralph Lauren, Perry Ellis, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Victoria’s Secret, Club Monaco, G-III, and PVH. Graduates are prepared for careers as technical designers in design, manufacturing, and retail companies, and they may also become fashion designers, fit engineers, patternmakers, specifications technicians, and technical assistants to product developers. As a bonus, technical design skills are in high demand across industries, from apparel manufacturing to accessories to home products, which means starting salaries are among the highest in the creative economy.
Explore More
some related minors
other degree programs
Learn From the Best
Deborah Beard
Beard is associate chair and an associate professor in Technical Design and Patternmaking, and she heads the Annual Technical Design Senior Capstone Projects. She holds a BS in fashion design and an MA in teaching. For group projects, she mixes students of different backgrounds for them to experience FIT’s rich cultural diversity.
Cassandra Williams
Williams is an assistant professor in the Technical Design Department. An expert in technical design, she holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Parsons School of Design.
Contact Us
Technical Design
Deborah Beard
Let's Make It Happen
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