Fashion Design

Integrated Seminar
Students explore a range of visual and analytic skills while working on collaborative and multidisciplinary projects. How do we make sense of our ideas, the information we gather, our hunches and theories? And what can this investigation tell us about why we make certain decisions as creative thinkers? Students work independently and in teams to explore and research the construction of prototypes, and to understand the creative process. Classes incorporate knowledge gained in other first-year courses, and several times during the semester two classes will share concepts and assignments on various projects.

Drawing – Image
How are meaning and communication constructed through visual images? Students use traditional drawing and methods of digital-image projection to explore the conceptual, esthetic, and formal qualities that inform the way ideas and impressions are expressed in two dimensions. Students explore visual organization, figurative and abstract forms, and engagement through drawing from observation, photography, creation of digital images, and integration of a variety of mediums of communication. The tools and methods students can acquire in this course provide an introductory platform that they can utilize in the higher-level courses in their chosen discipline. Sections of this class may explore the following topics in relation to the construction of identity, form, function, and meaning: language, objects, places, and people.

Art Seminar
This course presents students with some major moments in world history and the study of objects considered expressions of a particular place or time. Interrelationships will be constructed between societies and types of objects over time. The course structure is approximately chronological, beginning in prehistory and continuing until the dawn of industrialization. The focus will be on objects, works, and ordinary instruments of everyday life, as well as on extraordinary monuments of artistic skill and design. This exploration will deal with how and why the objects were made, by and for whom, how they were used, what they meant for the people who used them, and what social structures are embodied in them. The course serves as an introduction to artistic styles and visual analysis. Classes are developed through discussion, assignments, research, and projects.

Space and Materials
Students will explore concepts such as malleability, weight, texture, color, durability, smell, sound, taste, life cycle, and ecological impact through a wide variety of projects that reveal the close relationship between materials and users. Other topics concern the formation of spaces, environmental psychology, and an exploration of the object to discover the meaning of its form, materials, and uses. 

Technical Laboratory
Design is the result of applying creative, theoretical, and practical processes to the solution of a problem or the representation of an idea that is expressed through elements of visual communication such as the appropriate use of technology. Fashion designers grow their ideas from the two-dimensional to the three-dimensional by applying techniques that they can learn according to their conceptual process and personal concerns in their design projects.

Introduction to Marketing
As part of a global learning experience that intertwines with many aspects related to the world of fashion, students are given an introduction to the fundamentals of marketing, helping them understand concepts and strategies that allow them to position and communicate their fashion projects efficiently; this process may help the consolidation and success of their creative work.

Profile of The Fashion Industry
This course, an introduction to the fashion industry, offers students a deep understanding of the structure of the industry and the interrelationships between primary, secondary, and auxiliary markets, as well as the terminology necessary for the industry.

Fashion Seminar/Studio
This course helps students develop the technical skills for the creation of garments and products related to fashion design, based on knowledge gained during the first year of studies. Inspired by their creativity, they are able to channel their concerns in the field of fashion design by applying concepts and techniques of production and construction, as well as understanding the influence and contributions of design to societies and to industry. This class is based on discussion; assignments will be based on research and written or oral projects.

Fashion Illustration
This class helps develop students’ skills in expressing their ideas through different two-dimensional techniques.  Clear and precise representation of their designs will be the key to successful production of fashion pieces and objects.

Construction and Patterns
This course offers instruction in the techniques of pattern-making on paper, transferring patterns to muslin, and draping the fabric in order to create a garden, as well as an understanding of the perfect synchronization between pattern-making and the final result in the design of garments, which students can achieve through knowledge of the terminology used in the industry, with the objective of simplifying pattern making processes. Knowledge and understanding of the different techniques will make it possible to construct garments using the different production processes in this field.

History of Fashion
This course emphasizes the importance of understanding how the evolution of fashion includes historical, cultural, social, and economic aspects; how today’s design processes include fashion evolution; and how all these aspects affect the professional market. These subjects are treated with the aim of deepening the impact and social obligation of designers through their creations.

Trends and Society
Masculine and feminine clothing is seen in its historical, cultural, and socioeconomic context, including shoes, accessories, and hairstyles. The evolution of a garment/silhouette is traced, and the reasons why some styles come back or are revived are analyzed. Preconceptions change as to what constitutes the beautiful and decent, and also the ideal of what is appropriate for women and for men. Historical information will enrich fashion students’ visual vocabulary and will aid in the creation of garments with unusual details for prêt-à-porter, haute couture, experimental, theatrical, film, and television collections.

Admissions

Admission to CHAVÓN requires high school graduation with a satisfactory grade-point average, the presentation of a portfolio,*  and an interview. For detailed information about admissions procedures, click here.

*Applicants to the program in Fashion Marketing and Communications are not required to present a portfolio but must complete the CHAVÓN Challenge.

Information for International Students

International students are a welcomed to the CHAVÓN community and significantly add to its rich, artistically and intellectually diverse dialogue and culture. If you live outside the Dominican Republic, we encourage you to apply or to contact us, as we will always be available to assist you in the application process and to answer questions regarding such things as dormitories or other living accommodations, travel arrangements, visas, or any other questions you may have.