Fashion is one of the most influential industries in the world, shaping culture, employment, and personal identity. Yet, traditional colleges and universities often fail to provide students with the necessary skills to thrive in the field—especially when it comes to garment construction.
Whether it’s a high-fashion runway piece, a functional uniform, or everyday wear, garment construction is a fundamental skill.
The Disconnect in Fashion Education
With over 18 years of experience as a Fashion Design educator, I have witnessed firsthand how students are treated within the educational system. Many students flourish in hands-on, skill-based learning environments. Yet, institutions continue to neglect trade-based education, leading students into significant debt for degrees that leave them underprepared for the real world.
Graduates frequently find themselves enrolling in private programs to gain the technical skills they should have learned in their four-year programs. This is sometimes due to colleges hiring fashion professors on a part-time basis, limiting students’ access to in-depth learning. In some cases, students meet with a professor for just three hours a week and are expected to design and construct an entire capsule collection. That’s not education—it’s a crash course.
The Role of Garment Construction in Sustainability
While discussions about sustainability in fashion often focus on waste reduction and ethical sourcing, we cannot ignore the critical role garment construction plays in this movement. Well-constructed clothing lasts longer, reducing the need for fast fashion and excessive waste.
Additionally, custom made garments and smaller niche brands can play a large role in advancing the sustainability initiative – as their negative impact is much less than mass-produced clothing.
A sustainable fashion education should teach students how to design and create clothing that is both environmentally and socially responsible. This includes:
- Sustainable Materials: Using organic cotton, recycled fabrics, hemp, linen, bamboo, and cork.
- Energy-Efficient Design: Implementing sustainable production methods and reducing energy consumption.
- Waste Minimization: Encouraging recycling, upcycling, and reducing excess inventory.
- Ethical Production: Addressing fair wages, safe working conditions, and labor rights.
- Circular Economy Principles: Promoting thrifting, repurposing, and material innovation.
When students are properly educated on sustainable practices, they become empowered to create fashion that doesn’t come at the cost of people or the planet.
Rethinking How We Teach Fashion
Sustainable education is more than a trend—it’s a necessary shift in how we prepare future designers, tailors, and apparel professionals. To achieve this, fashion education must prioritize:
- Hands-On Learning: Students need time to master construction techniques, not just conceptual design.
- Interdisciplinary Approaches: Sustainability intersects with science, business, and technology—fashion programs should reflect that.
- Accessible Trade Education: Garment construction should be recognized as a valuable trade, not an afterthought.
Fashion educators play a crucial role in shaping the future of the industry. By integrating sustainable practices into the curriculum, we can inspire students to think critically, design responsibly, and ultimately lead the industry toward a more ethical future.
At the end of the day, fashion is more than just art—it’s craftsmanship, innovation, and culture. And it’s time we start treating it with the respect it deserves.
