Our Mission and Vision Statements

Fashion is both an art form and a business. In the Fashion Design and Merchandising Department at Dominican, you will learn how to turn your creative vision into a high-impact career in the fashion world.

Mission

The mission of the Fashion Design and Merchandising Department is to empower students to pursue goal-oriented and dynamic careers in the global fashion industry. Rooted in Dominican University’s liberal arts tradition and guided by the values of truth, compassionate service, and ethical practice, the program unites design, business, culture, and sustainability. Within an inclusive and collaborative environment, students cultivate technical expertise, creativity, innovation, intercultural understanding, professional excellence, critical inquiry, and leadership, preparing them to shape a just, humane, and socially responsible future in fashion. 

Vision

The Fashion Design and Merchandising Department is recognized for excellence in fashion education in the Chicago region and beyond, known for integrating liberal arts and professional practice, a commitment to social justice and sustainability, and strong industry and community partnerships. We envision our graduates as creative innovators, ethical leaders, and global citizens who advance the fashion industry with integrity, cultural awareness, and transformative impact.

A Top 10 Program

College Choice ranks Dominican University #7 on the The Best Fashion Degrees in the United States, alongside the University of Georgia and the Fashion Institute of Technology. The study said, “This program provides students with access to the most up-to-date computer-aided technology,” with which the students “create their own unique and marketable designs.”

Learn more

Majors and Minors

Whichever program you choose, you will benefit from Dominican’s signature blend of liberal arts focus and real-world experience. You will complete at least one internship, create a comprehensive portfolio and display your original designs in the department’s annual fashion show. And you will graduate as a well-rounded individual, prepared to make your mark.

In the fashion design program, you’ll study art and culture, develop technical skills at a professional level, and gain a deep understanding of fashion as both an industry and an art form.

Our fashion merchandising program will prepare you to lead on the business side of the fashion industry. This major blends the study of fashion and business, visual merchandising and promotion, textile science and market research.

Design a Career Tailored to Your Dreams

Fashion students gain hands-on, real-world experience with industry leaders by creating unique designs and showcasing them at our annual fashion show

For more information,
please contact:

Melissa Carr
Department Chair and Associate Professor
Fashion
mcarr@dom.edu

Ready for your next steps?