
Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, Nevada

Dr. Lisa Cleary
Summary
The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) Nevada is dedicated to providing specialized education in fashion, design, merchandising, and related creative industries. Located in Nevada, the institute focuses on equipping students with industry-relevant skills through a combination of hands-on learning, industry partnerships, and internship opportunities.
History
The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) Nevada was established to provide specialized education in fashion, design, and related industries in the southwestern United States. Though FIDM’s original campus was founded in Los Angeles in 1969, FIDM Nevada was developed later to serve the growing demand for industry-focused education in the region. Its establishment aimed to bring FIDM’s curriculum and industry connections to Nevada.
Throughout its history, FIDM Nevada has focused on providing practical, industry-relevant training, emphasizing hands-on learning, internships, and real-world project experiences. The campus offers fashion design, visual merchandising, interior design, and business, preparing students for careers in the highly competitive marketplace. Its strategic location in Nevada, a state known for its vibrant entertainment and hospitality industries, allows FIDM Nevada to cultivate industry partnerships and facilitate networking opportunities for students aspiring to work in fashion, retail, and entertainment sectors.
Today, FIDM Nevada continues to grow as a vital branch of the FIDM network, maintaining its commitment to fostering creativity, innovation, and professional readiness in its students. It incorporates modern technologies and current industry trends into its curriculum to ensure graduates are well-equipped for the evolving demands of the fashion and design worlds. With a focus on industry connections and practical experience, FIDM Nevada remains dedicated to nurturing the next generation of designers, merchandisers, and creative entrepreneurs in the region.
Courses
Basic Sewing The Stitch Room is an educational, structured and basic sewing class that introduces students to the development of garment construction and master patterns and provides them with the skills for garment enhancement. Instructions include how to take body measurements and how to read and use master patterns, size variations and alterations. In this hands-on class students will learn how to operate a sewing machine and are introduced to the serger machine and its benefits.
Dress Maker Studio provides a hands-on fashion approach to style and sewing as students discover the “how to” for custom fitted designs with a tailored look while learning about seams, darts, pleats, grading, lining, interfacings, stiffening, buttonholes, fibers and fabrics. Students will also execute the process of taking the pattern from inspiration to creating one of a kind fitted garments, utilising design and illustration techniques with special focus on draping and embellishments.
Fashion Illustration And Design takes students through the designer process of Fashion Elements, Principles and Illustration. They will learn to develop or enhance drawing skills and work from designing the concept to creation. Focus is on fashion design, sketching the human body, illustration of dress, colours, and the designer’s fashion portfolio. Projects include Illustration and Design for the Portfolio and Presentation, Figure Board, and Flats.
Fashion Design Elements And Principles explores fashion design. Students learn how to combine different body silhouettes, colours, details and trimmings. And learn the skills of manipulating principles of design in developing fashion ideas. This class will cover analysis of garment design and several techniques used in garment construction. At the end of the program, using the tools and techniques they learned from the class, students are expected to create their own designs. Projects include Analysis of garment design, Fashion illustration templates, and draping techniques used in garment construction.
Global MBA rankings
The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) Nevada is recognised for its specialized programs in fashion, design, merchandising, and related creative fields. It does not offer a traditional Master of Business Administration (MBA) program, and therefore, it is not ranked globally or nationally for MBA programs.FIDM's focus is on undergraduate certificates, diplomas, and associate degrees that prepare students for careers in fashion, interior design, visual merchandising, and related industries.
Job integration rate
Job integration at The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) Nevada is a core component of its educational philosophy, emphasizing real-world experience alongside academic learning. The institute actively collaborates with industry partners, including fashion brands, retail companies, and design firms, to create internship opportunities and industry projects for students. These hands-on experiences enable students to apply their skills in practical settings, build professional networks, and gain valuable insights into the competitive fashion and design industries.
Additionally, FIDM Nevada maintains strong relationships with local and national employers, fostering a seamless transition from classroom to career. The institute’s career services team provides guidance on resume building, interview preparation, and job search strategies, enhancing students’ readiness for the workforce. Many programs include capstone projects or industry collaborations that simulate real job scenarios, giving students a competitive edge in the job market. This focus on job integration helps FIDM Nevada graduates to secure positions in fashion, merchandising, and design fields quickly and successfully, supporting their career advancement and professional growth.
General information
- President's message Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising.
- Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising". WASC Senior College and University Commission.
- "Commission action letter, reaffirmation, February 2019 action" (PDF)
- "FIDM Students Up in Arms Over Controversial SHEIN Scholarship". LAmag - Culture, Food, Fashion, News & Los Angeles.
- "FIDM San Diego Campus / Clive Wilkinson Architects". ArchDaily.
- "Clive Wilkinson Architects: FIDM, San Diego". clivewilkinson.com.
- "Clive Wilkinson Architects: FIDM, Orange County". clivewilkinson.com.
- "Clive Wilkinson Architects: FIDM, Annex Studio, Los Angeles". /clivewilkinson.com.
- "FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, San Francisco Campus". Petersons's.
- "They've got the 'Project Runway' blues". Los Angeles Times.
- "'Project Runway's' Tim Gunn to Host New Lifetime Fashion Competition". TheWrap.
- ""FIDM Alumni "Project Runway" Contestants"". Lifetime.
- "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Lauren Conrad's Career Path". Teen Vogue.
- "3 fashion school museums you can visit virtually". fashionunited.uk.
- "FIDM Museum Special Collections Archives". FIDM Museum Blog.
- Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising Museum and Library - Los Angeles CA - Museum - ArtGeek". www.artgeek.io.
- "FIDM Exhibition Showcases Fashion Sketches From Hollywood's Golden Age". California Apparel News.
- "Emmys: Fox Goes Guerrilla With 'Sleepy Hollow' Campaign". The Hollywood Reporter.
- "The Masked Singer Costume Designer and FIDM Grad Marina Toybina Wins Fifth Emmy". FDMI.edu.
- "Lubov Azria: How to Succeed in the Fashion Industry". theFashionSpot.
- "The Will to Fly review: inside the elite world of aerial skiing". The Sydney Morning Herald.
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Dr. Lisa Cleary