Fashion
Industry Essentials
Taught by People Who Work in Fashion
Learn from Parsons School of Design (The New School) faculty alongside working professionals across fashion.
Built to Launch Your Career in Fashion, Not Just Your Knowledge
Real Industry Projects
Hands-on, project-based assignments grounded in how the fashion industry actually works.
Start Immediately
On-demand video lessons and projects you can begin the day you enroll.
Insider Expertise
Learn from Parsons School of Design faculty and working fashion professionals.
A Parsons Credential
Earn a certificate from Parsons, a credential employers recognize.
What You'll Be Able to Do
- Understand how the fashion industry works, from design to retail
- Define and articulate your unique visual style
- Develop a collection concept with the end customer in mind
- Build social media and digital marketing skills
- Prepare a portfolio, pitch, and professional network
- Differentiate yourself with a Parsons certificate
Skills You'll Gain
Build Your Portfolio
The course is built around hands-on projects, so you leave with real, portfolio-ready work, not just a certificate.
Unlocking Visual Style
Discover how fashion works as a visual medium that tells a story, and define your own point of view.
Thinking Like a Designer
Learn how collections come to life and why designing for the end customer is foundational.
Understanding Fashion Production
Follow a garment from design to the retail floor and the craft behind a collection.
Working in Fashion Media
Go inside fashion media, from editorial photography to building your social presence.
Fashion Marketing & PR Skills
Master the marketing, social, and PR skills driving the modern business of fashion.
The Full Fashion Curriculum
Each module is broken into short video lessons with assignments and hands-on projects you complete at your own pace.
Unlocking Visual Style
- Elements of visual styling
- Historical influences on fashion
- Defining your unique style
Thinking Like a Designer
- How collections are developed
- Designing for the end customer
- Turning inspiration into product
Understanding Fashion Production
- Bringing a collection to life
- Sizing and fit
- Sample making and photography
Working in Fashion Media
- Editorial photography and design
- Social media for fashion brands
- Preparing for internships and interviews
Developing Fashion Marketing and PR Skills
- How brands work with advertisers
- Building your portfolio and pitch
- Professional networking
Results, Not Just Lessons
This course is amazing. Trust me when I say, you are going to feel like you've been working in the fashion industry for years after this course.
Since starting the course, I have further developed my fashion label, focused on structured contemporary womenswear with an Italian craftsmanship foundation. The brand is expanding toward the U.S. market.
I have landed a styling partnership with Saks. I've also gained partnerships with multiple entities including an exotic car company, and have been hired as the lead stylist for upcoming runway shows.
Since taking the Fashion Industry Essentials course, I co-founded a blog called Friends From College with two of my fellow fashion school friends.
Since taking the course, I've realized that even though my resume isn't always fashion-focused, my experience and skills are leverage to break into the industry.
I currently work at Ann Taylor as a sales associate. My hope is that I can gain experience in visual merchandising, and that this can be a stepping stone for that goal.
I started my own marketing and design business! MANK Marketing & Design. I create websites, branding, and manage social media accounts.
Since I started the course, I also started as Multimedia Director of Interact Club Pachacamac, a Peruvian club sponsored by Rotary International. This course motivated me to change my career, and now I am studying Fashion Communication at the University of Palermo.
I accepted new freelance fashion writing work in addition to my business, Magnolia PR.
Choose How You Pay
Same full course either way: 5 modules, real industry projects, and your Parsons Certificate of Completion.
One-Time Payment
4 Monthly Payments
12 Monthly Payments
Have a discount code? Add it at checkout.
Frequently Asked Questions
Anyone passionate about fashion, whether already in the industry, switching careers, or heading into or out of college, who wants to build skills and stand out in a hyper-competitive field.
5 self-paced modules. Most learners finish in under 40 hours on their own schedule.
Yes. The course is 100% online and on-demand, so you can study on your own schedule from anywhere.
A non-credit Certificate of Completion from Parsons that you can add to your resume and LinkedIn profile.
No. The course starts with the fundamentals and is designed for newcomers as well as those already working in the field.
Yes. Request the course catalog and a program advisor can walk you through payment options and any current offers.
Fashion Industry Essentials includes five on-demand courses covering topics such as Unlocking Visual Style, Thinking Like a Designer, Working in Fashion Media, and Developing Fashion Marketing and PR Skills. Each course is 2 to 3 hours and is broken into shorter modules and activities that you complete at your own pace.
Courses are taught by Parsons School of Design faculty. You will also receive career insights from industry experts from Teen Vogue and other industry leaders.
By the end of the course, you will have developed skills and knowledge to help launch or advance a career in fashion, explored the various career paths in the industry, and identified your areas of passion. You will also receive a non-credit certificate from Parsons that you can add to your resume and LinkedIn profile.
Students must be at least 13 years old to enroll.
Enrollment includes unlimited access to all course videos and materials for one year from your enrollment date. If you need more time after that, you can pay a monthly subscription fee to extend your access.
Most major credit and debit cards are accepted, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and JCB. If you enroll outside the United States, tuition is charged in your local currency at the prevailing exchange rate.
You can withdraw within 24 hours of enrollment for a full refund. After that, you have up to 7 days to withdraw for a full refund minus a $100 cancellation fee. No refunds are issued after 7 days. Subscription plans can be canceled before your renewal date by emailing [email protected].
Tuition is $999 when paid in full. Two payment plans are also available at checkout: 4 monthly payments of $269 or 12 monthly payments of $99.
