Footwear Business Foundations

FOOTWEAR BUSINESS FOUNDATIONS COURSE

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Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) faculty, together with insiders and experts from Footwear News and other leading brands, help you learn how to build a successful footwear company. Our footwear business course includes lessons on navigating the footwear production cycle, analyzing footwear industry trends, sourcing & costing materials, communicating with factories, and understanding the modern customer.
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100% ONLINE

Accelerate Your Career

Self-paced assignments and industry projects to reinforce learnings and help develop skills in critical areas, including:

  • Product Development
  • Costing & Sourcing
  • Brand Identity
  • Retail Management
  • Data-driven Retail

Enter your email to get a sneak peek video of the course.

NYU
96% of our students would recommend this program to a friend
Curriculum
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Learn about the history and evolution of the footwear business, and understand the stages of the footwear production cycle from ideation to manufacturing, supply chain, and creating a cohesive collection for a specific consumer demographic.
Understand the footwear production process, beginning from a shoe prototype to how it’s sold in stores while learning how to set price points, size grading, and footwear sustainability practices.
Develop a brand story by examining the decisions behind the branding process — from naming the brand to presenting consumers with a consistent brand identity using labeling and web-based marketing.
Discover different strategies businesses use to find their consumers in wholesale, direct-to-consumer, or app-based opportunities and the real marketing opportunities for brand awareness, merchandising or communication.
Learn what it takes to become a successful footwear entrepreneur — from managing relationships with retailers, trade show opportunities, ecommerce operations, approaches to pop-up shops, and distribution plans.
Become a footwear entrepreneur.
On YOUR schedule.

The program includes 5 online course modules and related skill-building activities. Each module is 3-5 hours and is broken into several shorter lessons that students complete at their own pace. In addition, upon completion of the footwear business course, students earn a non-credit certificate of completion from FIT.

LEARN THE BUSINESS

Get insider access to the footwear business from leading academic and business experts with on-demand video lessons, and develop real-world skills through self-paced projects and assignments.

ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS

Learn about the various career paths in the footwear business and what it takes to become a footwear entrepreneur through first-hand tips from the biggest names in the industry.

BOOST YOUR CAREER

Earn a Certificate of Achievement in Footwear Business Foundations from the world-renowned FIT to add to your profile and help you stand out from the rest.

Instructors and Industry Experts
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Sarah Mullins
Sarah MullinsAsst. Chair, Footwear & Accessories Design Program, FIT
Jessica Rich
Jessica RichCEO & Shoe Designer, Jessica Rich
Sam Edelman
Sam EdelmanFounder, Sam Edelman Shoes
Sarah Flint
Sarah FlintFounder & Designer, Sarah Flint Designer Shoes
Dee Ocleppo - Hilfiger
Dee Ocleppo - HilfigerFashion Designer & Entrepreneur
Matt Priest
Matt PriestPresident & CEO, Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America
Chris Wichert
Chris WichertCo-Founder, KOIO
Gregg Woodcock
Gregg WoodcockAdjunct Professor, FIT
Michael Atmore
Michael AtmoreChief Brand Officer, Fairchild Media Group; Editorial Director, Footwear News
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What Students Say About Yellowbrick Programs –
I gained insight from experts about how the industry really works.
Leedia LagaresFootwear Business Foundations Grad
"[I learned] being myself is the best marketing key."
Oscar PachecoFootwear Business Foundations Grad
I have been able to get more interviews with fashion and sneaker companies.
Tiffany
TiffanySneakers Essentials Grad
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Enter your email to get a free sneak peek, course catalog, and career guide.

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