Careers, Internships, and Cooperative Study

Careers
From fashion designer to stylist to visual merchandiser to buyer, there are hundreds of careers in our industry. Here are a few career choices for ADM graduates.

• Fashion Designer
• Fashion Stylist
• Patternmaker / Pattern Designer
• Textile Designer / Engineer
• Public Relations
• Fashion Event Planner
• Visual Merchandiser
• Retail Store Buyer
• Piece Goods / Fabric Buyer
• Small Business Owner
• Trend Forecaster
• Merchandiser
• Fashion Forecaster
• Promotions Director
• District / Regional Store Manager
• Sourcing Manager
• Production Manager
• Fashion Photographer
• Fashion Costumer
• Quality Assurance Analyst
• Museum Curator / Director

Average Salaries of Popular ADM Careers

• Fashion Designer – $33,170 - $125,270
• Retail Store Buyer – $71,016 - $103,178
• Fashion Stylist – $35,059 - $79,463
• Visual Merchandiser – $26,609-$55,927
• Small Business Owner – $34,392 - $105,757

Our ADM students work with global and regional fashion companies, from Richmond, Kentucky to Barcelona, Spain. Here are a few places our ADM students are employed:

• Sash & Bow Boutique, Entrepreneur / Boutique Owner, Lexington, KY
• House by JSD, Owner / Designer, Lexington, KY
• Ralph Lauren, Brand Manager / Retail Development – Men’s & Children’s Division, Lexington, KY
• Chico’s, FAS, Merchant, Ft. Meyer, FL
• Victoria’s Secret, Senior Marketing Coordinator, Columbus, OH
• Bath & Body Works, Product Manager, Columbus, OH
• Altar’d State, Store Manager, Lexington, KY
• Altar’d State - Corporate, Marketing Coordinator / Store Operations, Knoxville, TN
• Urban Outfitters, Store Merchandising Manager, Washington, DC
• Cincinnati Art Museum, Curatorial Assistant – Fashion, Arts, and Textiles, Cincinnati, OH
• Yoox Net-A-Porter Group, Recruiter, New York, NY

• GTM Sportswear, Product Development Assistant, Manhattan, KS

• Fecheimer Brothers Company, E-Commerce Marketing Specialist, Blue Ash, OH

• Amazon, Assistant Fashion Stylist, Shepherdsville, KY

Internships & Cooperative Study
Did you know that 95% of employers say experience is a factor in hiring decisions, and more than half of employers want new-graduate experience to come from internships? Internships allow ADM students the opportunity to gain valuable work experience, network, develop and build industry skills, and understand new or exciting components of the fashion industry.  

In ADM 349: Cooperative Study: Apparel, ADM students will complete an internship typically during their sophomore year. The course can be completed for .5 to 8 credit hours. In the 6-credit hour course, ADM 414: Apparel Design and Merchandising Practicum, ADM students will complete an industry internship during their junior or senior academic year. Students may complete either course during the fall or spring semesters, though most students opt for a summer internship. Internships are based upon student interest and intended career, and may be completed locally, nationally, or abroad.

Our ADM students have interned with global and regional fashion companies, from Richmond, Kentucky to Barcelona, Spain. Here are a few places our ADM students have interned:

•  Amazon, Fashion Stylist, Shepherdsville, KY
• Tom James Company, Custom Clothier, Lexington, KY
• Polly Singer Couture, Millinery / Hat Design Intern, Lexington, KY
• Magic Trade Show, Intern, Las Vegas, NV
• Altar’d State – Corporate Office, Visual Merchandising, Knoxville, TN
• Academy Sports – Corporate Office, Product Development, Dallas, TX
• Fashion Marketing, Barcelona, Spain
• White House / Black Market – Corporate Office, Merchandising, Ft. Meyers, FL
• Harper’s Baazar, Magazine Intern, New York, NY
• Magaschoni, Fashion Marketing, New York, NY
• Michael Kors – Flagship Store, Merchandising and Sales, New York, NY

Careers, Cooperative Study, and Internships Fast Facts

Did you know…?

• EKU’s Apparel Design & Merchandising program is the only fashion program in Kentucky that allows students two opportunities for industry work experience for credit.
• Employers say our graduates have an excellent work ethic, and product knowledge. Employers appreciate our students prior work and internship experiences, and that our classes include hands-on experience rather than just traditional lectures, allowing our students to apply course content prior to obtaining a job. 
• The clothing and textiles industry accounts for the largest job sector in the world, with hundreds of careers to choose from.