About

At the Kent State University School of Fashion, we revel in the creativity and confidence of our students. We believe you should be able to showcase your talent, which is why our fashion design and merchandising majors have the chance apply to apply their skills and innovation in real-world settings. This authentic experience has earned the school a consistent ranking among the best fashion programs in the world.

When you study at the Kent State University School of Fashion, you’ll have access to unique resources including the TechStyleLAB, which is equipped with an array of digital design and production technologies. You can also use our dedicated fashion library with nearly 4,000 print and multimedia titles. 

The School of Fashion shares its Rockwell Hall home with the Kent State University Museum. Here you’ll find one of the largest fashion- and design-focused collections in the country for inspiration.

Gain Global Work Experience

Your study experience will extend beyond the Kent campus. Our, students hone their professional skills through immersive industry internships. You will also expand your creative vision through study away opportunities in New York, Florence, Paris, London, Germany, South Korea, Hong Kong and Los Angeles. In fact, we are the only U.S. fashion school that requires all undergraduates to complete both an internship and study away experience before graduation. That’s one of the reasons why we offer more study-away options than any other school in the country.

Our applied programs set up our students for success. Over 90% of our graduates find related employment in less than a year. More than 5,000 alumni are currently working for the world’s most recognized fashion brands. 

Our Roots in Fashion

Our school was established in 1983 as the Shannon Rodgers and Jerry Silverman School of Fashion Design and Merchandising at Kent State University. It has gone on to be named an Ohio Center of Excellence by the state Board of Regents. The school is also a member institution of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), International Foundation of Fashion Technology Institutes (IFFTI) and National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).

Learn About the Kent State School of Fashion

School Information

Fashion By The Numbers

See the Facts and Figures that show the success that we bring our students.

  • Facilities

    Facilities

    From our TechStyleLAB to reservable studio spaces, The School of Fashion offers state-of-the-art facilities to support the next generation of fashion professionals.  

  • Donors & Friends

    Donors & Friends

    We aim to give our students a well-rounded experience of the fashion industry. If you would like to give back to the next generation of fashion professionals with opportunities, we’d love to hear from you.

  • Annual Fashion Show

    Annual Fashion Show

    The 2024 Annual Fashion Show featured 171 looks from 42 designers whose collections and single-submission garments were chosen by a panel of industry critics and jurors for inclusion in this year’s show. The collections and garments spanned all categories of fashion and include evening wear, market ready, universal design and more. With 24 students on the production team, a total of 215 students were involved in the show.