University of Fashion
 | |
| Web address |
www |
|---|---|
| Slogan | Master design one step at a time |
| Commercial? | Yes |
| Registration | Yes |
| Available in | English |
| Owner | Francesca Sterlacci |
| Launched | 4 July 2013 |
| Current status | Online |
University of Fashion (also known as U of F) is an online library of fashion design videos. The website is owned and operated by Francesca Sterlacci and features video tutorials in fashion business and five disciplines: draping, pattern making, sewing, fashion art and product development.[1] It does not provide a graduation degree program.[1]
Background
Sterlacci felt that fashion design was declining in the US due to companies moving off-shore and she wanted to promote fashion design education. She got the idea of launching University of Fashion while teaching at Fashion Institute of Technology and the Academy of Art University and felt that students "didn’t want to rely on books; they wanted videos." [1] In 2013, she launched the website.
Prior to starting the website, Sterlacci was a professor and chair at the Fashion Institute of Technology and taught graduate level fashion design at the Academy of Art University.[2] By the end of 2013, Sterlacci had filmed 125 videos for the website.[1]
Website
The website is owned and operated by Francesca Sterlacci and as of 2013, Sterlacci and her husband funded the venture privately. Sterlacci plans to partner with colleges which would allow them to buy subscriptions and the library would become available to students through the college library.[1]
The website features video tutorials in draping, pattern making, sewing, fashion art, product development, trend forecasting and color theory[3] and are available on three levels: beginner, intermediate and advanced.[4] The tutorials are made by professors from Fashion Institute of Technology and Parsons The New School for Design and other institutes. Aside from the tutorials, the website also provides tours of fashion museums, store events and other fashion venues.[5]
The user can sign-up as a member and watch a few free videos or purchase a monthly or a yearly subscription.[6] The monthly subscription costs $19.95 and the yearly subscription costs $145.[7] There is also a group/school video license.[4]
Association of Sewing and Design Professionals (ASDP) and some fashion schools use the University of Fashion library as a supplemental resource tool.[8]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Fashion Industry Veteran Launches Online Library of Design Video Tutorials". Fashionista. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
- ↑ "Special Courses". Retrieved 22 March 2014.
- ↑ "diy your entire fall wardrobe". Seventeen. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
- 1 2 "Fashion Design the Focus of New Online Education Portal". Women's Wear Daily. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
- ↑ "Introducing the University of Fashion". All Thing Fashion. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
- ↑ "University of Fashion". Vogue Patterns. March 2014.
- ↑ "New fashion industry-oriented online education". Threads Magazine. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
- ↑ "Online "University" Teaches All About Fashion Design". Accessories Magazine. Retrieved 22 March 2014.