Fashion Design at Drexel University

Fashion Design at Drexel University The program is ranked in the top four in the United States and 14th in the world.

Drexel's top-flight Fashion Design major is a studio-based, boutique-style program that trains the next generation of creative thinkers for the fashion industry. Students in Drexel’s Fashion Design program have the opportunity to study alongside dynamic educators with extensive industry experience, produce innovative designs in our well-equipped studios, and participate in Drexel’s world-renowned

co-op and study abroad programs. The culmination of the program is the Drexel Fashion Show, at which students showcase original garments and accessories for industry leaders. Students in Drexel’s Fashion Design undergraduate program receive a bachelor of science degree from one of the nation’s top universities located in the United States’ sixth largest city, with easy access to Philadelphia’s rich cultural and vibrant design scene.

Every spring quarter, our first-year fashion students take on a unique challenge in a specialized 3D design section. Stu...
05/18/2026

Every spring quarter, our first-year fashion students take on a unique challenge in a specialized 3D design section. Students construct garments entirely from recycled or unused repurposed materials. The first project focuses on sustainable practices and unconventional resources, pushing creativity while reducing waste.

The Garbage Gala is a first-year student fashion show planned, produced, and run completely by Westphal students. From concept to runway, fashion students showcase how sustainability and fashion can coexist.

Photography by

Congratulations to Fashion Design student Jillian Fleishman on being selected as a finalist in the 3D Design category o...
05/18/2026

Congratulations to Fashion Design student Jillian Fleishman on being selected as a finalist in the 3D Design category of The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s 2026 Costume Art Student Fashion Design Competition!

Jillian’s design was chosen as one of only ten finalists for the 3D and her work was displayed at The Met during the College Night event hosted by The Costume Institute. Originally developed in the Fashion Design I course with faculty mentor Autumn Kietponglert, Jillian’s concept celebrated the disabled body through the story of Persephone while creating a garment that is fully adaptive for a wheelchair user.

The award for 3D Fashion Design was presented by acclaimed designer , while the award for 2D Fashion Illustration was presented by renowned fashion illustrator

We are incredibly proud of Jillian for this outstanding accomplishment and honored to see Drexel Fashion Design represented at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.



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05/15/2026

Pop quiz! 😳
How well do fashion design students know the length of an inch? Watch the students take on this quick measurement check and see how they fare against other years! 📏

05/11/2026

The studio is where the magic happens. ✨

We went inside to meet the designers behind the work. From concept sketches to draping forms, every student is deep in their creative process. Take a look at what’s in the works this season. 🧵

For their final, students were challenged to illustrate three cohesive looks with the option of designing original garme...
04/23/2026

For their final, students were challenged to illustrate three cohesive looks with the option of designing original garments in the drawing style (“hand”) of an iconic costume designer: Ruth E. Carter, Bob Mackie, Deborah Nadoolman Landis, Christian Lacroix, Donfeld and Pablo Picasso.

Applying storytelling, character development, and performance context through illustration. From stage to screen to global tours, this semester’s concepts pushed a wide range of narratives and aesthetics—
✨K-pop demon hunters
✨Hamilton
✨Avatar: The Last Airbender
✨Swan Lake
✨Beyoncé tour concepts
✨The Sopranos
…and more.

Students explored how illustration becomes astorytelling tool, translating research, silhouette, texture, and movement into visually compelling costume concepts.

Thank you to our guest critic, Alisha Lawrence, who is a Assistant Costume Designer at Marvel Studios working Ruth Carter. A strong finish to the winter quarter and an exciting look at the next generation of potential costume designers!

04/18/2026

April 6th, the Drexel Fashion Design community came together for an afternoon of tote bag decorating. Transforming blank canvases into personalized expressions of style, identity, and creativity.

Each design reflected the individuality that makes our creative community so inspiring. Events like these remind us that design doesn’t only happen in the studio but through collaboration, experimentation, and connection.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and brought their ideas to life ✨

Stay tuned for more community events from the Fashion Design Leadership team!

Behind the Costumes of She DancesJoin us for a special guest speaker event with alumna & costume designer Brittany Ann C...
03/30/2026

Behind the Costumes of She Dances

Join us for a special guest speaker event with alumna & costume designer Brittany Ann Cormack, whose work brings storytelling to life on screen.

Brittany will share insights into her career in film, her experience designing for “She Dances” and what it takes to break into the costume design industry.

URBN 125
Thursday, April 2
4:00–5:00 PM

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of our own and go behind the scenes of a feature film!

CreativeCareers

03/06/2026

Sounds of the Studio 🎨✏️

The Sophomores switched things up in the studio. Instead of traditional drawing tools, they experimented with loose gesture drawings of our models using yardsticks and sponges taped together. The unexpected tools led to bold, expressive marks and a lot of energy in the room.

✨ We love experimenting with different approaches to drawing, it pushes students out of their comfort zones, loosens up their mark-making, and helps spice up the studio from time to time. Sometimes the best creativity happens when the tools are a little unconventional.

Inside the Portfolio I Studio Juniors & 2nd-year grad students in Portfolio I studied garments by designers like James G...
02/26/2026

Inside the Portfolio I Studio 

Juniors & 2nd-year grad students in Portfolio I studied garments by designers like James Galanos and Geoffrey Beene to inform construction, embellishment, print, and silhouette as they build curated collections for their final portfolios. 

This kind of hands-on research helps students develop: 
✔️ Design thinking 
✔️ Construction knowledge 
✔️ Visual storytelling 
✔️ Professional portfolios 

We believe great designers are built through experience not just lectures. 

02/25/2026

✨Our Fashion Design students took learning beyond the classroom with a visit to the Fox Historic
Costume Collection study room!

Sophomore students in Fashion Drawing explored fashion illustration by:

🎨 , , , and

…then brought Stipelman’s expressive painting style into their midterm projects using
Season 5 as a creative muse.

We are beyond ecstatic to have to access to authentic and real artistry! ✨


02/24/2026

Take a look around some seniors’ lockers as they work towards their final thesis showcase! ✨🪡📏

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3501 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA
19104

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