Careers
The career opportunities are limitless with a bachelor's degree in Apparel, Retail Merchandising and Design because the apparel textile industries are made up of companies that produce fibers, yarns, textiles and apparel, and accessory products for industrial, wholesale and individual consumers around the world. This degree can help prepare you for many positions, including:
- Fashion buyers
- Sourcing specialists
- Product developers
- Visual merchandisers
- Technical designers
- E-commerce developers
- Fashion entrepreneurs
- Social media specialists
- Retail managers
- Fashion forecasters
- Stylists
- Store managers
- Interior merchandisers
Graduates work for companies such as Target, Kohl's, Scheels, Macy's, Evereve, Best Buy, Nordstrom, The Gap, The Buckle, Duluth Trading Company, and Nike, to name a few.
“It helped me understand the business side of retail and what all has to come together to be successful. Manning from the production of product to buying product to the sales of product.”
- Amber Barth, Class of 2010.
Get to Know Our Alumni
Our alumni have secured noteworthy positions across the spectrum of the industry and across the globe.
Britta Cabanos
Britta Cabanos studied Apparel and Textiles at NDSU and Fashion Design at F.I.T. in New York City. She has over 25 years of experience as a swim and athletic apparel Designer & Director at Creative Capital Design, the design studio she co-founded with her partner. Past work includes designing for Tommy Hilfiger, DKNY, Champion, Nike, Inc. Perry Ellis, Jantzen, Zumba and Engine Swim in Australia. She is currently a consultant for clients in NYC, California and Portland. Britta is a gifted designer and maker with technical expertise and skill to design each collection at both the macro and micro levels. She is the Founder & Chief Editor at InsideFashionDesign.net. IFD is a global online resource for the apparel industry with the vision to inspire, inform & connect creative thinkers, makers and brands. Britta overseas all IFD content development, producing design and development workshops, behind the scenes stories, mini-documentaries and major industry events. Britta also works with interns and serves as a mentor to students at the high school and college level.
Keyona Elkins
I’m from Dickinson, North Dakota and graduated from the Apparel, Retail Merchandising and Design program at NDSU in May 2017. During my time at NDSU, I participated in the Fashion, Apparel & Business Organization and was a coordinator for the FABO fashion show my senior year. I also took advantage of ARMD study tours to New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Minneapolis. I completed my internship at Fashion Snoops, a trend forecasting company in New York City. After graduation, I was hired at Target HQ in Minneapolis as an Associate Technical Designer in RTW apparel. In this role, I create tech packs and fit samples to manage the fit, quality and construction of our garments.
See Spectrum article featuring Keyona ⇒
Learn more about the work of a technical designer ⇒
Katie Zueger
Katie received her bachelor’s degree in Apparel, Retail Merchandising and Design with honors from North Dakota State University in May 2017. She completed an internship with the NDSU Bookstore in the Clothing & Gift Department working alongside the Clothing & Gift Buyers during the summer of 2017. She currently works as the Assistant Buyer in Clothing & Gift / Offsite Sales Coordinator at the NDSU Bookstore. She oversees the NDSU Bookstores offsite sales locations, including football game sales at the Fargodome, basketball game sales at the SHAC, along with other offsite sales events. She is involved with volunteering at a local animal shelter and is an alumna of Kappa Delta Sorority.
Alumni in Graduate School
Our alumni are prepared to pursue graduate degrees in several different majors. A master’s degree in merchandising will help you deliver the right product or service to the consumer in the right place, in the right quantities, at the right time and the right price. Watch the video below to learn about Katie’s experience as a graduate student in the Great Plains IDEA Merchandising program.
Kick-start your passion!
Apparel, Retail Merchandising, and Design Program Coordinator
Jaeha Lee
E. Morrow Lebedeff Hall 308D
Fargo, ND 58108-6050
Phone: 701-231-8220
Fax: 701-231-5273
Email: jaeha.lee@ndsu.edu
