Rhode Island may be America’s smallest state by land size, but it has a big fashion scene that offers top-tier fashion training programs, multiple Fashion Week Events, and high-end shopping venues from Pawtucket to Newport. First, the state hosts Rhode Island Fashion Week, Rhode Island Fashion Concert, and the ELLE Magazine and Rhode Island School of Design’s (RISD) “Fashion Next” competition.
Next, the state’s shopping scene offers everything form high-end designer studios to consignment shops to funky boutiques to malls and department stores. Some of the most popular places to shop can be found in cities such as Providence—the largest city in the state, followed by Warwick, Cranston, and Pawtucket. Just a few popular places to shop include Providence Place Mall and Garden City Center in Cranston. Although much smaller than Providence and Cranston, the city of Newport is also considered a shopper’s paradise.
Newport is home to dozens of boutiques, jewelry shops, and resort clothing stores as well as art galleries, antique shops, and unusual gift shops. While most of the action takes place in downtown Newport’s historic waterfront shopping district, you can still find other places to shop, such as RK Newport Towne Center, which houses retailers such as Old Navy and TJ Maxx. The Center sits on the outskirts of town.
If Rhode Island sounds like a good place to start your fashion design career, continue reading to find out more about the state’s best schools for aspiring fashion designers and what they have to offer.
Rhode Island Fashion Schools
Rhode Island is home to a small, but diverse collection of postsecondary institutions ranging from traditional colleges and universities to art and design schools. Many are located in Providence, while others can be found in smaller cities and towns such as Kingston (University of Rhode Island), Warwick (New England Institute of Technology), and Bristol (Roger Williams University). The following schools are the best options for aspiring fashion designers.
Kingston
University of Rhode Island – Degrees Offered: B.S. Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design (TMD) with an option in Fashion Merchandising, Apparel Studies, Textile Science, or Interior Furnishings and Design, B.S. Textile Marketing, M.S. Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design; Double Major in TMD and Fashion Language (French and Italian), Minor in Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design (TMD), Fashion Merchandising certificate, Master Seamstress Program
Providence
Johnson & Wales University – Degrees Offered: B.S. Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design (TMD) with an option in Fashion Merchandising, Apparel Studies, Textile Science, or Interior Furnishings and Design, B.S. Textile Marketing, M.S. Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design; Double Major in TMD and Fashion Language (French and Italian), Minor in Textiles, Fashion Merchandising and Design (TMD), Fashion Merchandising certificate, Master Seamstress Program
Providence
Rhode Island School of Design – Degrees Offered: B.F.A. Apparel Design, B.F.A. Textiles, B.F.A. Jewelry and Metalsmithing, M.F.A. Textiles, M.F.A Jewelry and Metalsmithing
More Programs to Consider:
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Employment and Salary Trends for Rhode Island Fashion Designers
Rhode Island-based fashion designers work in retail, fashion merchandising, apparel design, technical production, textile design, pattern making, and administration sales (textiles). In 2006, the state was home to 30 salaried fashion designers, averaging $63,570 per year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has not reported figures for Rhode Island-based fashion designers since 2006, but the state is surely home to dozens of designers, and other fashion professionals, that may work for a company or independently.
The Bureau did report figures for the state’s fashion merchandise displayers. Rhode Island is home to around 190 salaried displayers, averaging $36,310 per year. The U.S. is home to a whopping 73,490 salaried merchandise displayers overall, up from 62,580 in 2006. They earn an average mean annual salary of $28,860, up from $26,550 in 2006. The highest paid merchandise displayers earn an average salary of $43,940 yearly and the lowest paid displayers average $17,940 per year.
The Bureau projects a 10.4 percent increase in employment for fashion designers nationwide for the 2010-2020 decade. Average salaries are on the rise as well. In 2006, the annual mean wage for fashion designers nationwide was $69,270. A news release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics dated March 29, 2013 states that the average mean wage for fashion designers today is $72,620 per year.
While it is possible to find employment in the fashion industry in many Rhode Island cities, some of the best opportunities can be found in Providence, Warwick (second largest city), Cranston (third largest), Pawtucket (fourth largest), and East Providence (fifth largest). Be sure to check out Rhode Island’s popular tourist towns as well—especially Newport, which welcomes more than 4 million tourists each year.
