Before
the Middle Ages, fashion consisted of how strong a soldier’s
armor was, but today an assortment of styles make front-page news.
The Fashion Technology Center at the Transmountain Campus is one step
of many that students will take before entering a career in the fashion
design industry.
According to Patricia Winstead, fashion technology instructor, the
FT lab started in the late 1970’s when the school first opened,
but has flourished recently with the advancements in technology.
“I can’t teach the way I taught 25 years ago,” said
Winstead. Due to the new technology, and ever-changing business models,
she
must keep students on their toes.
Special programs such as Computer Aided Apparel Design allow students
to create more visually before cut and sew time. The lab ranges from
about 10-15 students per class. Students from 40 different majors
take the classes.
Approximately 85 thousand dollars of software came from Gerber, like
Fashion Studio Plus, a textile to product type software. This program
was designed to prepare students to work in the following fields:
apparel design, apparel manufacture, wholesale, retail, product display,
sales promotion, advertising, fashion show production and fashion
illustration.
Upon
completion of a two-year Associate of Applied Science Degree students
can transfer their credits to universities.
Students must learn to think globally, said Winstead. They must learn
every aspect of fashion like how different time eras have different
styles, what’s culturally and socially acceptable, as well as
to be persistent and accurate in their projects.
So far, two EPCC Fashion Technology students have won prestigious
scholarships, such as the Paris Award only given to two students annually.
“It’s fascinating, but people think it’s easy,”
said Winstead. “It’s demanding. You can’t be off
by a sixth of an inch so it keeps you on your 
toes
all the time.”
Most fashion revolves around time, money and politics. “What
I love most about the program is that students must be compulsive
learners and must know politics,” she said. One of the latest
trends in fashion has been clothing made for charities, such as Cancer
Awareness, to allow them to raise funds.
Jaqueline Magee, full-time fashion design student was given the opportunity
to share her projects with the TM Campus with a display for Breast
Cancer Awareness Month. The all-pink display consists not only of
information for students to read, but also of handmade projects by
Magee such as a dress, handbag, cross-stitch and background.
Winstead was proud that companies seek her students for jobs. She
said that many brand-name labels seek pattern makers locally.
“If
you learn a foundation and are willing to work, and it is a lot of
work, those who make it to the top, have a lot of career potential,”
Winstead said “It’s amazing how a real, hard-working,
serious student can make over $60,000 a year, even in El Paso.”
Photos
by Leslie Council
