Fashion Merchandising A Runway Success at Small Private School

By Nick Davis
BACK BAY— On Beacon Street amid a row of brownstones there is a blue flag with a white crest. It's the flag of Fisher College, one of the city's smallest colleges.

Since 1903, Fisher has evolved from an all-women’s school that focused on traditional vocational preparation; It became an accredited two-year college in the mid-1950’s, and in 1988 became a private four-year co-ed college offering a bachelor of
science degree in five concentrations relating to business management.

In the last few years, Fisher's student population has surged because of its four-year Management programs.

“When students look to go on to other schools after our two year program, some of the classes taken will not necessarily receive credit at other four, year institutions,” said Seth Woods, an assistant director of admissions at Fisher College. “Because many of our four-year degree programs mirror our two-year degree programs students have been more inclined to stay.”

The most popular study concentrations for students in the four-year management program are hospitality, tourism, and fashion-merchandising, Woods said.

When the fashion-merchandising program was first offered in the 2005-2006 school year, 20 students enrolled. The class had 17 returning students from the two-year associate degree program and three new students. During the 2006-2007 school year, the number of fashion-merchandising students enrolled climbed to 45 students, with 33 Fisher returning students and 12 new students.

“Ever since the program began there has been a great deal of interest within the fashion program,” said Martha Palaza, an assistant professor at Fisher College, who teaches fashion design and fashion merchandising at Fisher. “I think fashion shows like Project Runway and shows that are on MTV have made young people more aware that they can pursue a career in fashion.”

The school hosts its own annual fashion show on Saturday, April 12, in Alumni Hall located at 116 Beacon Street. Along with 13 student designers, many of the looks walking the runway will include clothes and accessories from prominent fashion designers such as Cache, Max Rave, and David’s Bridal, Palaza said. For more ticket and event information, please visit www.fisher.edu.