Intimate Apparel & Swimwear Certificate

Create your own factory ready design

student looking at swimwear in showroom

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This in-depth certificate course will prepare students with an intimates and swimwear background of learnings. Students will continue with the how to’s, encompassing each student’s unique design, and fulfilling everything from the product development, production, and shipping the garments to the retail markets.

This certificate course is great for any fashion professional that wants to learn the Intimates/Swim market,  any newcomer that wants to learn the basics of Intimates/Swim design in order to bring their ideas to market, and students that like hands-on learning in small groups taught by professionals working in the industry.

*If you think you are eligible for the 10% Alumni Discount, please complete the Alumni Verification Form prior to registration in order to receive your discount code.

student drawing a pattern

Learn How To

  • Use the terminology and fabrics 
  • Make a pattern and the basics of design
  • Drape, make TechPacks, and BOM’s
  • Hand-off an entire package ready for the factory to create an individual design

Outline

Why FIT?

  • Classes taught by top industry experts
  • Leave with a factory design package ready for production
  • Earn a certificate from FIT/SUNY, a world renowned college of art and design, business and technology

Meet Your Instructors

Camille Block

Camille Block
Consultant for apparel startups

An experienced Senior VP of merchandising and design with a demonstrated history of working in the apparel and fashion industry for brands such as Victoria's Secret, Warner’s, and Vanity Fair.

Skilled in Design, Fit, Trend Analysis, Luxury Goods, Trend Forecasting, Merchandising, Sketching. A strong marketing professional...graduated from Empire State College, BA, and Fashion Institute of Technology, AAS (Fashion Design). Experienced as an Adjunct Professor with FIT, teaching intimates (fitting & line planning). Currently teaching for FIT (CCPS) and for the past 18 years.

Ms. Block has a consultancy working with startups in the Intimates and Swim industries. She is proud to produce garments in the heart of the garment center in New York City.

Irene Mak

Irene Mak
Consultant for apparel startups

Irene Mak is a creative and strategic expert in product development and technical design execution of refined clothing for retail. Irene's career foundation is based in Lingerie and Seventh Avenue Designer Collections focusing on dresses and sportswear. She specialized in private label product development for major retailers such as New York and Company, Anthropologie, Victoria's Secret, and American Eagle Outfitters, and has traveled the globe extensively with experience in international and domestic vertical manufacturing.

As Vice President of Technical Design at American Eagle Outfitters, she managed multiple technical design teams for branded retail businesses including AEO, Aerie, Martin + Osa, and Bluenotes-Canada. During Irene's tenure, overall business grew from $200 Million to $3 Billion and from 200 to 900 retail stores in 14 years. She now consults for apparel startups focusing on "Made in New York" and "Made in USA".

Irene acknowledges her responsibility to the industry by grooming future talents in fashion. Her teaching career began in 1989 at Parsons School of Design and continues today at the Fashion Institute of Technology, the Center for Continuing Professional Studies.

Bernard Kahn

Bernard Kahn
AAS; BS; MAOM; Assistant Adjunct Professor, Production Management, Fashion Institute of Technology; and Assistant Professor, Marketing Design, Parsons School of Design

Having taught credit and noncredit at FIT since 1980, with over 45 years of experience in the fashion industry from product development to production, to marketing and technology, Mr. Kahn has experience in every fashion venue from men’s, to women’s to children’s, swimwear and intimates, sportswear, denim, formal wear, outerwear, accessories, home fashions, military, and more. Mr. Kahn not only teaches sustainability, but resides on a small ranch with a near-zero carbon footprint.

An accomplished tailor, Mr. Kahn is currently in all product development technologies as well as administrator for FIT’s PLM system serving over 700 new users each semester. Mr. Kahn has consulted companies large and small, both domestic and overseas for over 35 years.

Outline

MODULE 1:

  • Certificate overview.  Synopsis of Intimates and Swim.
  • Terminologies.  HTM on body, mannequins.  TP’s and BOM’s.
  • Fittings, sizing.  Different bodies of bras and swimwear.
  • Fabrics, cups, molds
  • Components: Hardware, Elastics, Laces, Embroideries
  • MOQ’s
  • Overview of Intimates & Swimwear markets
  • Retail, Pricing, White Space, Customer ID
  • Muse, Social Media, Shopping
  • Mood Boards & Inspirations
  • Review of Researched Materials and Garments
  • Relate back to learnings of Fabrics, Laces and Trims
  • Sustainable Sourcing
  • Fabrics/Trims
  • Countries
  • Why and How

MODULE 2:

  • Block Patterns – How to use
  • Patternmaking, Draping, Manipulation of Blocks
  • ID a bra for purchase
  • Take apart a Bra to execute a pattern
  • Learn to trace and transfer pattern
  • Size Grading Analysis & Methods.  TP’s, Grade Rules & Theories
  • Technical Design
  • Review TP set ups with HTM & POM’s
  • How to develop these garments
  • How to Assemble Garments. Construction, Seams, Threads, SPI
  • Take Patterns & Learnings into development
  • Execute patterns
  • Complete TP’s
  • Learn to interface & hand-off product development to sample room and factory

Center for Continuing and Professional Studies (CCPS)

FIT's CCPS offers credit and noncredit certificates and courses in fashion, business, design, technology, and marketing, to help you enter into or advance your career in the fashion and related industries. With short programs and flexible schedules, you can learn at a time and pace you can manage and afford.