Fashion Studies has collaborated with Interactive Arts and Media to create a hybrid course of study designed to expose students to the intersections of fashion and the video game industry. The purpose of the minor is to provide introductory interdisciplinary contexts for understanding fashion for game art, character concepts and character designs. The purpose of the program is not to create fashion majors with comprehensive character design abilities, nor is it to create game artists who can personally construct fashion products. Instead, the goal is to increase cross-industry knowledge for both types of students and those in related disciplines so that they mutually understand conceptual and practical opportunities at the convergence of fashion with game art. The minor will emphasize dexterity in cross-functional team collaborations using problem-based learning, industry partnerships, and other methods. Exposures can encompass outlets ranging from outfit design through gameplay (e.g. Destiny II) to using games and gameplay for future-imagining (e.g. SolarPunk). There is also a DEI component to the program, since fashion may drive more women and BIPOC artists and designers to careers in the video game industry.

As a result of successfully completing program requirements, students should be able to:

• apply the fundamentals of fashion garment construction to game development and 3D modeling/animation;
• identify software tools for creating digital outfits and create digital wardrobes in virtual communities;
• identify conceptual and practical opportunities for linking Fashion Design and Game Art;
• solve industry problems through cross-functional collaborations; and
• examine DEI issues related to the impact of fashion on game role-play, identity, ethics, group behavior, competition, gender, race and aesthetics.