Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design + Product Development

Dare to create original works while learning about all aspects of the fashion business and tapping into our extensive alumnae network.

The Stephens College B.F.A. in Fashion Design and Product Development is one of the best in the world, ranking alongside programs at SCAD, F.I.T., and Parsons.

Program Reputation

• The Business of Fashion, London calls Stephens College one of the Best Fashion Schools in the World 2019. The program ranks high for the learning experience, based on the quality of teaching and resources available, and long-term value, based on students’ preparedness for the real world.
• Stephens is one of 20 schools in the country — and one of very few in the Midwest — invited to the Council of Fashion Designers of America educational initiatives, connecting our faculty and students to high-level industry organizations.
• Our students consistently earn scholarships from the Fashion Scholarship Fund and Fashion Group International.
• Fashion-Schools.org ranks Stephens the No. 15 Private Fashion Design School in the U.S.

The Collections

Showcase your best works at The Collections, our annual student designer fashion show, a dynamic runway event established in 1944. This juried event provides opportunities to show your work in front of a sold-out audience and working industry professionals.

Networking Opportunities

Interact with top industry professionals who visit Stephens every year, including prestigious designers invited by the Jeannene Booher Fashion Lecture Series. Stephens recently hosted Project Runway judge Brandon Maxwell; former Project Runway contest and alumna Amy Bond ’92; and Becca McClaren-Tran of Chromat, among others.

Hands-on with Fashion History

Be inspired by our Historic Costume Museum + Research Library (CMRL), featuring more than 13,000 pieces including designer garments from fashion icons Bill Blass, Chanel, Oscar de la Renta, and Valentino.

Notable Alumnae

• Mary Eifert ’15, Associate Designer, White House Black Market, Ft. Myers, Florida
• Bea Barton Fuller ’04, Director Advanced Concepts, Basketball Footwear, Adidas, Portland, Oregon
• Stacey Hansen ’96, Technical Development Director, Nike, Beaverton, Oregon
• Brandy (Gann) Hanson, VP Technical Design, Abercrombie & Fitch, Columbia, Ohio
• Michelle Fifis ’02, Founder, Pattern Observer, Asheville, North Carolina
• Helen Jean ’02, Interim Curator, Fashion Design, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, Arizona
• Camille Palmer ’04, Senior Technical Designer/3D Specialist, PVH, New York, New York
• Sophie Ranek ’19, Assistant Designer, Weissman Theatrical Supplies, St. Louis, Missouri
• Maggie Robey ’08, Product Developer, Byer California, San Francisco, California
• Tobie Roberts ’18, Production and Development Manager, Pleiades, Lafayette, Colorado
• Gretchen Roehrs ’12, Art Director & Product Manager, Rothy’s, San Francisco, California
• Britt Wallace ’12, Swimwear Designer, O’Neill, Los Angeles, California
• Katherine Woodruff ’12, Film/TV Costumer, Nashville, Tennessee
• Jane Zachritz ’11, Designer, Bernard Chaus Inc., New York, New York

Our Mission + Commitment

Founded in 1833, Stephens College is an institution committed to its mission to Learn. Grow. Lead. Stephens is resilient and optimistic, faithful to her traditions, and eager to embrace the future. Focused on the health sciences, performing arts, and integrative studies, Stephens continues to prepare graduates (whether from our undergraduate residential college, co-educational graduate programs, or 90-year-strong Children’s School) for the lives that await them — lives of distinction, integrity, and service.

A Mission That Guides Us

Stephens College is proud to be the second-oldest women’s college in the country. Shaped by our Ten Ideals, we stand in service to generation after generation of Stephens students.

Our Mission:

Learn. Grow. Lead.

Our Vision:

Inspired by its tradition as an undergraduate women’s college, Stephens College engages lifelong learners in an educational experience characterized by intellectual rigor, creative expression, and professional practice, supported by accomplished faculty, talented staff, and engaged alumnae/alumni. Graduates of Stephens College are educated in the liberal arts, informed by diverse perspectives, and committed to lives of leadership, integrity, and service.

Our Values: The Ten Ideals

Inherent in the culture of Stephens College is the tradition of the Ten Ideals, which originated in 1921 and which represent the core values that enrich and inspire our lives. Each year, 10 students are selected as personifications of individual ideals.

• Respect for our own dignity and the dignity of others, embodied in a sense of social justice
• Courage and persistence
• Independence, autonomy, and self-sufficiency
• Support for others through the willingness to take and give criticism, acceptance, and love
• Sensitivity to the uniqueness and fragility of the natural world of which we are part
• Responsibility for the consequences of our choices
• Belief in our changing selves and in our right to change
• Creativity in the spiritual and aesthetic dimensions of life
• Intelligence that is informed and cultivated, critical yet tolerant
• Leadership which empowers others

Stephens College: 187 years of Innovation + Tradition

Founded in 1833, Stephens College is proud to be the second-oldest women’s college in the country and the first institution of higher education in Columbia, Missouri.

From the beginning, Stephens has developed a tradition of cutting-edge educational programs that provide young women with classroom and experiential learning opportunities like no other institution in higher education.

Stephens believes in the power of a women’s undergraduate education. We also believe in the power of education to change lives and offer co-educational graduate programs as well as children's school and youth programs that celebrate and encourage lifelong learning.

Our Commitment to Equity

Stephens College is committed to fostering a safe, respectful and inclusive environment for learning, living and working. While we have much work to do, we look forward to doing it together, and we invite all members of our community to be part of that conversation.

Our students love life at Stephens.

That’s what they told The Princeton Review. Our students say they feel at home here. They think our campus is beautiful, easy to navigate, and an ideal place to make friends. They also appreciate the College’s close relationship with the local community and value the interaction of different types of students on campus.

And that’s not all there is to love about life at Stephens. Our hometown of Columbia, Missouri, is frequently ranked one of the best college towns in America. Here, there’s always something happening, thanks to three colleges and 30,000+ college students. Columbia really has it all: big-time college sports; film, music, and arts festivals; amazing recreation; and a great downtown with lots of places to eat, shop, and check out the latest bands.

Stephens’ historic campus is just steps away from downtown Columbia, so you get the best of both worlds - brick and ivy charm, and the buzz of a happening college town. You’ll find a culture of respect and support, and a network of friends eager to take on life’s amazing adventures with you. Our residence halls are truly a home-away-from-home (you can even bring a pet from home!). We can’t wait to welcome you here.