Flagship Program · State-Licensed · In-Studio
Launch your own brand in just 15 months.
The RED Fashion Design Certificate is a vertically integrated, hands-on program that takes you from creative research to a finished collection — covering fashion illustration, pattern making, draping, sewing, CLO-3D digital design, production, marketing, and entrepreneurship. You don't learn in silos. You experience the full pipeline of fashion.
15
months to a credential
23
years of Parsons pedigree
1
program of its kind in Connecticut
100%
hands-on, in a real studio
The program
A vertical education model — the full pipeline, not fragments.
Most programs teach fashion in disconnected pieces. RED teaches it the way the industry actually works: as one continuous flow from the first sketch to the final garment on a buyer's rack. You move through every stage yourself, so you understand how each decision ripples into the next.
You graduate with more than a certificate. You leave with a real portfolio, freelance experience earned inside the program, and a community of designers, local businesses, and creative professionals already connected to your next step.
Curriculum
From concept to collection.
Fashion Illustration & Creative Research
Build the visual vocabulary of a designer — from concept development and mood boards to industry-standard fashion illustration.
Pattern Making
Learn the technical backbone of garment construction: drafting, grading, and the precision that turns a sketch into a wearable pattern.
Draping
Work directly on the form to understand how fabric behaves, falls, and responds — the tactile skill that separates designers from illustrators.
Sewing & Sample Room
Construct finished garments in a real sample room, mastering the production techniques used in professional fashion houses.
CLO-3D Digital Design
Create and iterate on garments in 3D — the digital workflow now standard across major fashion houses for sampling and presentation.
Production, Marketing & Entrepreneurship
Take a collection to market: production planning, brand building, marketing, and the business of launching your own label.
Founded by
Irina Simeonova
Founder · 23 years at Parsons School of Design · New York Fashion Week
Irina built RED from a simple conviction: that ambitious adults deserve a fast, credible, genuinely hands-on path into fashion — one that respects their time and their ambition without asking them to sit through four years of conventional academic structure.
Every aspect of the program is shaped by her 23 years at Parsons and her New York Fashion Week experience. Guest instructors from top fashion houses join her across the curriculum, so you learn from people who are still doing the work.
“We don't teach fashion as a subject. We teach it as something you live — the way the industry actually moves, from the first idea to the moment a garment leaves the sample room.”
— Irina Simeonova, Founder
Built for
Ambitious adults who don't fit the conventional mold.
Career changers
You’re ready to move into fashion on a credible, accelerated timeline — without starting from scratch in a four-year degree.
Aspiring entrepreneurs
You want to launch your own brand and need the technical, production, and business foundation to actually get it made and sold.
Creative thinkers
You never fit traditional academic systems but you have the drive, eye, and discipline to thrive in a hands-on studio environment.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Is the program really only 15 months?+
Yes. The RED Fashion Design Certificate is a state-licensed 15-month program designed as a focused, accelerated alternative to a conventional four-year degree — without compromising on craft or credibility.
Do I need prior fashion experience to apply?+
No. The program is built for ambitious adults at every stage — including career changers with no prior fashion background. What matters most is your drive, discipline, and readiness to work hands-on in a studio.
Is it really hands-on, or partly online?+
The flagship certificate is an in-studio program in Norwalk, CT. You work in a real sample room with real fabric and real equipment — the tactile training that online-only programs simply can't provide.
What do I actually graduate with?+
A state-licensed Fashion Design Certificate, an industry-ready portfolio, real freelance experience earned inside the program, and a connected community of designers, local businesses, and creative professionals.
What does post-graduation support look like?+
Support is built into the model, not bolted on. You graduate connected to a network of instructors, guest designers, local businesses, and alumni — plus guidance on launching your own brand or stepping into an existing fashion house.
Take the next step
Request program information.
Tell us a little about you. Our admissions team will reach out personally within two business days to talk through the program, your goals, and whether RED is the right fit.