Vol. I and II are a great way to define your interests before choosing and enrolling in a college program or specialized trade school. They are a way to explore your options first to determine the specific area of fashion you want to pursue and a way to define your long-term aspiration and the best program of study or skills training needed to achieve your goal.

College is a very important commitment involving the investment of a lot of time and money. You want to have confidence in your decision as this will give you peace of mind knowing that you made the right choice.

Maybe you're not ready for college yet, can't afford it, or you live in an area where fashion classes or programs are unavailable. Maybe your hours at work always seem to conflict with when classes are offered or due to personal commitments, you need the option of choosing your own days and time of study. For all of these situations and for self-taught individuals who like to learn things on their own, these books are an ideal alternative solution.

Finally, a textbook on fashion that changes with the times! Traditional publishing needs substantial lead time and for certain courses, some or much of the text material can be outdated before the semester even begins.

Each seasonal edition of Vol. I: The Fashion Industry reflects "today's" fashion industry and incorporates topical language in a rich media format that is in tune with the social times. It is a powerhouse of knowledge for all industry sectors and helps you define where you want to be and how to get there. After acquiring a solid foundation of skill sets, it is your motivation that will drive your success.

The collection is an ideal complement to course work in these disciplines because it applies your education to what you're really interested in.....fashion! Coupling the books with a degree in business, marketing, fine art, journalism, or graphic design in essence gives you a dual education. Fashion encompasses design, commerce, merchandising, and promotion. Use your degree plus the books' teachings to apply specific knowledge toward a specific career goal.

This is an ideal starting point! Many of your questions may be answered through Vol. I alone as it strongly emphasizes the business side of fashion. It will help you develop clarity and perspective in all the facets that make up the fashion industry and how each segment contributes to its overall success. You will be guided and inspired by a seasoned professional with over 40 years of related field and business experience in the fashion industry.

It's important to realize that not all disciplines require a degree to make a good living. Learning is acquired in different ways. If you can read, you can gain knowledge.

Before there were fashion schools, designers were self-taught and learned their skills by trial and error or by copying the methods of former dressmakers. After a time, they became a seasoned master and trainees would learn their skills by working under them.

Fashion programs prepare students with a certain set of foundational skills, but does a college degree guarantee a job or higher salary? It does not. If you can't afford college, it is not a detriment. These books bring back the concept of school from former times when the student was schooled one-on-one by the master.