For 27 years, generations of students trained alongside the region’s most talented instructors to learn the invaluable skills of fashion design at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) in conjunction with Nevada Association of Fashion Design (NAFD) — the only program of its kind in Southern Nevada.

The Fashion Design Certificate program empowers diverse, passionate students to become the next generation of designers and entrepreneurs, driving competitive innovation in a multi-billion-dollar global industry.

Now the highly-successful program is on the chopping block. University administrators made a “business decision” to abruptly end the program — without explaining why it’s no longer viable. 

Las Vegas is the epicenter of entertainment and losing this program would be highly detrimental. The fashion industry is poised to become one of the biggest drivers of the local economy -- especially with the news of major film production studios being built in the region.  

Closing this program would silence creative voices and eliminate a vital pathway for local talent to thrive as business leaders who shape culture and commerce. It is the only academic program in Las Vegas that prepares the next generation of costumers, designers, visionaries, seamstresses, and more.

This Fashion Design Certificate program offers a well-rounded curriculum that includes technical skills, business knowledge, real-world experience, and creative exploration. This combination develops well-equipped professionals, ready not just for the local market but the global fashion stage.

We request all relevant stakeholders and individuals to advocate for the continuation of the Fashion Design Certificate program. We believe in its importance not just to students, but to the broader fashion industry and economy.

Please, support our cause and sign the petition to save the Fashion Design Certificate program.