It is important that all MFA candidates in Textiles have a basic understanding of the medium, a strong visual vocabulary and exceptional motivation. However, through our rigorous program you will learn whatever you don't already know about various looms, designing digitally and operating advanced equipment.

In the past few years, students in the department have worked on collaborative projects with DesignTex and Wearbest, for instance, to design a collection of contract fabrics. A recent collaboration with the Italian Trade Commission had RISD students from Apparel Design and Textiles working together in teams to design and create apparel using fine Italian wool and other fiber.

The textiles field is very versatile. You can design interior or apparel fabrics for a studio connected to a manufacturing plant; you can work for a company that contracts out manufacturing; you can design for an apparel company; or you can open you own studio and work as a freelance designer. Many RISD alumni start their own businesses, producing textiles from their own studios or teaming up with mills to produce industrially made fabrics. Quite a few of our graduates have also gone into teaching.

Our alumni working in the field function almost like an extended faculty, providing a direct link to the professional world, along with our faculty and long-term supporters in the industry. All of these contacts help us in finding jobs, internships, speakers, visiting faculty and critics.