Daegu University (President Park Soon-jin) is getting attention for its Fashion Design Department's hands-on internships in New York — the global epicenter of fashion — which are designed to sharpen students' professional skills and global sensibilities.
For three straight semesters, the department has placed students with New York fashion firms, laying the groundwork for them to grow into international designers.
On the 8th, Daegu University announced that third-year student Ji Seo-young landed an internship with New York–based womenswear label Veronica Beard and departed for the city earlier this month.
Known for its refined classics and versatile, practical pieces, Veronica Beard is a standout women's brand on the global stage. The partnership with the label formed after the department's field-study visit to the company last year.
Recent graduate Yuna Sung, who finished in February, is interning on the production team at Manhattan-based label Nili Lotan, where she's getting real, on-the-ground experience in the local fashion industry.
Sung said, \"Working onsite taught me about brand identity and the production process up close. It gave me the confidence to work in the global market.\"
Her performance was so strong that the brand offered her a position after the internship, signaling recognition of her practical skills and potential.
Daegu University's Fashion Design Department goes beyond simply offering overseas internships. It runs a structured program that links classroom instruction, field practice, and international exchange.
Major courses like Global K-Fashion and Luxury Fashion Design help students gain a deep understanding of industry terminology, trends, and brand philosophies.
In core classes, students write work orders and commission actual samples, giving them hands-on experience that helps them graduate as the experienced entry-level hires the industry seeks.
Supported by funding from the LINC 3.0 project, the program has expanded, adding follow-up support for the global capstone design that includes New York company visits, university exchanges, and job-market research.
In 2023 and 2024, nine and ten students respectively visited New York firms such as I Apparel Brands, TWP Clothing, and Veronica Beard, and took tours of the FIT Museum and Parsons School of Design.
Those experiences gave students vivid exposure to the global fashion industry, broadened their perspectives, and helped them shape their future ambitions.
Ji, who secured this semester's New York internship, called it \"a crucial first step toward my dream of becoming a global fashion designer.\" She added, \"I plan to see and learn as much as possible and eventually launch my own brand on the world stage.\"
Professor Ji-ah Lim of Daegu University's Fashion Design Department said, \"We will continue expanding overseas field experiences and international exchanges to actively support students as they become competitive talents in the global fashion industry.\"
