The core of apparel design education is the studio experience. This article discusses an Integrated Apparel Design Curriculum model built on a foundation of creative and technical experimentation and learning which contributes to developing abstract thinking skills. Various learning styles are supported as students work through the design process that they will use as professionals. Active learning methods that continually build upon previous experiences and support heuristic problem solving prepare students to immediately enter a field that requires multi-tasking skills, using new approaches to solve problems, functioning as a team, and adapting to change. Facilitating the learning process in an integrated studio can be challenging as technical and creative skills are developed in tandem at an appropriate level for the student's current understanding. However, the outcome for the students who have participated in this type of integrated apparel design curriculum has been a successful transition to the apparel industry. Future plans for improving the integrated studio curriculum include more cooperative projects with industry, increasing students' awareness of the global nature of the apparel industry by facilitating international study and internships, and developing interactive international projects. (Contains 1 figure.)