 The Top 50 Fashion Schools in the World
1. CENTRAL SAINT MARTINS (London, England)
- Programs: Fashion, Textile, and Jewelry Design
- Number of students: 1,200 Fashion Students
- Tuition: £13,300 ($20,500)
- Famous Grads: Stella McCartney, John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Phoebe Philo, Christopher Kane, Hussein Chalayan, Zac Posen, Hamish Bowles, Paul Smith, Giles Deacon, Luella Bartley, Jenny Packham, Jonathan Saunders, Marios Schwab, Alice Temperley, Riccardo Tisci, Matthew Williamson
- What the Students Say: “CSM is focused on pushing the boundaries of creativity; innovation is their priority over technique and making skills.” “CSM is what you make it. There are many opportunities that no one will force you to make use of.” “It’s true that Central Saint Martins is awesome. But it’s also what you make it. It allows you to get loads of knowledge and experience, but you have to go and get it, not wait for it to magically come to you.”
- The Bottom Line: Central Saint Martins’ elite fashion design program was the clear winner here. (To be sure, most of the most famous students have attended the graduate program, although the undergrad is well-thought-of also.) The school is partially government-funded, which means that talented British students from all walks of life have a chance to work their way in. What’s more, the teaching staff is legendary. Professor Louise Wilson has schooled all the greats–from McQueen to Giles Deacon–and she’s become an international fashion figure because of it.
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2. ROYAL COLLEGE OF ART (London, England)
- Programs: Fashion Design, Textiles
- Number of Students: Less than 100 fashion students
- Tuition: £26,900 ($42,000)
- Misc: This is a graduate program only!
- Famous Grads: Philip Treacy, Erdem Moralioglu, Christopher Bailey, Ossie Clark, Zandra Rhodes
- The Bottom Line: A world-renowned graduate fashion design program that places students
at the greatest fashion houses, including Prada, Alberta Ferretti,
Burberry, Stella McCartney, Marni, Chloe, Celine, Givenchy, COS, Nina
Ricci, Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga, Cerrutti and Alexander McQueen.
3. PARSONS, THE NEW SCHOOL FOR DESIGN (New York, US)
- Programs: Fashion Design, Fashion Studies, Fashion Marketing
- Number of students: Undergrads: 4,260; Graduate: 656; Fashion Design: 1,553
- Tuition: $39,280
- Famous Grads: Donna Karan, Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford, Narciso Rodriguez, Alexander Wang,
Anna Sui, Jason Wu, Jenna Lyons (J.Crew), Jack McCollough and Lazaro
Hernandez (Proenza Schouler), Behnaz Serafpour, Doo Ri Chung, Sophie
Buhai and Lisa Mayock (Vena Cava), Flora Gill and Alexa Adams (Ohne
Titel), Prabal Gurung, Steven Meisel, Thakoon Panichgul, Carmen Marc
Valvo
- What the Students Say: “It’s tempting to take the easy way out and avoid the difficult classes,
but it is not worth it. You learn more by challenging yourself.” “Be
prepared to put in more than you actually can. Also, no sleep.” “You can
tell by the mentality of the professors, as well as by the cut-throat
environment, that Parsons is a very elite school and only the best will
graduate.”
- The Bottom Line: Parsons is a fashion design powerhouse, and they have turned out tons of
marquee name talent, particularly in the last ten years. Many of their
famous grads are now part of the faculty. Workshops and critiques by
Donna Karan and the Proenza Schouler guys? Events like these are
commonplace. Most of the faculty members work in the areas in which they
teach. The students we spoke to raved about their instructors. What’s
more, the school has partnered with many retailers and corporations
(like LVMH) with the aim of getting student work seen and critiqued.
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4. KINGSTON UNIVERSITY (London, England)
- Programs: Fashion Design
- Number of Students: Undergrads in 3D Design: 400; Fashion: 200
- Tuition: £12,350 ($19,200)
- Famous Grads: Glenda Bailey, Felipe Baptista, Sophie Hulme
- The Bottom Line: Kingston doesn’t have as many famous alumni as some of the more
high-profile UK fashion schools, but if you aspire to a senior role at a
big company, it’s a good place to start. Its graduates have held senior
and director-level positions at Benetton, Banana Republic, Abercrombie
& Fitch, Calvin Klein, Diesel, Donna Karan, Gap, Givenchy, Gucci,
Louis Vuitton, Max Mara, Paul Smith, Ralph Lauren and YSL.
5. ECOLE DE LA CHAMBRE SYNDICALE (Paris, France)
- Programs: Fashion Design & Technique
- Number of Students: 240 overall students
- Tuition: €10,450 ($13,230)
- Misc: It’s the school associated with the commission that determines which houses are eligible to be true couture houses.
- Famous Grads: André Courreges, Issey Miyake, Valentino, Yves Saint Laurent, Nicole Miller
- The Bottom Line: Prestigious
French school that offers world-renowned couture classes. They offer
baccalaureate-level programs, but often don’t accept some students until
after they finish a design course elsewhere first.
6. LA CAMBRE (Brussels, Belgium)
- Programs: Fashion Design; Styling
- Number of Students: 704 overall students
- Tuition: €1,487-1,984 ($1,900-$2,600)
- Misc: Must be French-speaking; 5-year fashion design program
- The Bottom Line: La Cambre received incredibly high scores from its past and current
students who took our survey. A more traditional art school alternative
to the Antwerp school, definitely with a French design point of view.
7. BUNKA FASHION COLLEGE/BUNKA WOMEN’S UNIVERSITY (Tokyo, Japan)
- Programs: Fashion Design, Fashion Creation & Technology, Marketing, Accessories & Textiles.
- Number of Students: Total in both colleges: 8,000; Design: 4,000
- Tuition: ¥1,184,500-1,403,500 ($12,200-$14,400) depending on college and program
- Misc: You must have a good understanding of Japanese and have the financial
means to live in Japan; part-time work is not allowed when you’re a
student.
- Famous Grads: Kenzo Takada, Junya Watanabe, Yohji Yamamoto, Hiroko Koshino, Tsumori Chisato
- The Bottom Line:
Bunka most notably came to prominence in the 1960s when its graduates
starting showing in Paris. It’s now synonymous with Japanese avant-garde
design. It’s rounded out by marketing and technology programs.
8. ANTWERP ROYAL ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS(Antwerp, Belgium)
- Programs: Fashion Design
- Number of Students: 140
- Tuition: €7,000 ($9,000) Tuition is highly subsidized by the government, even for foreign students.
- Misc: Required Dutch language proficiency.
- Famous Grads:
Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, Dirk Bikkembergs, Walter Van
Beirendonck, Dirk Van Saene, Marina Yee (The Antwerp Six), Martin
Margiela, Veronique Branquinho, Haider Ackermann, Peter Pilotto, Bruno
Pieters.
- What the Students Say: “I love my school.”
- The Bottom Line: The Royal Academy is an elite design school. It’s known for its serious
students–many drop out because they can’t handle the work load. Since
the Antwerp Six put the school on fashion’s map in the early 1980s, it’s
continued to produce all-star designers. If you’re exceptionally
dedicated, with an experimental, innovative, and avant-garde
sensibility, this may be the place for you.
9. FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (FIT)(New York, US)
- Programs: Design, Business, Marketing, Illustration, Styling.
- Number of Students: 10,000 overall students
- Tuition: $3,034/semester for New York residents; $8,185/semester for out-of-state residents
- Misc: Very comprehensive programs, part of the SUNY.
- Famous Grads: Reem Acra, Francisco Costa, Nina Garcia, Carolina Herrera, Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Nanette Lepore, Ralph Rucci
- What the Students Say: “Each professor has been in the industry and will do everything they
can to get you there. I have received internship offers from several
professors.” “It’s full of real industry professors with a raw
perspective on the behind the scenes.” “It is very technical. It is not
very conceptually-driven or oriented, particularly the Fashion Art
classes.”
- The Bottom Line: In
addition to fashion design, FIT offers fashion marketing, business,
textiles, visual arts, and countless other fashion-related degrees. The
lecture series and FIT museum are exceptional. Valerie Steele, as Chief
Curator of the Museum of FIT, gives this school a brainy credibility.
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10. ISTITUTO MARANGONI (Milan, Italy–also London, Paris campuses)
- Programs: Fashion Design, Fashion Business, Fashion Buying, Brand Management and Fashion Promotion
- Number of Students: 2,000 (all three campuses)
- Tuition: €13,900 ($17,670) to €19,000 ($24,550) depending on program
- Misc: Italian, French, and English are the official languages of the school
- Famous Grads: Domenico Dolce, Franco Moschino
- What the Students Say: “I am really impressed with their teaching quality and my
tutors/lecturers are very experienced in their related field. Overall
very happy!” “It’s a great school…just be prepared to work your a$$
off.”
- The Bottom Line: An
Italian design school with campuses in three major fashion capitals is a
plus–and so is a 90% placement rate after graduation.
11. ESMOD (Paris, France plus 21 schools in 14 countries)
- Programs: Fashion Design/Fashion Business
- Number of Students: 700
- Tuition: €9,900 ($13,200)
- Misc: The mannequin and measuring tape were invented here.
- Famous Grads: Christophe Decarnin, Suzy Menkes, Alexandre Vauthier, Damir Doma, Olivier Rousteing, Nina Garcia, Thierry Mugler
- The Bottom Line: The world’s first and oldest French fashion design school, it has a 75%-85% placement rate post-graduation.
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12. LONDON COLLEGE OF FASHION (London, England)
- Programs: Fashion Design, Fashion Journalism, Marketing, Beauty, Buying and Merchandising
- Number of Students: 2,547 first-year students
- Tuition: ₤13,800 ($21,300)
- Famous Grads: Jimmy Choo, Rupert Sanderson
- What the Students Say: “The network of students and graduates is very good and enables you to
contact with graduates within the whole university and not just your
college. Furthermore, the guest speakers and study-trips are very
enriching. Regarding staff and lecturers, they are very close and
helpful, always prepared to look for solutions to any problem you may
have.”
- The Bottom Line: The
fashion journalism school here is the standout. It’s not known as a
design school, but there are many unique programs that you won’t find
anywhere else: beauty therapy, cosmetic science, fashion broadcast
journalism, fashion curation and criticism, fashion business, footwear
and accessories, makeup and image styling.
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13. SHENKAR COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND DESIGN (Ramat Gan, Israel)
- Programs: Fashion, Textile, and Jewelry Design
- Number of Students: Total: 2,300; Fashion: 217
- Tuition: 11,000 ILS ($3,000)
- Misc: International students are accepted as 2nd or 3rd year students. You
have to have a year of fashion school completed. Most classes taught in
English, so not necessary to know Hebrew.
- Famous Grads: Alber Elbaz, Kobi Halperin (CD Elie Tahari), Nili Lotan
- The Bottom Line: Definitely off the beaten path and with a distinct point of view, this well-kept secret has an amazing fashion design program.
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14. SAVANNAH COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN (Savannah, GA, US)
- Programs: Fashion Design, Fashion Marketing & Management, Accessories Design
- Number of Students: All Programs: 9,800; fashion students: 540
- Tuition: $32,950
- Misc: Andre Leon Talley is on the Board of Directors and a Lifetime Achievement Award is given in his name every year.
- What the Students Say: “Good teachers, with industry experience, who really want to see you
succeed.” “SCAD is the type of school that will teach you EVERYTHING you
will need to know about the industry.”
- The Bottom Line: The new-ish dean, Michael Fink, is turning this school into a fashion powerhouse, with lots of new industry connections and faculty hires.
15. UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER (London, England)
- Programs: Fashion Design
- Number of Students: Undergrads: 3,000; fashion students: 130
- Tuition: £11,370 ($17,600)
- Misc: You can choose a three or four-year course, and spend a year working in the fashion industry.
- Famous Grads: Vivienne Westwood, Christopher Bailey, Michael Herz, Stuart Vevers, Katie Hillier
- The Bottom Line:
Don’t overlook this London university that produces creative designers.
In addition to the fashion program, they have a well-known journalism
program.
16. STUDIO BERCOT (Paris, France)
- Programs: Fashion Design
- Number of Students: 200 overall students
- Tuition: €10,000 ($13,090)–the third year is FREE (apprenticeship)
- Misc: You must be fluent in French.
- Famous Grads: Martine Sitbon, Lolita Lempicka, Isabel Marant, Sophie Theallet, Nicole Farhi
- The Bottom Line: A very tightly run and prestigious design school with tons of connections in the industry.
17. RAVENSBOURNE COLLEGE OF DESIGN AND COMMUNICATION (London, UK)
- Programs: Fashion, Fashion Lifestyle Projects, Promotion
- Number of Students: 1,800 overall students
- Tuition: £10,300 ($16,000)
- Famous Grads: Stella McCartney did her undergraduate degree there, and students have
held positions at Alexander McQueen, Hussein Chalayan, Future Classics,
Todd Lynn, TopMan, Jonathan Saunders, Eley Kishimoto, Louise Gray and
Reiss.
- The Bottom Line: Another great school for students eager to get real work experience under the greats.
18. DREXEL UNIVERSITY (Philadelphia, PA, US)
- Programs: Fashion Design, Design & Merchandising
- Number of Students: Undergrads: 11,500 Fashion: 120 Design and Merchandising: 240
- Tuition: $35,135
- What the Students Say: “The program and the professors are amazing. They are all extremely
talented and you learn a lot. It is an amazing career oriented school
and the fashion program could not be better.” “Drexel had the academic
and practical qualities of any fashion school plus the more
well-rounded, traditional, and most importantly diverse university
experience, being surrounded by students of all kinds to learn and grow
from.”
- The Bottom Line: Many
students have won national and international awards, and gone on to
study at the Chambre Syndicale and nab huge jobs in France.
19. PRATT (Brooklyn, NY, US)
- Programs: Fashion Design
- Number of Students: Total freshmen: 3,000; Fashion: 140
- Tuition: $41,226
- Misc: Part of a larger design school, so you can combine arts studies.
- Famous Alumni: Jeremy Scott, Betsey Johnson
- The Bottom Line: One of the few design programs which offers electives in fashion editorial/magazine publishing.
20. RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN(Providence, RI, US)
- Programs: Apparel Design, Jewelry and Metalsmithing, Textiles
- Number of Students: Undergrads: 2,000; Fashion/apparel/textiles/jewelry: 220
- Tuition: $42,622
- Misc: You can cross-register at Brown University.
- Famous Grads: Nicole Miller, Sari Gueron, Philip Crangi, Marcia Patmos
- The Bottom Line: One of the most respected design schools in the world, their profile as a fashion design school is only getting rosier.
21. KENT STATE UNIVERSITY (Kent, OH, US)
- Programs: Fashion Design, Fashion Merchandising
- Number of Students: Undergrads: 18,000; fashion students: 200/year graduate from the school.
- Tuition: Ohio resident: $18,848; Non-Ohio resident: $26,808
- Misc: Has a garment center studio in NYC where 120 students a year go to study.
- What the Students Say: “I would never pick another school.” “A well-rounded experience with
fashion, business, and general classes.” “Go here if you truly love
fashion.”
- The Bottom Line: With study abroad programs in Paris and Milan, a huge endowment for
scholarships, and a high-profile program allowing you to complete a
fashion-focused undergraduate and MBA in fashion-focused business in
just five years, this school is one of the top American fashion schools
and keeps getting better.
22. OTIS COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN (Los Angeles, CA, US)
- Programs: Fashion Design
- Number of Students: Undergrads: 1,200; fashion students: 180
- Tuition: $32,900
- Famous Grads: Rick Owens (didn’t graduate), Cynthia Vincent
- The Bottom Line: One of the top US design programs in the country.
23. TAFE SYDNEY INSTITUTE (Sydney, Australia)
- Programs: Fashion, Costume, and Millinery Design
- Number of Students: Total 70,000 students at 7 campuses
- Tuition: AUD $25,440 ($23,600)
- Misc: Two colleges within the system offer fashion programs: Ultimo College & St.George
- Famous Grads: Nicky Zimmermann, Lisa Ho, Akira Isogawa, Dion Lee
- The Bottom Line: A huge university system with lots of resources; it has been churning out high-profile Aussie designers at an impressive pace.
24. GEORGE BROWN COLLEGE (Toronto, ON, Canada)
- Programs: Fashion Design, Fashion Management, Fashion Business Industry, Jewelry
- Number of Students: 800 fashion students
- Tuition: CAD $11,400- $22,000 ($10,800-$20,100)
- What the Students Say: “Actual classes are hands-on and technical. They have less to do with theory.”
- The Bottom Line: All the design courses also have a practical focus on the business side of fashion (for example, students run a retail store).
25. COPENHAGEN ACADEMY OF FASHION DESIGN (Copenhagen, Denmark)
- Programs: Fashion Design
- Tuition: DKK 70,000 (~$12,500)
- The Bottom Line: A classic European design education.
26. RYERSON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF FASHION (Toronto, ON, Canada)
- Programs: Fashion Design, Fashion Communication
- Number of Students: Undergrads: 26,000; Fashion: 600
- Tuition: CAD $20,270-$23,637 ($19,320-22,500)
- Famous Grads: Erdem Moralioglu (Went to RCA after Ryerson), Todd Lynn
- What the Students Say: “The master’s class is incredibly small and we have access to amazing
people in the Canadian industry, as well as influential academics who
have come from Parsons.” “You have to work extremely hard, juggling on
average 21 hours of a class a week.”
- The Bottom Line: An impressive list of industry associations, a solid design program,
and a reasonable price. Fantastic value—and it’s also a great journalism
school.
27. HOGESCHOOL VAN AMSTERDAM (AMFI AMSTERDAM FASHION INSTITUTE)(Amsterdam, Netherlands)
- Programs: Fashion and Design, Fashion and Management, Fashion and Branding
- Number of Students: Total students: 30,000; fashion students: 845 in Dutch, 280 in English-taught program (same content as Dutch)
- Tuition: € 7,570 ($10,038)
- Misc: Offers English-taught programs, so Dutch fluency isn’t necessary.
- What the Students Say: “Skilled teachers that work/have worked in the fashion industry. Very demanding, often disorganized, very good fashion program!”
- The Bottom Line: The tuition is heavily subsidized (read: cheap) and the education is
classic with a modern spin. The school has lots of cool initiatives,
like selling student wares in shops around Amsterdam, for lots of
exposure and experience.
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28. UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI (Columbia, MO, US)
- Programs: Textile and Apparel Management (no design courses). Offers a concurrent journalism minor.
- Number of Students: 250 undergrads in Textile & Apparel Management
- Tuition: MO residents: $9,272; Non-MO residents: $22,440
- What the Students Say: “There are opportunities to make a lot of connections, even though we’re a small department.”
- The Bottom Line: This is not a design school, but a very unique program offering insights into the production and business of fashion.
29. POLIMODA (Florence, Italy)
- Programs: Fashion Marketing, Design, Media & Communication, Fashion Styling
- Tuition: €8,500-17,000 ($11,200-$22,300) depending on course of study
- Misc: Founded in 1986, it has ties with FIT in New York.
- What the Students Say: “The best facilities. Period.”
- The Bottom Line: It’s got a lot of high-tech equipment and an 87% placement rate after
graduation. More well-known for fostering careers outside of design.
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30. UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI (Cincinnati, OH, US)
- Programs: Fashion Design (combined with Product Development)
- Number of Students: Undergrads: 24,000; Fashion Design: 180
- Tuition: OH residents: $10,784; Out of state: $25,816
- Famous Grads: Stan Herman (former CFDA president)
- What the Students Say: “There are two sections within the Fashion Design program at UC:
Fashion Design and Product Development. If you want to learn the
important basics of sewing and design skills, choose Fashion Design, NOT
Product Development.” “The co-op program is spectacular. Every other
semester we go out and intern at any company we want that will hire us. I
will have five internships completed at real fashion studios and
corporations [by graduation]. Future employers love that we have more
practical and industry experience than anyone else.”
- The Bottom Line: The Design program, in general, consistently ranks as one of the best in the nation.
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31. UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED ARTS(Vienna, Austria)
- Programs: Fashion Design
- Number of Students: Total: 1,100; Total who graduate/year: 120
- Tuition: €1,488 ($2,000)
- Misc: You must speak German; subsidized tuition.
- The Bottom Line: Karl Lagerfeld, Jil Sander, Victor & Rolf, and Helmut Lang have all cycled through as guest lecturers.
32. UNIVERSITY OF BRIGHTON (Brighton, UK)
- Programs: Fashion Design, Fashion Business, Fashion & Dress History
- Tuition: £12,900 ($19,900)
- Famous Grads: Emma Cook, Rankin
- What the Students Say: “You can learn a lot.”
- The Bottom Line: The fashion and textile programs are world-renowned, and design programs are often combined with business studies.
33. LASALLE COLLEGE INTERNATIONAL(Montreal, Canada; satellite campuses worldwide)
- Programs: Fashion Design, Fashion Marketing
- Number of Students: 900 fashion students (Montreal campus)
- Tuition: $6,800 per session (1-6 sessions total, depending on program)
- What the Students Say: “They have partnerships with several brands/companies that offer
opportunities for students to make garments for them. For example, this
year we did a project with Rudsak (a Canadian company) and all of the
students in my level were given an opportunity to design a garment for
2015 with the chance that the best garments would be produced and sold
by the company.”
- The Bottom Line: A huge educational system that offers consistent instruction no matter
which country’s school you attend; they have a vocational bent.
34. RAFFLES UNIVERSITY (Singapore, plus SE Asia, China, India)
- Programs: Fashion Design/Fashion Marketing
- Number of Students: 9,000 students across Asia; 1,787 in Singapore
- Tuition: SGD $79,200 ($60,690)
- Misc: 38 colleges in 35 cities across 14 countries in Asia; the schools are taught in English
- What the Students Say: “I happen to be studying at the branch in Mumbai, India. The faculty is
brilliant but there isn’t much of a college life per se, so if you can,
opt for the Raffles institutes in Singapore or Australia.”
- The Bottom Line: Expensive! But one of the best options in Asia.
35. TSHWANE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY(Pretoria, South Africa)
- Programs: Fashion Design & Technology
- Number of Students: fashion students: 180
- Tuition: R 28 500 ($2,835)
- The Bottom Line: The biggest design and technology school in Africa, combining European design principles with indigenous flair.
36.CALIFORNIA COLLEGE OF ARTS (San Francisco and Oakland, CA, US)
- Programs: Fashion Design, Textiles, Jewelry Design
- Number of Students: Undergrads: 1,640; fashion students: 65
- Tuition: $19,992 per term
- The Bottom Line: A CFDA-affiliated school, its students have won many industry awards and landed jobs with marquee-name labels and companies
37. PHILADELPHIA UNIVERSITY(Philadelphia, PA)
- Programs: Fashion Design, Fashion Merchandising and Management
- Number of Students: 3,200 overall students
- Tuition: $32,990
- What the Students Say: “We’re big on collaboration and internships.” “The teachers are amazing
and inspiring and you will truly learn to work ahead of time (due to
the constantly malfunctioning machinery).” “The faculty really care
about the students.”
- The Bottom Line: A write-in submission to our survey, Philadelphia University fashion
students are passionate about their program: students have landed jobs
at Donna Karan, Urban Outfitters, Tommy Hilfiger and more.
38. ACADEMY OF ART UNIVERSITY (San Francisco, US)
- Programs: Fashion Design, Knitwear Design, Textile Design, Fashion Journalism, and Fashion Merchandising & Marketing
- Number of Students: School: 17,000; fashion students: 2,600
- Tuition: $18,360
- What the Students Say: “The staff at this school is very experienced in the fashion industry.
The classes are diverse, engaging and fun.” “Just know that this school
is what YOU make it.”
- The Bottom Line: The only fashion school that shows during New York Fashion Week, and
they have good fashion journalism, merchandising, and business programs.
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39. ROYAL MELBOURNE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (Melbourne, Australia)
- Programs: Fashion Design and Technology, Textiles, Footwear, Fashion and Textile Merchandising
- Number of Students: Fashion Undergrads: 600
- Tuition: $24,000-$26,880 AUD depending on program ($22,300-$24,900)
- Misc: There are 2 schools within RMIT to study fashion; lots of diploma courses, too.
- Famous Grads: Toni Maticevski, Karen Webster
- What the Students Say: “It’s hard work.”
- The Bottom Line: A strong design program and innovative, high-tech textiles program are the highlights here.
40. WHITEHOUSE INSTITUTE OF DESIGN(Melbourne/Sydney, Australia)
- Programs: Fashion Design, Styling and Creative Direction
- Number of Students: 470 students total (Melbourne and Sydney); just over half of these are fashion students
- Tuition: AUD $27,140 ($25,200 USD)
- Misc: You can start studying here in Year 11 and 12 (high school equivalent)
- Famous Grads: Camilla Freeman Topper (Camilla & Marc); Yeojin Bae
- The Bottom Line: A relatively young school (founded in 1988) that has nonetheless managed to carve a niche for itself in fashion design.
41. UNIVERSITY OF ART AND DESIGN(Helsinki, Finland)
- Programs: Textile Art, Fashion, and Clothing Design
- Tuition: NO TUITION, even for non-EU international students
- Misc: Finland provides free university education for everyone, even
international students. The university is looking into charging non-EU
students in the future, but right now they don’t.
- The Bottom Line: Yes, it’s free, but you have to be VERY talented to get in.
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42. NIFT NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY (New Delhi, India)
- Programs: Design (Fashion, Leather, Textile, Accessory, Knitwear), Management, and Technology (Apparel Production)
- Tuition: Non-resident Indian: Rs 40,000 ($880); Other international students: Rs. 360,000 ($7,600)
- Misc: You can’t apply for undergraduate programs if you’re over 23 years old.
- What the Students Say: “The bachelor’s in Fashion Technology course focuses largely on apparel
manufacturing processes and production control but also covers areas of
management, retailing, merchandising, quality control, etc.”
- The Bottom Line: The biggest design school in India, it has cooperative agreements with
international schools including RNIT, University of the Arts London, and
Ryerson.
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43. FASHION INSTITUTE OF DESIGN & MERCHANDISING (Los Angeles, CA)
- Programs: Fashion Design, Footwear Design, Costume Design, Jewelry Design, Textile Design, Merchandising (Fashion & Beauty Programs)
- Number of Students: 7,500 overall students
- Tuition: $27,000-$36,000 depending on area of study.
- Misc: Most are Associate of Art degrees
- Famous Grads: Monique Lhuillier, Pamela Skaist-Levy (Juicy Couture co-founder), Randolph Duke
-What the Students Say: “It is super hard. But I think that’s what makes you learn thoroughly
and invest in your goals. Don’t schedule a lot of hours at work because
you will need more time on your homework than you thought.” “Make sure
you know exactly what you want to do.” “A lot of people apply and get
excited, but most of them can’t take the work load or lose their
dedication and drive and leave to another school or drop out. It’s a
tough school, but it’s worth it.”
- The Bottom Line: A great vocational and design school for practical experience and they
have an incredible career database for placement post-graduation.
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44. UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS(Denton, TX)
- Programs: Fashion Merchandising, Fashion Design
- Number of Students: 28,911 overall students
Tuition: $4,410 (in-state); $10,024.70 (out-of-state)
- What the Students Say: “The merchandising program is top-notch. It is highly organized and the
classes are great. Because the school is in Texas, it doesn’t get tons
of attention, but it is one of the best programs in the country.”
- The Bottom Line: Another write-in from our survey, this is a great place to be if you
want to focus on the merchandising side of fashion. Alumni have scored
spots at Fossil, Nicole Miller, Ralph Lauren, Zac Posen, Dillard’s and
Calvin Klein.
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45. SCHOOL OF THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO (Chicago, IL, US)
- Programs: Fashion Design
- Number of Students: Undergrads: 2,500; fashion students: 120
- Tuition: $39,810
- Misc: Three year curriculum within a four-year fine arts foundation.
- Famous Grads: Cynthia Rowley, Maria Pinto, Halston, Matthew Ames
- The Bottom Line: With a non-traditional fashion design program, Georgia O’Keefe’s alma mater has a serious art and design pedigree.
46. MELBOURNE SCHOOL OF FASHION(Melbourne, Australia)
- Programs: Applied Fashion Design and Technology, Retail Management, Styling
- Number of Students: 400 overall students
- Tuition: $17,000
- What the Students Say: “Class sizes during first year can be quite big, but have been known to get smaller as the course progresses.”
- The Bottom Line: A vocational training program that offers solid instruction in the adjunct fashion professions.
47. LIM COLLEGE (New York, NY, US)
- Programs: Fashion Merchandising, Marketing, Management, Visual Merchandising
- Number of Students: 1,500 overall students
- Tuition: $23,070
- What the Students Say: “Work experience is great, LIM definitely prepares you for after graduation.” “Very career oriented.”
- The Bottom Line: Will give you thorough preparation for the behind-the-scenes aspects of the fashion business.
48. KOEFIA (INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF HAUTE COUTURE AND ART OF COSTUME)(Milan, Italy)
- Programs: Fashion Design; Costume Design; Fashion Product Management
- Number of Students: 150 fashion students
- Tuition: €4,700 ($6,300)
- Misc: They offer a modeling course.
- The Bottom Line: Very Italian with some cross-cultural programs offered through the Department of Humanities.
49. UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY SYDNEY (Sydney, Australia)
- Programs: Fashion and Textiles
- Number of Students: 24,000 overall students
- Tuition: A$19,840 to A$34,080 (US $18,800 to $32,300)
- The Bottom Line: The school teaches a mix of theory and real-world technical skills.
50. UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE (Newark, DE)
- Programs: Fashion Merchandising, Apparel Design, Minor in Fashion History and Culture
- Number of Students: 16,000 overall students
- Tuition: $27,240 (out-of-state)
- What the Students Say: “The Fashion Merchandising program is very useful for creating strong
buyers and planners. Another strong suit of the fashion program at the
University of Delaware is its focus teaching on sustainability and
informing students about fair labor practices, globalization and ethics
in the industry.”
- The Bottom Line: Great for students who want the big university experience and are also very serious about their studies.
GRUPA MEDIA INFORMACYJNE & ADAM NAWARA
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