Best Fashion Schools

[beacons_home]

What are the best Fashion schools in the U.S. and overseas? I am looking for the best ones where you will succed after graduation, such as working for a big name fashion label.

[fadingblue]

That one in Antwerp and FIT and Parson's had some big names graduate out of them.

[London]

FIT, Parsons, Central St. Martins, RCA

[isoform]

What are the best Fashion schools in the U.S. and overseas? I am looking for the best ones where you will succed after graduation, such as working for a big name fashion label.

...american schools...

if you want to be a designer or buyer/biz-side FIT is really good and has its reputation. it's also a lot more affordable than Parsons/The New School.

but for textile design, according to a friend, FIT is not so great because they're not up to speed technologically--she was looking into transfering to RISD (Rhode Island School of Design) and some school i forget the name of in Philly. ...i've been hearing more and more about RISD.

[beautyfake]

Some alumni list..

Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp : Ann Demeulemeester, Dries van Noten, Maison Martin Margiela, Raf Simons (not from fashion department)

Central St. Martins : Hussein Chalayan, John Galliano, Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, Gareth Pugh, Hedi Slimane

Parsons The New School for Design : Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford, Donna Karan, Anna Sui, Zac Posen

[aaronS]

but for textile design, according to a friend, FIT is not so great because they're not up to speed technologically--she was looking into transfering to RISD (Rhode Island School of Design) and some school i forget the name of in Philly. ...i've been hearing more and more about RISD.

philadelphia university i believe

[Tisswat]

More alumni..

Fashion Institute Arnhem

Viktor & Rolf

Lucas Ossendrijver (Lanvin)

Alexander van Slobbe (So and Orson & Bodil)

Aziz Bekkaoui

Garance Wilkens (John Galliano)

Gertjan Kazemier (Gaultier)

Marieke van Dongen (Raf Simons)

Daryl van Wouw

Antoine Peters

Saskia van Drimmelen

Kim Bekker (Chloe)

Nick Rosenboom (Cavalli)

Frank Muytjens (Calvin Klein)

[bronsnine]

^^ god, i hate tom ford. but yes, FIT, parsons, central st. martins, FIDM...

[ProfMonnitoff]

Some alumni list..

Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp : Ann Demeulemeester, Dries van Noten, Maison Martin Margiela, Raf Simons (not from fashion department)

Central St. Martins : Hussein Chalayan, John Galliano, Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, Gareth Pugh, Hedi Slimane

Parsons The New School for Design : Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford, Donna Karan, Anna Sui, Zac Posen

I thought Hedi didn't have any formal education in fashion?

[PAID VACATION]

RISD but im not in that program

[keska]

yeah, so did i

[beautyfake]

or am i wrong?

[rowyerboat]

I think you are . As far as I know(and heard multiple times) Hedi worked for YSL/Dior with no education in fashion whatsoever. I could be completely wrong though.

[beacons_home]

Thanks for all the replies. I still do not know what I want to do yet. I am currently a junior in college majoring in Chemistry and would like to either go onto Med. school or Pharmacy school, but I was also thinking of maybe doing fashion school. I just can't make up my damn mind.

[Morningstar]

Parsons:

Narciso Rodriguez

Badgley & mishka

Ben Cho (didn't graduate/dropped out)

Peter Som

Proenza Schouler

Derak Lam

Alexander Wang (funny but I know him. we went to school together and he dropped out)

Behnaz Sarafpour

Zac Posen didn't go to Parsons. He did a summer program and supposedly studied at Central Saint Martins. And Donna Karen failed out of Parsons (she failed sewing/pattern making).

RISD:

Nicole Miller

Robert Geller

FIT:

Michael Kors

Calvin Klein

The big names that come out of these schools really mean nothing. The industry is made up of all sorts of graduates and going to one of the top schools will not make you into a superstar. Money and connections do that, having talent can helps too.

Also, I believe Hedi has a degree in Costume History

[Guest sinXXXter]

FIT and Parsons FTW.

[poshpol]

I firmly believe you don't absolutely need any diploma or formal lessons to succeed in this business, or any other art related field. Before you spend mad cash on tuition, think hard about it.

[keagan]

Im pretty sure Hedi studied art history.

But yeah, to me fashion design is like going to school for graphic design; something where you only need to grasp the fundamentals; which you can learn on your own or taking a few classes. The rest can't really be taught.

Obviously, simply attending FIT is not going to make you the next Gaultier.

I really think textile design or something is more worth going to school for. That way you can learn a serious skill and still network. (which in my opinion is the ONLY reason to goto school for fashion design)

[keagan]

actually checking wikipedia

"He studied Art History at the École du Louvre, and was also educated as a tailor. From 1992 to 1995 he worked for Jean-Jacques Picart, notably on the centenary exhibition of Louis Vuitton's "LV" monogramme label."

[totally epic]

Im pretty sure Hedi studied art history.

But yeah, to me fashion design is like going to school for graphic design; something where you only need to grasp the fundamentals; which you can learn on your own or taking a few classes. The rest can't really be taught.

Obviously, simply attending FIT is not going to make you the next Gaultier.

I really think textile design or something is more worth going to school for. That way you can learn a serious skill and still network. (which in my opinion is the ONLY reason to goto school for fashion design)

Agreeeed. You can teach basic technique but you can't teach creativity.

[cmykhustla]

I go to philadelphia university for fashion industry management. it is one of the best schools for textiles in the US, last week i went to the weaving lab and got to check out a shuttle loom and some other crazy high tech looms. its probably the most DL school for fashion/textiles and in some respects is much better than the usual FIT, FIDM, etc.

It seems kind of silly to base your school choice on famous alumni. . .

[partyvan]

111111111111

[bronsnine]

^ does parsons in paris have what youre looking for?

[jae1x]

It seems kind of silly to base your school choice on famous alumni. . .

I agree. It's about how you do it.

getting into the institute is more of a starting point.

Hedi Slimane is just the right example.

But names do matter to somewhat extent:

- London College of Fashion (UK)

- Royal Academy of Art (UK)

- Otis College of Art and Design (US)

- Ecole Nationale Superrieure Des Arts Decoratifs (FR)

- Ecole de La Chambre Syndicale de La Couture Parisienne (FR)

- Esmode Inretnational (FR)

- Instituto Marangoni (IT)

- Instituto Europeo Design (IT)

- Polimoda (IT)

[partyvan]

1111111111111

[darkanimal]

Princeton Fashion School of Janitor Design FTW!

[Agent Orange]

do i dare ask if any one of these schools is not private? whats the price range like, is this just rich kids playground or are there actually schools charging ...5k€ or less per year, so one could finance it on his own?

[isoform]

Agent Orange--FIT is public, and you really get the most bang fer yer buck coz of it's reputation. you also get in-state tuition if you live in NY state for two years or some such thing.

[Agent Orange]

thanks. but im more interested in the european ones. theres a huge divergence between university fees in the us (and i think britain too) and in continental europe. what you in the us pay for public universities amounts to what you pay for a private university here.

[alterion]

British uni fees depend on where your from, EU students fees will be £3070 a year for any public uni (99.999999%) which you can get a loan for if your an EU student. Having said that i know nothing about good fashion schools and i guess that that's one of the niche markets to which this may not apply