Top 10 Fashion Schools In The World
Pratima Ati is a postgraduate in International Business from Staffordshire University. After working in Marketing and Business Development for a few years, she jumped ship to pursue two things she loved – fashion and writing.
Read full bio of Pratima Ati
Image: Instagram
If you have finally decided to take up fashion as your career, you know what leads you there, don’t you? What a silly thing to ask! I’m sure you know how to brighten that fashion streak – a fashion degree is the basis for everything. And, where you pursue your education is very important. Yes, that is the deal maker! So, while there’s so much confusion in trying to decide what is good for you, one thing is certain – it has to be the best in the world or nothing at all! So, we decided we’d talk about that. We have the list of the top fashion schools in the world that deal with fashion and associated programs. These colleges are the most prestigious institutes in the world, and have many legends to their credit. The list pretty much remains the same each year with a little bit of shuffling amongst them. Each of them offers a combination of courses like fashion design with marketing, styling, technology, merchandising, finance, etc. Your interest should be your cue while choosing a course. That said, let’s deep dive into the details.
Top 10 Fashion Schools In The World
- Central Saint Martins, London
- Parsons The New School For Design, New York
- Istituto Marangoni, Milan
- Fashion Institute Of Technology, New York
- Kingston University, London
- Antwerp Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Antwerp
- Bunka Gakuen, Tokyo
- Shenkar College of Engineering and Design, Ramat Gan
- École de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne, Paris
- Royal College Of Arts, London
1. Central Saint Martins, London
Central Saint Martins, London is part of the University Of Arts, London that is known for its courses in arts, design, and especially fashion. It was founded in 1986 after the Central School Of Arts And Design and Saint Martin’s School Of Arts were merged. It scored the highest for student placements after graduation. Be it peer-to-peer learning, guidance or the teaching staff, Central Saint Martins is the best and continues to be rated at the top.
Location – London, UK
Programs – Fashion Designing, Fashion Design Marketing, Fashion Design Communication, Fashion Journalism, Fashion Design Print, Fashion Design Menswear, Fashion Design In Womenswear
Levels Offered – Short Term, Undergraduate, Integrated And Masters
Famous Graduates – Stella McCartney, Sarah Burton, Alexander McQueen, John Galliano, Phoebe Philo.
Official Website – www.arts.ac.uk/csm/
2. Parsons The New School For Design, New York
Parsons School Of Design is the pioneer in arts and design and one of the best fashion schools in the world. It is also known for its innovative teaching methodologies that brought out the creative best in students since its inception in 1896. After almost a century, it merged with The New School, which was founded in 1919. Parsons The New School For Design has created industry prodigies like Donna Karan, Marc Jacobs, etc.
Location – New York, USA
Programs – Fashion Design, Fashion Marketing, Graphic Design, Fashion Design And Society, Communications Design, Industrial Design
Levels Offered – Undergraduate, Graduate, Summer Programs, Preschool Programs
Famous Graduates – Donna Karan, Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford, Alexander Wang, Prabal Gurung, Joel Schumacher
Official Website – www.newschool.edu/parsons
3. Istituto Marangoni, Milan
Istituto Marangoni was founded in the year 1935 with the idea of teaching professionals, technicians, and fashion enthusiasts the art of designing clothes. With a student base of 40,000 and three more campuses that have been added, Istituto Marangoni is more of an experience than a school. The students hail from every corner of the world and are multi-cultural, diverse, and unique in every sense. The courses it offers at every level are tailor-made to match various industry needs, creating spaces for the highly skilled. It is also known for its unparalleled placement opportunities.
Location – Milan, Florence Italy. Other branches in London, UK; France, Paris; Shenzhen, China
Programs – Fashion And Luxury Brand Management, Fashion-FIlm-Photography, Fashion Marketing, Fashion Merchandising, Fashion Product Marketing, Fashion Promotion, Communication And Media.
Levels Offered – Undergraduate, Graduate, Executive Masters, Short Term Courses
Famous Graduates – Alessandra Facchinetti, Rahul Mishra, Rafael Lopez, Alessandro Sartori etc.
Official Website – www.istitutomarangoni.com
4. Royal College Of Arts, London
Royal College Of Arts, London is the only complete post graduate college in the world in art and design that enrolls students from all across the globe, this sets it apart from other fashion schools around the globe. It offers a range of about 24 courses in the art and design category. And, it has been consistently named as one of the most prestigious institutions in art and design.
Location – Kensington, London
Programs – Fashion Innovation And Design, Fashion Menswear, Fashion Womenswear, Global Innovation Design, Textiles
Levels Offered – Graduate
Famous Graduates – Ossie Clark, Ridley Scott, James Dyson, Tracey Emin, Thomas Heatherwick
Official Website – www.rca.ac.uk/
5. Fashion Institute Of Technology, New York
Fashion Institute Of Technology, New York is called the MIT of the fashion industry, and some of the most legendary designers, actors, and industry professionals have graduated from this school. FIT is known for creating curriculums that are not just thought-provoking but also inculcates techniques that are needed for the real world. The academic board is a group of experts that are critical members in the field of fashion, which is vital to any core committee. Above all, FIT is located in the world’s hub for fashion, business, and finance capital of the world. From internships to full-time roles, your options are practically limitless.
Location – New York, USA
Programs – Undergraduate, Graduate
Levels Offered – Fabric Styling, Fashion Business Management, Jewelry And Interior Design, Fashion & Textile; Global Fashion Management, Cosmetic, Fragrance And Marketing Management etc.
Famous Graduates – Calvin Klein, Nina Garcia, Francisco Costa, Ralph Rucci, Reem Acra
Official Website – www.fitnyc.edu/
[ Read: 30 Most Successful Fashion Designers In India ]
6. Kingston University, London
Kingston University in London is one of the oldest universities in the United Kingdom. It is also one of the most reputed institutes in the world and attracts students from all corners of the globe. The fashion college of Kingston is relatively new, but it slowly paced towards getting to the top in no time and has been there ever since. It might not have as many big names as a part of its alumni list, but all its graduates have always held high positions and worked with the most prominent fashion brands.
Location – Kingston Upon Thames, London
Programs – Bachelor Of Honors Fashion, MA In Fashion
Levels Offered – Undergraduate, Postgraduate
Famous Graduates – Glenda Bailey, Caryn Franklin, Jasper Morrison, John Richmond
Official Website – www.kingston.ac.uk/
7. Antwerp Royal Academy Of Fine Arts, Antwerp
Antwerp Royal Academy Of Fine Arts is one of the elite schools for fine arts and design. The courses are extensive and elaborate and focus on bringing out the artistic and innovative quotient of its students, which a lot of them find taxing. However, to deal with a growing industry like fashion and face the cutthroat competition, The Antwerp Royal Academy pushes you in the right direction. If you are aiming for this school, remember that proficiency in Dutch is a qualifying criterion.
Location – Antwerp, Belgium
Programs – Bachelors And Masters In Visual Arts Fashion, Jewelry Making, Costume Design
Levels Offered – Undergraduate, Graduate
Famous Graduates – Martin Margiela, Dries Van Noten, Kris Van Assche, Ann Demeulemeester
Official Website – www.antwerpacademy.be/
8. Shenkar College of Engineering and Design, Ramat Gan
Shenkar College Of Engineering And Design was started in 1970 by Aryeh Shenkar with an aim to serve, promote, and contribute to the industry in Israel. However, it grew to become one of the best in the world. And, it is probably one of the only universities in Israel that puts the country on the fashion world map. It also participates in some of the most prestigious fashion competitions. Some of the most prominent professors and professionals in the fashion industry come here to deliver guest lectures. The campus, R&D facilities, and labs are the reasons it is one of the finest schools.
Location – Ramat Gan, Israel
Programs – Bachelors & Masters In Fashion Design, Textile Design, Jewelry Design, Visual Communication
Levels Offered – Undergraduate, Graduate
Famous Graduates – Alber Elbaz, Hila Klein, Nili Lotan
Official Website – www.shenkar.ac.il/en
9. École de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne, Paris
Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de Couture was started more than a hundred years ago by Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, who was passionate about shaping skilled talent in the market and turn them into the best industry professionals. It provides niche sandwich courses, design, and pattern making courses. Its graduate courses deal with luxury clothing and haute couture in the most real sense. And, the college alumni have some of the biggest names you can think of. All the courses are taught in French and require you to complete basic designer courses elsewhere.
Location – Rue Réaumur, Paris
Levels Offered – Undergraduate, Graduate and Certificate Courses
Programs – Bachelors In Fashion Design & Technique, Masters In Fashion Design And Model, Advance Courses In Design, Draping And Patternmaking.
Famous Graduates – Yves Saint Laurent, Issey Makey, Anne Valerie, Andre Courreges, Karl Lagerfeld
Official Website – www.ecole-couture-parisienne.com/en/
[ Read: 101 Of The Best And Most Inspirational Fashion Quotes Ever ]
10. London College Of Fashion, London
London College Of Fashion has a multitude of fashion courses that explore so many facets of fashion, in-detail and in-depth – like no other college in the world does. LCF’s courses prepare you to offer solutions to unique fashion issues and make you a value-add to the industry. All of this while combining the most innovative technologies and keeping the craftsmanship intact. If pursuing a fashion degree has been your dream, here’s one school that you have to consider Chances are you are already aiming for this, but we are still putting it out here, anyway.
Location – London, U.K
Levels Offered – Undergraduate, Graduate & Integrated Courses
Programs – BA Honors In Bespoke Tailoring, 3D Effects For Performance & Fashion, Fashion Buying & Merchandising, Creative Direction For Fashion, Psychology Of Fashion; MA In Fashion Journalism, Fashion Futures, Strategic Fashion Marketing, Fashion Photography, etc.
Famous Graduates – Jimmy Choo, Chris Liu, William Tempest, Patrick Cox, Alek Wek
Official Website – www.arts.ac.uk/fashion/
If you have been passionate about getting a degree in fashion, chances are you already know about most of the institutes on this list. If you didn’t, hope this will give you an idea on how to go about this. Whichever college or course you choose to pursue, remember to start working backward, depending on the criteria and qualifiers for each of these schools. Good luck with all your future endeavors.
Community Experiences
Join the conversation and become a part of our vibrant community! Share your stories, experiences, and insights to connect with like-minded individuals.
Read full bio of Pratima Ati
