The best fashion schools inspire bold ideas, nurture individuality, and connect students with global industry networks. From iconic campuses in metropolises like London and New York to boutique schools in culturally rich regions like Paris and Milan, these schools shape the way fashion is conceived, created, and consumed.
Image: Fashion Institute of Technology
Fashion is a mirror of the times. From the elaborate garments of the Victorian era to the sleek minimalism of modern streetwear, every trend tells a story. Exploring fashion, especially at the top ranked fashion schools in the world, aspiring designers, creative visionaries, and industry disruptors not only develop their personal style but also gain insights into global cultures, artistic movements, and even economic trends.
These institutes attract students from around the world, fostering an atmosphere of collaboration, diversity, and creativity. With alumni who are leaders in the world’s most influential fashion houses and entrepreneurs driving independent fashion labels, these institutes remain at the heart of the industry, shaping its legacy and future. Here are the top ranked fashion schools in the world that are celebrated for their rigorous academic programs and commitment to pushing the boundaries of design.
Things a student should consider while choosing a fashion school
- What are the program specialisations offered by the institution?
Research whether the school offers the specific focus you’re interested in, such as fashion design, merchandising, textiles, or marketing. - What are the admission requirements?
Understand the prerequisites, such as portfolio submissions, academic grades, essays, or interviews, to prepare effectively. - Is the institution accredited and well-regarded in the industry?
Look for schools with strong reputations and accreditation, as these often lead to better networking and career opportunities. - Does the school have connections with the fashion industry?
Check if the institution has partnerships with top brands, offers internships, or invites industry professionals for guest lectures. - What is the alumni network like?
Explore the success stories of graduates and whether the school’s network can provide mentorship and job opportunities post-graduation. - Are there opportunities for hands-on experience and practical learning?
Confirm if the school provides workshops, real-world projects, and access to facilities like studios and equipment. - What is the cost of tuition, and are scholarships available?
Assess the financial requirements and explore scholarship options to plan your budget effectively. - Where is the institution located?
Consider whether the school is situated in a fashion hub, like New York, Paris, or Milan, as location can impact networking and internship opportunities. - What is the class size and student-to-teacher ratio?
Smaller class sizes may offer more personalized attention, while larger ones may provide diverse perspectives. - Does the curriculum align with current industry trends?
Review the courses to ensure they cover modern techniques, technology, and global fashion trends to keep you competitive in the job market.
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Parsons The New School For Design
Image: Parsons The New School for Design in New York City
Parsons The New School for Design in New York City ranks as the top art and design school in the United States, per QS World University Rankings 2024, and boasts 41 Forbes “30 Under 30” since its inception in 2011. The fashion institution is shaped by the values of curricular innovation, collaborative methods, pioneering uses of technology, and experimentation.
The institutional vision aligns with shifts in the global economy, society, and environment. Emphasis is on balancing hand-craft and digital skills. Students learn to design with a focus on creativity, sustainability, diversity and technology. The fashion school also organises curricular partnerships with leading firms such as Kering, Louis Vuitton, Swarovski, UNIQLO, and Woolmark.
Program Highlights:
- Helmed by faculty such as Associate Professor of Fashion James Butler, Associate Professor of Fashion Design Carolina Obregon and Associate Professor of Fashion Design Anna Lerner-Zwick, the Fashion Design BFA program explores form, silhouette, material, and process, including social and environmental imperatives, to create beautiful, sustainable, responsibly produced fashion.
- In the AAS Fashion Design program, graduate students study the process, techniques and language of fashion design from concept to production, using ethical and sustainable methods. They have the opportunity to design womenswear, menswear, and accessories, learning everything from drawing, draping, pattern-making, and sewing to tailoring and haute couture. Graduates bring fresh perspectives to the industry’s established firms and have even launched their own collections.
Notable Alumni: Parsons alumni such as Marc Jacobs, Anna Sui, Donna Karan, and Tom Ford have revolutionised fashion. Donna Karan’s iconic “Seven Easy Pieces” concept for the working woman, is legendary. Marc Jacobs brought a fresh, bold vision to his eponymous label and his tenure as creative director at Louis Vuitton. He is the youngest designer to receive CFDA Perry Ellis Award for New Fashion Talent. Tom Ford, celebrated for his sleek, provocative aesthetic, is best known as the Creative Director who turned Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent into brands worth billions of dollars from 1994-2004 and 1999–2004, respectively. He founded his own Tom Ford luxury fashion label in 2004.
Fashion Institute of Technology
Image: Fashion Institute of Technology, New York
Located in New York, the Fashion Institute of Technology offers degrees in fashion design, business, and technology. FIT focuses on industry collaborations, like the launch of UNIQLO RE.LIVE, an upcycling collection developed by FIT students in partnership with UNIQLO to reimagine creative solutions for unsellable products. Under the guidance of FIT’s DTech Lab, three Fashion Design BFA students and two Advertising and Digital Design BFA students from the Class of 2024 collaborated on the RE.LIVE project, from inception through to the campaign rollout.
The School of Fashion also offers online programs, allowing students anywhere in the world to receive a top-quality accredited degree. FIT offers over 200 courses taught by working professionals, asynchronous formats, real-time virtual classrooms, and technical support. For students of fine and applied arts, the institution provides a collaborative space where they can get constructive feedback with peers, and receive custom instruction, evaluation, and critique from leading industry experts.
Program Highlights:
- Fashion Design AAS provides an essential foundation in computer-aided design, sketching, draping, pattern-making, construction, sewing techniques, and textiles. The BFA program offers concentrations in children’s wear, intimate apparel, knitwear, special occasion, and sportswear. Students create designs informed by market research and inspired by history, art, and culture. Throughout, they will master advanced technologies, build presentation skills, and choose from a menu of design electives to customise their studies. The program culminates in a required internship and a senior collection guided by acclaimed designers who serve as mentors.
- The master’s programs emphasise sustainability, emerging technologies, and strategic innovation, preparing students for leadership roles. FIT’s curriculum integrates technology and hands-on experience, giving students access to industry-standard labs and software. Programs such as the Master of Arts in Fashion and Textile Studies or the Master of Professional Studies in Global Fashion Management emphasise sustainability, global market strategies, and the impact of emerging technologies on fashion.
Notable Alumni: FIT’s alumni boasts significant figures such as Calvin Klein and Michael Kors. Calvin Klein, a visionary known for his minimalist aesthetic and groundbreaking approach to branding, founded a coat shop in York Hotel, New York with $10,000, and transformed it into multi- million dollar brand Calvin Klein Limited, that retails menswear, womenswear, denim, underwear and fragrance. He is also famous for his provocative campaigns. Michael Kors built a fashion empire characterised by his sleek designs that combine classic American style with global appeal. The designer was honoured with CFDA Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award — its youngest recipient.
Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London
Image: Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London
Central Saint Martins, a part of the University of the Arts London, is celebrated as an iconic institution for fashion design students due to its history of producing some of the world’s most influential fashion designers, including Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney, and John Galliano. Renowned for its avant-garde approach and emphasis on creativity, the curriculum encourages experimental design, critical thinking, and collaboration. At Central Saint Martins, the faculty believes that art, design and performance can generate real productive change. The institution is deeply connected to the industry, offering students opportunities to showcase their work and get internships with fashion houses.
Program Highlights: The fashion school has some really interesting and specialised courses. BA (Hons) Fashion Sportswear teaches how to design and produce activewear and sportswear; students consider how sport, science, new technologies, fashion trends and cultural contexts influence fashion retail. BA (Hons) Bespoke Tailoring, the only course of its kind in the UK, challenges students to become disruptive traditionalists who respect craftsmanship by re-defining its future. BA (Hons) Fashion Textiles: Embroidery believes that technology and skills inform the design process and students on this specialist embroidery (mixed-media) pathway explore embellishment, surface pattern and texture.
Notable Alumni: Illustrious alumni include John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney, Riccardo Tisci, and grace Wales Bonner. John Galliano told Vogue about his graduate collection, Les Incroyables (BA 1984): “It was electrifying, which sounds weird to say because it was hard work, I can still remember, but it possessed me, drove me, inspired me. I just had to keep up with the world I was creating. Every tiny detail mattered and had to be perfect.” Alexander McQueen said about his Fashion Design MA collection (MA 1992): “It showed me there were other people out there like me. It was an exciting period and the start of a new London thing, and it was a period that hadn’t been there since Galliano left for Paris. It was a new revolution in fashion.”
Istituto Marangoni
Image: Istituto Marangoni
Founded in 1935 in Milan, Istituto Marangoni is one of the world’s leading fashion schools. Renowned for its commitment to excellence, the institution has consistently evolved to stay at the forefront of the industry, combining traditional Italian craftsmanship with innovative, global design. Its iconic status stems from a curriculum that nurtures creativity, technical expertise, and entrepreneurial skills. With campuses in Paris, London, and Shanghai, Istituto Marangoni provides students with exposure to global fashion, making it a beacon of inspiration and a gateway to success in the fashion industry.
Program Highlights: The Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion Design and Accessories recognized by the Italian Ministry of University and Research teaches students to design and build a fashion show collection, assessing its production costs with focus on circularity and sustainability. Fashion Design and Marketing combines creative and technical fashion design skills with marketing, communications, and business. Another interesting program is Fashion, Art and Textile Innovation, created around interdisciplinary experimental projects and an innovative approach in textiles and materials. Emphasis is placed on exploratory and versatile attitudes through theory and practical work, in order to innovate and develop using technologies and sustainable approaches.
Notable Alumni: Among its celebrated alumni are Franco Moschino, the visionary founder of Moschino, known for his bold and unconventional designs, and Domenico Dolce, co-founder of Dolce Gabbana, synonymous with opulent, timeless fashion. Alessandro Sartori, Artistic Director of Zegna, is revered for his sophisticated menswear, while Rahul Mishra, a champion of Indian craftsmanship, combines heritage textile techniques with modern design. Other notable graduates include Julie de Libran, formerly of Sonia Rykiel, Paula Cademartori, famed for her luxurious handbags, and Marco Capaldo of 16Arlington, celebrated for his avant-garde aesthetic.
L’Institut Supérieur Spécialisé de la Mode
L’Institut Supérieur Spécialisé de la Mode in Paris is a French fashion school that provides post-baccalaureate training through bachelor’s, master’s and MBA cycles. Known for its combination of French elegance and modern innovation, students exercise their creativity in workshops equipped with sewing machines, press, Stockman mannequins, mini-busts, specialised machines for knitting, graphic tablets, MAC room, amphitheater, video lab, etc.
Program Highlights: The institute offers cutting-edge courses. Master’s Degree in Digital Fashion Designer explores the intersection of fashion and technology. Students learn how to design digital apparel for avatars and organise immersive virtual shows, gaining experience in digital fashion, meeting current industry needs and anticipating trends. The first year of the Bachelor in Fashion Management offers basics of marketing, communication and management while exploring the world of luxury, art and fashion culture.
Notable Alumni: As a private French fashion school, alumni details are not extensively documented but the institution’s affiliation with the IONIS Education Group since March 2021 underscores its commitment to providing quality education and fostering talent in the fashion industry.
Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design
Image: Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design
Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design
With twelve nationally ranked programs, the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design prepares students to succeed in competitive art, design and media fields. Programs are largely studio-based with an emphasis on practical application of design and media-making skills, business acumen, and creative problem solving. And, the goal of the Fashion Design program is to integrate an understanding of art, craft, and design with the creation of clothing for the marketplace.
Program Highlights: The Fashion Design undergraduate program is comprehensive in design, fashion and art history, business and technology and prepares students for careers in apparel design, knitwear design, textile design, costume design, product design, and technical design. Students have access to state-of-the-art studios and technology labs, including Shima Seiki knitwear studio for knitwear design, programming, and production. Hands-on visits to the Robert and Penny Fox Historic Costume Collection gallery, with a research and study area, provide a new level of design research integrated into coursework.
Notable Alumni: Gabrielle Bonheur “Coco” Chanel, founder of the iconic luxury fashion brand Chanel, known for revolutionizing women’s fashion with her timeless designs; Tom Ford, former Creative Director of Gucci and founder of his own brand, recognized for his sleek, provocative style; and Donna Karan, founder of DKNY, celebrated for her practical and elegant designs. The college’s interdisciplinary approach has been instrumental in developing such versatile designers.
Polimoda
Image: Polimoda
Polimoda is iconic in the field of fashion design due to its unique combination of tradition, innovation, and industry integration. Located in Florence—a city synonymous with artistry and craftsmanship—it provides an inspiring environment that connects students to the historical roots of fashion while encouraging forward-thinking creativity. The school is renowned for its hands-on approach, offering cutting-edge facilities, personalized mentorship from industry professionals, and a curriculum that merges technical skills with conceptual development.
Program Highlights:
- The Master in International Fashion Business program in collaboration with the United Nations Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network demonstrates how the fashion industry engages with the international community to keep the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals and teaches students how innovative fashion leaders impact the evolution of the industry by placing sustainability, climate and inclusion in the center of their business. Students learn how to handle different fashion businesses, such as running a start-up or an overseas expansion of a finance driven label to understand financial and legal aspects as well as growth. This unique and hands-on learning experience includes field trips, a midterm and a mandatory final project.
- The Master in Fashion Merchandising and Buying is designed to shape professionals in the field of fashion buying and merchandising, emphasising a broader understanding of global fashion shifts, exploring new markets, acknowledging individual preferences, recognising the emergence of gender fluidity and understanding the significance of both data-driven insights and cultural awareness. The program places emphasis on understanding the balance of staying current with trends while preserving a brand’s authentic identity. Additionally, students are trained to draw valuable consumer insights from a combination of data analytics and cultural understanding.
Notable Alumni: Polimoda alumni include Alessandro Sartori, Artistic Director of Ermenegildo Zegna, acclaimed for his sophisticated menswear; Massimiliano Giornetti, former Creative Director of Salvatore Ferragamo, recognized for his elegant, timeless collections; and Marco de Vincenzo, who launched his eponymous label known for innovative textures and vibrant colors.
Royal College of Art
Image: Royal College of Art
The Royal College of Art is an iconic institution for fashion design due to its reputation for fostering groundbreaking creativity and producing industry leaders. The programs emphasise conceptual thinking, sustainability, and interdisciplinary collaboration, equipping students with the skills to innovate in a rapidly evolving industry. With a distinguished faculty comprising influential designers, the institution provides mentorship that combines artistic exploration with practical expertise. Its impressive alumni network, including icons like Ossie Clark and Christopher Bailey, further solidifies its status as a cradle of cutting-edge talent and innovation in global fashion design.
Program Highlights: The Fashion MA programme asks for a disruptive critical approach, leading to new aesthetics and responses about the practice and industry of fashion. The faculty shifts the focus from making clothes to concerning themselves with the environment, social responsibility, and geopolitical and economic challenges. Fashion is designed, articulated, manipulated and simulated in both physical and digital spaces, guided by diversity, inclusivity and cultural awareness.
Notable Alumni: The Royal College of Art in London has produced numerous distinguished fashion designers. Notable alumni include Christopher Bailey, former Chief Creative Officer and President of Burberry, renowned for revitalising the luxury fashion brand with innovative design; Erdem Moralıoğlu, founder of eponymous label Erdem, celebrated for his romantic and feminine aesthetic; and Zandra Rhodes, recognized for her bold prints and vibrant use of colour.
National Institute of Fashion Technology
The National Institute of Fashion Technology is an iconic school for fashion design, celebrated for its pivotal role in shaping the Indian fashion landscape. Established in 1986, NIFT combines traditional Indian textiles and craftsmanship with global fashion trends, making it a unique hub for creative and technical innovation. Its comprehensive curriculum integrates design, technology, and management, preparing students for diverse roles in the fashion industry.
Program Highlights: The Fashion Design program has played an influential role in shaping the Indian fashion ethos. Adequate opportunities are offered to each student to develop design abilities by encouraging questions, reflection and experimentation. The overarching objective of the program is to enable integrated development of future designers so that they contribute to the directional growth of the apparel industry through a global outlook with an Indian soul. This is achieved by a triple-pronged approach towards fashion education through dynamic curricular changes, technical experimentation, and collaborative linkages with the industry.
Notable Alumni: The National Institute of Fashion Technology in India has been instrumental in shaping the country’s fashion landscape. Among the illustrious alumni are Manish Arora, known for his eclectic and vibrant designs that combine traditional Indian elements with modern aesthetics; Ritu Beri, one of the first Indian designers to showcase her collections in Paris, recognized for her fusion of Western and Indian styles; and JJ Valaya, celebrated for his opulent bridal wear and couture that draws inspiration from royal Indian heritage.
Pratt Institute
Image: Pratt Institute
The Pratt Institute offers bachelor’s programs in fashion that are tailored to developing the creative and technical skills necessary for success in the fashion industry. The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion Design at Pratt is acclaimed for its emphasis on innovation and sustainability. Here, students contextualise fashion within a social framework, forming a strong point of view on the issues we face today and challenging them through their craft.
Program Highlights: The Master of Fine Arts in Fashion Collection and Communication offers a trans-disciplinary pedagogical approach that spans design, theoretical analysis, and critical examination. The program provides a holistic, advanced fashion design education with non-studio courses in research practices, critical theory, and the study of global fashion systems and their impacts. The MFA inspires students to form a conceptually purposeful practice that is in meaningful dialogue with critical inquiry in fashion and through trans-disciplinary engagement across Pratt Institute.
The design studio is at the core of the educational experience at Pratt. The fashion school considers it a creative space and a community. The culture of the design studio is one of creativity, experimentation, and exploration. To prepare students to become leaders in the creative community, Pratt Fashion access to Shima Seiki 3D knitting machines and Framis NOSO technology, as well as a dedicated Textile Research Library within the department.
Notable Alumni: Alumni include fashion designers Jeremy Scott, creative director of Moschino and owner of his namesake label. Since launching his brand in Paris in 1997, Scott has built a reputation as “pop culture’s most irreverent designer”. Alumnus Betsey Johnson has over sixty stores, including stores in London, Tokyo, and Toronto. These graduates exemplify the creative spirit that Pratt instils in its students. Their accomplishments showcase how the institute’s rigorous programs and emphasis on pushing creative boundaries prepare graduates for influential careers in global fashion.
Jasmeen Dugal is Associate Editor at FashionABC, contributing her insights on fashion, technology, and sustainability. She brings with herself more than two decades of editorial experience, working for national newspapers and luxury magazines in India.
Jasmeen Dugal has worked with exchange4media as a senior writer contributing articles on the country’s advertising and marketing movements, and then with Condenast India as Net Editor where she helmed Vogue India’s official website in terms of design, layout and daily content. Besides this, she is also an entrepreneur running her own luxury portal, Explosivefashion, which highlights the latest in luxury fashion and hospitality.
