Picking the best fashion school for you: what you might be overlooking when considering a career in the fashion industry.
Picking the perfect school is a challenge that most people face head-on. While there is a lot of information on choosing business colleges, architecture and interior design schools, law universities, and more, there isn’t much information on picking the best fashion school. With so many new routes opening up in creative career choices, it is evident that there will be high competition in the world of design, fashion, merchandising, branding, and other technical and vocational fields that contribute to a life in fashion.
Contrary to popular beliefs, it is not as straightforward as learning ‘fashion’ at school. There are specializations and streams within fashion like accounting, budgeting, creativity, design, fashion management, fashion technology, tailoring, textile management, shoe designs, ready-to-wear, couture, etc.
When considering shifting to a new country to further your career, especially in fashion, you may have to furnish additional documents to immigration authorities. Some of these documents might be things you may not have heard of or need to apply for. This process is quite tedious, and you should consult a good good lawyer for immigration who can help with the paperwork, documentation, and formalities.
Let us help you choose the right fashion school for your needs.
Critical Aspects To Consider:
When it comes to fashion schools, you should deep dive into all the streams offered, the course breakup, and the experience of the professors. Understanding how each school differs from the next is essential when making major life decisions. Many future prospects depend upon your choice now.
If you plan to choose an international school, you may need letters of recommendation, verified transcripts, certificates of academic and extracurricular activities, etc. Suppose you are going to an English speaking country, but you have your education in another language. In that case, you may also have to undergo the English Language Tests and pass with flying colours. All these criteria change from country to country. You should contact Total Law to help navigate the necessary paperwork and documentation to strengthen your application from the get-go. Doing this will ease the application process and ensure that your international student visa goes through on the first attempt.
Area of Specialization:
Like major business schools across the globe, fashion schools are also known for their specializations. There is a wide range of disciplines to choose from, and many schools offer majors and minors for a well-rounded educational experience.
The first thing to ask yourself during the shortlisting process is what you like about fashion. You should think of that first if you can imagine yourself doing the same thing (and branching out later) while progressing in an excellent career. Prioritizing stuff you love and shortlisting your schools based on the area of specialization and interest will ensure you stay focused on your career goals.
Envision the Future:
Always start by asking yourself what you would like to do in the long term. If you want to learn a new hobby or are planning to make your own clothes only, then a certification course from a local school should suffice. Certificate courses are excellent for people who want to concentrate on short term goals and learn the necessary skills to help achieve their goals.
Suppose you plan to work in couture and eventually start your own brand, go global with ready-to-wear street clothes, or branch into accessories, scarves, sustainable fashions, etc. Then you should consider a top-notch fashion school with Bachelor’s and Master’s degree options.
Opt for Internship Options:
Studying fashion and using it in daily applications, learning the tricks of the trade, and ensuring you build these skills are critical for future growth. When selecting a fashion school, you must look for a program that offers internship opportunities that will work towards your final grade.
Interning will also help you understand the on-ground realities of working in the business and determining which field is best suited for your interests. Interning will also help you know which subjects you would like to major in and which will hold your interests in the long term without losing focus or spending money.
Cost and Accreditation:
Many fashion students believe that they have to decide only based on the cost of the tuition. While expenses must be considered, you could cover the cost of education by working part-time in a fashion house and then interning during the breaks. It is best to select a well-accredited fashion school even if it costs a bit extra.
School accreditations help make your portfolio and academic qualifications stronger and help you get better jobs. You should treat your fashion school as an investment and not an expense.
