Fashion Research and Study Opportunities

Thousands of study and academic opportunities in Fashion are available internationally. Conferences and summer schools in Fashion are organized regularly in the best academic centers of the world. The majority of universities and many foundations also offer BA, MA, and Ph.D. programs in Fashion as wells as postdoctoral research grants, awards, and fellowships. Below you will find the updated list of international opportunities available in Fashion.

Fashion Scholarships

Fashion Conferences

Fashion Summer Courses

Fashion relevant accounts on Twitter

Is Fashion a talent or a learned skill?

Why did the public follow Coco Chanel's dictated style of little black dresses back in the 1920s? Why did people fall in love with the innovative design of the first Louis Vuitton handbags in the 1850s?

Is it because of beauty or convenience that some fashion companies manage to build everlasting brands, and others stop after a 2-3-year apparel production journey? 

The most correct answer is both + billions of other factors. Fashion is about glamor, chic, and elegance on the surface, and public psychology & business modeling in its more profound levels. Fashion gurus both catch the wave of what the public wants at the moment and introduce something entirely new to integrate it into usual life. Setting the trend is generally an abstract phenomenon, and often we can't explain why certain things touch our hearts more than others. However, by backing up your creative talent with firm theoretical knowledge of fashion academic disciplines, your chances of becoming the next trend-setter will significantly increase. 

What is Fashion from the academic perspective?

Telling that "an X major at Y university will teach you fashion" might sound weird to you. So, let's go through the main ways Fashion is described and taught in most educational institutions. 

Fashion is viewed with its full complexity. It's an economic force and a particular culture industry that had a crucial role in constructing national identities throughout history. People showed and show specific characteristics by what they wear. By looking at the development of Fashion through history, we can reflect on the main beauty, behavioral, and moral standards accepted by the society of the time.

 A similar thing is happening now. In many parts of the world, people shifted to loose and comfy dressing styles, which speaks a lot about the tendency of independence and preference for personal comfort that is actively propagated in modern society. 

Therefore, aside from creating something that will fit well on the human body, you will learn about fashion history. In parallel, you will develop a mindset of having your own influence on society through fashion styles and design patterns for your clothing brands. 

Also, you will learn how to create Fashion, meaning you will learn to understand what will appeal most to people based on their cultural, economic, social, and psychological backgrounds. 

Fashion studies

Fashion is a self-sufficient academic discipline. You can find courses on all degree levels in many universities worldwide. Usually, Fashion is more related to Liberal Arts colleges, considering the creative nature of the discipline. 

Regardless of the exact title of the Fashion major and the structure of the curriculum, Fashion students usually explore the following points:

  • Know and understand the Fashion design history
  • Learn what certain ideas, design styles, and patterns translate
  • Learn how to understand the demand of the society
  • Learn the ways of combining design rules and everyday convenience

Fashion is one of the study areas where people go to educate their talent. In most cases, universities check the natural inclination to creativity and basic skills of drawing before accepting students. Even if it's a discipline and has a predefined academic curriculum to educate fashion designers, an individual image is a component students should invest themselves in the studying process. So, before applying to B.F.A (Bachelor of Fashion) makes sure you have at least a basic understanding of drawing and sewing skills. 

Fashion study directions

The list below introduces the main areas of specialization within Fashion studies you will meet in most universities. 

Draping

Draping courses teach one of the first practical steps in creating clothes. You will learn how to manipulate fabric in the dress form with the help of 3D technologies. By making the initial virtual versions of what you imagine as a final piece of clothing, the idea generation phase becomes significantly easier. 

Sewing

Sewing courses teach you to implement your design ideas technically. You will learn how to use sewing machines, regardless if you choose to work with a home sewing machine or an accomplished industrial machine. The most advanced level of sewing courses will teach you how to work with leather: the most challenging material. 

Fashion Art

You can choose Fashion Art courses if you are interested in learning how to draw fashion croquis. It's the rough sketch, which presents the elongated figure of the real-life body proportions. 

CAD Fashion Art

Computer Assisted Design (CAD) methods are a must-have if you pursue a career as a designer. You will learn how to use the main design software tools like Adobe Illustrator®, Adobe Photoshop®, and Adobe InDesign® to develop any pattern and style that comes to your mind.

Production Management

Aside from creativity, Fashion requires strong business organization. That's why production management courses are essential to teaching you how to organize all the production processes, from scheduling the raw materials to selling the ready product in the physical stores and online. You will also learn the Management nuances in the fashion field and how to produce quality products at possibly lower costs. 

Merchandising and Marketing

Fashion Merchandising and Marketing courses prepare students to grasp and analyze consumer and design trends, organize Fashion and products' lifecycle and generally, promote fashion businesses. You will focus on the areas such as Fashion Buying, Advertising, Retail Management, etc. 

Visual Presentation and Styling

The course is beneficial for the stages when you need to organize exhibits, fashion shows, store displays, and showrooms for your ready product line. That knowledge helps to bring Fashion to large audiences and turn them into your consumers. You will learn how to work on all of the details of fashion shows, such as arranging the showplace's interior, hair, and make-up of the models, the music, lightning, treatment, etc. 

Study Fashion in Italy

Do you need reasons for that? 

Milan is the capital of Fashion. By walking in Quadrilatero d'Oro, you will have a chance to visit the most luxurious Fashion and jewelry boutiques. In one of the most expensive spots, Italy's Via Montenapoleone street, you can't resist entering the high-class boutiques that border a road in almost every corner. 

With such a high richness in the fashion industry, Italy also has one of the wealthiest academic potentials in the sphere. The majority of your fashion course searches in Italy will take you to Fashion and Design Programs in Accademia Del Lusso, Fashion design courses at IED Millan, and otherworldly known spots for Fashion studies in the country. 

Please don't rush to skip those opportunities because of the perception of high tuition and living costs. ARMACAD has covered the range of study funding opportunities in Italy, which might become your ticket to your dream career in Fashion. 

What do Fashion graduates work?

Ideally, Fashion graduates gain practical skills to turn their creative ideas into reality and become independent fashion designers. However, if they lack enough organized business ideas or entrepreneurial skills at the beginning of their career, there are plenty of other ways to utilize the academic skills gained during Fashion studies.

They can work in different fashion product development stages: starting from choosing the textiles for the clothes to organizing the online deliveries of the final product. Depending on which component of fashion operations you master, there are the following main occupations for Fashion graduates:

  • Merchandiser
  • Brand Manager
  • Fashion Consultant
  • Fashion Journalist
  • Retail buyer
  • Clothing manufacturer
  • Costume designers
  • Garment technologist
  • Stylist
  • Shopping Advisor
  • Fashion illustrator, etc. 

The way people dress has always been an important factor in how they feel and organize their life. Certain shapes and designs might become outdated, but the desire for having comfortable and elegant dressing will always remain a trend. We hope this section of ARMACAD will help you provide the world with universal fashion solutions.