Though the rankings seem to differ, there are many fashion colleges that stay at the top of multiple ranking lists. Let's take a look at what fashion colleges are the most competitive in the United States and around the world.
Please note: this list is alphabetical, not in any particular ranking order.
- Academy of Art University (San Francisco)
At the Academy of Art University, students can major in fashion. Coursework focuses on hands-on experience in fashion design, fashion merchandising and textiles and knitwear. Students create either a visual or journalist voice by showing in the famous Academy fashion show and taking classes such as Business of Beauty, Green Design and Visual Merchandising. Prestigious firms that hire Academy graduates include Calvin Klein, Diane von Furstenberg and Marc Jacobs.
- California College of the Arts (San Francisco & Oakland)
The California College of the Arts has the Fashion Design Program, which is one of the 15 fashion programs in the nation to receive an invitation to the Council of Fashion Designers of America. The program focuses on mandatory skills such as sewing, pattern making, draping and illustration, thus providing graduates with the industry standard requirements. Courses include Body in Motion Drawing, Eco Seminar and Portfolio Review. The program provides internships as well.
- Drexel University's Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design (Philadelphia)
The Antoinette Westphal College focuses on hands-on and classroom learning both in Philadelphia and New York. But Westpal also focuses on a rotation of guest speakers and encourages its students to study abroad in Prague, London and Iceland. Courses are offered in the areas of the retail apparel industry, manufacturing and visual design. Famous alumni include Oscar de la Renta and Vera Wang.
- Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising or FIDM (Los Angeles)
FIDM is very popular because Lauren Conrad, star of the reality television series The Hills, was filmed taking classes there. Famous Project Runway contestant Nick Verreos teaches at FIDM. The school's program focuses on career training and has a rigorous curriculum of fashion design, history and theory. Courses include Color and Theory Design, Computer Pattern Drafting and Portfolio Preparation. Students can also participate in a fashion show.
- Istituto Marangoni (London, Paris & Milan)
The Istituto Marangoni's campuses are in the fashion capitols of the world, thus providing students with an up close and personal experience of fashion. It boasts a reputation of one of the world's top fashion schools. The program favors a nondisciplinary approach and emphasizes culture's influence on fashion. Areas of study include pattern making, history of fashion and sociology. In year three, students submit a final project and have the opportunity to take part in a fashion event.
