Looking to pursue a career in fashion design? Explore the best fashion design universities worldwide in our comprehensive guide. Find the perfect school to help you launch your fashion design career.
Studying abroad in fashion and design is to learn from the best. Every year, CEOworld magazine publishes a rating of the best fashion schools in the world. If you want to make a career in design and fashion, your main advantages will be a quality education, relevant experience and an impressive portfolio.
Why choose foreign fashion design universities?
Studying abroad gives you the opportunity to receive specialities that do not yet exist in your country. The studying has an applied character: the students work on projects for real clients, form their portfolios, and pass internships in the industry’s leading companies.
World rankings of the best design universities
The lists of the best universities are made based on the analysis of the academic reputation and reputation among employers, the ratio of professors to students, and the citation rate of publications.
Top 10 universities of fashion and design (according to QS World University Rankings, 2023)
- Royal College of Art, UK
- University of the Arts London, UK
- The New School, USA
- Rhode Island School of Design, USA
- Politecnico di Milano, Italy
- Aalto University, Finland
- Pratt Institute, US
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA
- Design Academy Eindhoven, Netherlands
- School of the Art Institute of Chicago, USA
Best Fashion and Design Universities in Europe (Business Of Fashion, 2023)
- Aalto University, Finland
- Accademia Costume Moda, Italy
- Domus Academy, Italy
- ESMOD International, France
- Institut Français de la Mode, France
- Instituto Marangoni, Italy
- Polimoda, Italy
The leading Italian design schools
ISTITUTO MARANGONI
Istituto Marangoni was founded in 1935 and was the first private college in Europe to train fashion professionals. Today Istituto Marangoni is among the top 5 best fashion schools in the world and offers dozens of creative and business specializations, from fashion, product and interior design to brand management and curating. Programs are annually updated and adapted to the realities of the industry.
Since its founding, Istituto Marangoni has graduated more than 30,000 professionals. Domenico Dolce (Dolce & Gabbana), Franco Moschino (Moschino), Alessandra Facchinetti (Tod’s), Julie de Libran (Sonia Rykiel), Rodolfo Paglialunga (Jil Sander) and other industry stars studied here.
Marangoni Institute students regularly participate in world fashion weeks and interior exhibitions; their works appear in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and AD pages. You too, can write your name in the history of the fashion business!
NABA, Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti Milano
Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti Milano (NABA) is Italy’s largest private art academy. It has two campuses, in Milan and Rome.
NABA is accredited by the Ministry of Education of Italy, and its graduates receive an internationally recognized diploma.
It is one of the world’s top 100 universities for art and design and is ranked number one in Italy (QS).
NABA has been ranked three times among the top 100 schools of architecture and design in Europe (Domus Magazine).
The school collaborates with many prestigious Italian cultural institutions, including Teatro alla Scala, Triennale Milano, WWF, Art Director Club Italiano, Fondazione Magica Cleme, National Chamber of Italian Fashion, Museum of Modern Photography (MUFOCO), Natural Sciences Museum, Triennale di Milano Design and Art Museum and Piccolo Teatro di Milano. During their studies, students attend events, work on collaborative projects, and complete internships.
NABA students can participate in an international exchange program. Among the university’s partners, there are more than 30 leading universities in 16 countries, including London College of Fashion in the UK, Pratt Institute and Cornell University in the United States, Aalto University in Finland. Textile Details, a fashion writing service, offers experienced term paper writers to help international students adjust to their new academic environment and succeed in their studies.
Perspectives
- NABA cooperates with Italian and international companies, helping students find internships and future jobs. Each graduate receives an average of about three job offers.
- Thanks to university accreditation, international students can extend their visa for one year to find a job.
- Eighty-nine percent of NABA graduates are employed within one year of graduation.
- Graduates work for prestigious companies such as Valentino Fashion Group, Armani, Versace, Swatch, Rochas, Trussardi, Leo Burnett, J. Walter Thompson, Pininfarina and Missoni.
- Salaries of NABA graduates are 23% higher than those of graduates of other Italian universities.
Domus Academy
Domus Academy is the leading private school of fashion, design and architecture.
The school was founded in 1982 and was the first to teach postgraduate design programs in Milan.
Domus Academy is included in the top 150 universities worldwid e and in the top 5 universities in Italy (QS World University Rankings). The University regularly enters international rankings of such prestigious publications as Azure Magazine, Frame Publishers, Domus magazine, BusinessWeek.
Students participate and win awards in prestigious competitions. Among them are ITS, The Next Generation Contest during Milan Fashion Week, Vogue Talents, Who Is on Next?
Among the teachers are Guy Trussardi, creative director of Trussardi fashion house, Vogue Italia editor Sara Maino, founder of Costume National Ennio Capaz and other masters.
Among the famous graduates of the university are the journalist Anna Dello Russo, designers Christophe Pillet, Ryosuke Fukusada, Nicole Langelier (Design & Diplomacy), Hemeon Ko (Chanel), Anupria Diwan (Innovatio Space Design & Strategy).
Prospects
- Every year representatives of leading companies come to Domus Academy to offer internships and jobs to graduates.
- The university’s partners include Condé Nast, Ferragamo, Chrysler, Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Inditex Zara, Moncler, Versace, Whirlpool, Microsoft, Ford Motor Company and LG Electronics.
- 95% of Domus Academy graduates find a job within a year after graduation.
Why study design in Italy
The capital of fashion and design
Italy hosts the leading design studios, Prada, Gucci, Moschino, Dolce & Gabbana headquarters, and key events such as Milan Fashion Week, Fuorisalone, Pitti Uomo and others.
Close ties between universities and the industry
The bright representatives of the profession teach at universities, and educational projects are carried out for real customers. Lectures and workshops are held in museums, design studios and fashion shows. Students have internships at leading companies around the world.
Careers
Italian education in design and fashion is highly valued worldwide, and the leading universities have an excellent reputation among employers.
Affordability
Education and life in Italy is cheaper than in the U.S., Canada, Britain, Switzerland and many other European countries. Many universities provide scholarships and discounts for studying. If you want to study in Italy and need help writing your research paper, Textile Details is the perfect solution – they are available to provide quality assistance at competitive prices.
Culture
Italians are very open and friendly. International students feel comfortable and adapt quickly. Italy has delicious food and a great climate.
How to enter the university
Entrance requirements of different universities and programs may vary. Some of the common ones include:
- A high school diploma for a bachelor’s degree or a diploma for a master’s degree.
- Knowledge of a foreign language. The level of English should be at least IELTS 5.0, for Italian – B1. You can study in any of the two languages.
- Portfolio for creative majors.
- Writing a motivation letter and passing the entrance exams. If you need help with any stage of your application process, collegepaperwritingservice.org is here to help in writing a convincing motivational letter as well as to provide you with personalized academic writing services.
- Most universities have special training programs for international students to help them improve their language skills, master professional terminology, and build up a quality portfolio.
