The Business of Fashion has ranked the diverse range of fashion schools all over the globe, looking at the quality of teaching, access to good facilities and the dynamism and diversity of the student body. From 2015-2017, the schools were ranked on the creative and business side. Due to complaints, the survey was halted in 2018 while the Business of Fashion team re-evaluated their approach. This led to the creation of the BoF Education Council, consisting of 12 notable global experts in fashion education and the industry.

The team removed the numerical ranking system, instead awarding Badges of Excellence to the institutes that performed best. These consist of Best Overall, Best in Global Influence, Best in Learning Experience and Best in Long-Term Value. Moreover, the programmes were divided into three departments - Fashion Art Direction and Communications, Fashion Design and Fashion Business and Management, allowing for a more comprehensive listing across diverse programmes. The survey includes the data of 138 programmes from 66 institutes in 23 countries, those with insignificant amounts of feedback being excluded. Feedback was gathered from fashion educators globally and academic peer reviewers. The feedback was also heavily reliant on the student, individually dependent based on their career goals and objectives, budget, location and preferred learning style, with data from over 13,500 current students and alumni.

Many institutes have begun introducing industry collaborative projects and mandatory internships to their curriculum to increase student preparedness for a successful fashion career. Only 68% of students in Fashion Business & Management programmes partake in internships, with 75% percent for Fashion Art Direction & Communications and 78% for Fashion Design. “There’s an overwhelming concern about how difficult it is to get a job in the market,” said Karen Harvey, chief executive of Karen Harvey Consultancy Group, and a member of BoF’s Education Council. “Many of the students… wanted to open their own businesses, there were not many that wanted to work for brands.” Students are increasingly seeking out multi-disciplinary courses for a well-rounded and broad knowledge, and the schools are responding, but they also need to get the correct balance in order to meet industry standards – BoF Education Council.

Students also need to be able to analyse and utilise data to keep up with technological developments. Most schools appear to be successful in adapting curriculum to these changes, with all three departments having over 75% student satisfaction of the tools and technology made available. The use of industry programmes and machinery helps to prepare students when going into a fashion career.

Often, technology is linked to sustainability in which a brand can be optimised for modern consumers. “I think we should not only bring sustainability to fashion, but also think about sustainable economies, business models,” said De Saint Pierre. “It’s about… the end life of product, production, circularity, inclusive design, how employees in-house and outside are treated and social responsibility in fashion.” “I don’t think students need to go to fashion schools,” said Rapley. “There are other ways in. However, by taking the opportunity to study, it helps them to grow up, to find out who they are and where their talents lie — it’s often not where they think. They often have a rose-tinted view of the industry, and it helps redirect their talents to where they fit in.”

To explore BoF’s full report on The Best Fashion Schools in the World 2019 and the new methodology, click here: https://www.businessoffashion.com/education/best-schools For advice on how to succeed in a University interview, view our first blog post: https://www.theagencydelamode.com/de-la-mode-blog/2019/6/16/how-to-prepare-for-an-interview-in-thefashion-industry or to attend out Fashion Super-Intern course to develop a CV and begin networking, click here: https://www.theagencydelamode.com/new-events/https/wwweventbritecom/e/fashion-super-internyour-guide-into-a-career-in-the-fashion-industry-tickets-63371847903