Fashion Schools in France: Paris Fashion School Directory

French fashion is known around the world for quality, and studying in France puts you inside the industry that sets much of its craft standard. This directory is led by ESMOD, an international fashion design and business school since 1841, whose French network teaches fashion design and creation through ESMOD and fashion business through ISEM, at undergraduate and graduate levels, with courses in fashion design, pattern making, fashion business strategy and more. Compare the French schools below, and note the practical questions: language of instruction, and how each school connects students to Paris ateliers and houses.

A Paris fashion school atelier with tall windows, haute couture dress forms, toile fabric and pattern drafts on a long table, no people

French fashion is well known around the world for being of high quality and trendy. Find a fashion design school in France to learn the craft. After learning in France, you will be well qualified to join the international fashion community.

Don't forget to visit the fashion library in our fashion industry terminology section.

ESMOD France: ESMOD is an international fashion design and business school since 1841. their network of schools in France offers different trainings in the areas of Fashion Design and Fashion Business available at all levels in their 2 main branches: ESMOD for Fashion Design & Creation and ISEM for Fashion Business. ESMOD offers both undergraduate and graduate programs. They offer courses in fashion design, pattern making, fashion business strategy, and more. ESMOD International offers topflight programs in design and business to cover the full range of the fashion industry's demands, as it has been doing for over 170 years. Because trends change, and globalization and social networks effect the way fashion is consumed, ESMOD anticipates and incorporates the developments of our time to give students a head start in the fashion world of tomorrow.

IFA Paris: IFA Paris is a fashion school that offers students around the world a vast range of unique and tailored courses. They give students the choice to study in two of the most globally influential fashion capitals in Paris, in Shanghai and now in Istanbul that sets them apart from other fashion schools. IFA Paris originated from France and they pride themselves in their strong French heritage. Whether you choose to study in Paris, Shanghai or Istanbul, their lecturers are mostly recruited from France. This approach provides students the French fashion heritage that can be felt as you begin your studies in either school. Having two locations also adds a different edge that mixes the classical side of fashion in Paris with the fast changing fashion and luxury world of Shanghai and the well-connected and the most strategic location for all kinds of trades of Istanbul to truly create a one of a kind learning experience. They offer courses in fashion design & technology, knitting design, luxury brand management, fashion distribution management, fashion entrepreneurship, and more. They offer bachelor and MBA classes.

Paris Fashion Institute: Paris Fashion Institute, established in 1976, provides a beautiful, secure and stimulating environment where students gain hands-on knowledge of all aspects of the fashion industry — design, marketing, manufacturing, merchandising and retailing. Our month-long seminars, offered in June and September, are held on the campus of Cité Universitaire in Paris. All classes are taught in English. We accept students from all over the world to study with legendary designers and industry professionals. In addition to an intensive course of study, students will enjoy a visit to the Louvre, a day at Versailles, and attendance at Paris fashion shows when in season.

Institut Français de la Mode: The Institut Français de la Mode in Paris, which brought together IFM and the Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne, offers programs from bachelor's to doctoral level in fashion design, management, and craftsmanship.

LISAA: LISAA trains fashion designers and stylists specializing in pattern making and textile design at its Paris and Nantes campuses, with state-recognized diplomas.

Which is the best fashion design school in France? Let us know your opion. If we are missing any textile or clothing relevant schools in France, please let us know and we can possibly add them to this list.

You may want to learn more about fashion design MBA courses from schools around the world.

Getting an education regarding fabrics, footwear, or clothes is always a good idea.

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The ESMOD Model: Design and Business Under One Name

ESMOD's structure is worth understanding because it mirrors the industry itself. Its two main branches divide the work the way fashion houses do: ESMOD for Fashion Design & Creation, and ISEM for Fashion Business. Programs run at all levels, undergraduate and graduate, and the design side teaches pattern making alongside design — a French strength, since the country's atelier tradition treats the pattern as part of the design act rather than a downstream technical step. Students who want the business route — strategy, marketing, management of fashion brands — are served by the same institution, which makes collaboration between the two halves natural.

Studying Fashion in France as an International Student

Ask three questions of any French school. First, language: many programs teach in English, but atelier vocabulary and internships reward French, and even a year of study improves both. Second, internships: Paris concentrates haute couture, luxury groups and independent labels, and a school's placement record is the bridge to them. Third, level and recognition: confirm how the credential is recognized in the country where you plan to work. France rewards students who use the city itself as a classroom — exhibitions, fabric shops and fashion week activity are part of the education whether or not they are on the syllabus.

Common Questions

How long has ESMOD been teaching fashion?

ESMOD is an international fashion design and business school since 1841, offering undergraduate and graduate programs through its network of schools in France and internationally.

What is the difference between ESMOD and ISEM?

They are the two main branches of the same school network: ESMOD covers Fashion Design & Creation, and ISEM covers Fashion Business.

What courses do French fashion schools offer?

Courses in fashion design, pattern making, fashion business strategy and more, at undergraduate and graduate levels.

Fashion Schools in France