With 2018 just around the corner, perhaps you’re wondering what life would be like as a fashion designer, buyer, production manager or entrepreneur. Whether you’re finishing up high school and considering your career options or you’ve always wanted to pursue a future in fashion, the first step to landing your dream job is education.
Investing time and money into getting the right training is no small feat but offers great payoffs. Having a formal qualification on your CV shows potential employers you’re not only serious about fashion but that you have the academic training necessary to create, curate, collaborate and commercialise within such a competitive industry.
To help take the grunt work out of finding a suitable course that matches your requirements, we’ve gone ahead and listed our favourite colleges and tertiary providers in Australia and New Zealand that are nationally recognised.
Billy Blue College of Design
Location: On-campus in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane – or Online
Course offered: Bachelor of Branded Fashion Design
For a true-blue school that is highly esteemed among the crème de la crème, look no further than Billy Blue, one of the most reputable design institutions in Australia. With a high employment rate among its graduates, Billy Blue fosters a vibrant community of up-and-coming designers who are known to bring fresh aesthetics and creative concepts that go well beyond the conventions and boundaries of traditional design.
In association with Torrens University Australia, students have the option to undertake full-time or part-time study delivered in a blended format that is both face-to-face and online. Billy Blue’s campuses are based in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, with FEE-HELP available for Australian students.
Website www.billyblue.edu.au | Phone 1300 851 245
Instagram @billybluecollegeofdesign | Facebook
RMIT University
Location: Melbourne
Courses offered: Fashion and Textiles, Merchandising
Through their School of Fashion and Textiles or Merchandising Faculty, RMIT offers an interdisciplinary curriculum focusing on international partnerships, foreign trade and collaboration in research. Students can choose from 22 courses with qualifications ranging from vocational to undergraduate, postgraduate and research. With a solid academic program, students will also interact and learn from instructors in fashion and business, blending theory and practice.
Additionally, there are 29 short courses available including fashion drawing, styling, sewing and patternmaking, perfect for those requiring training in select skills, professionals seeking a refresher course or newbies wanting a taste into the fashion world.
RMIT is the highest ranking Australian fashion school in the Business of Fashion‘s most recent Global Fashion School Rankings, coming in at a very credible #17.
Based in Melbourne, RMIT offers full and part-time learning options depending on the course undertaken.
Website www.rmit.edu.au | Phone 03 9925 2260
Instagram @rmituniversity | Facebook
Fashion Design Studio
Location: Sydney
Courses offered: Bachelor of Fashion Design, Lots more
Based at Ultimo TAFE, Sydney, Fashion Design Studio is an internationally renowned education provider, with alumni that reads like a who’s who of Australian fashion. Alex Perry, Nicky Zimmermann, Lisa Ho, Romance was Born and Dion Lee all studied at FDS.
For those interested in the technical aspects of fashion design, this might be the right school for you. It’s Bachelor of Fashion Design course will suit aspiring fashion designers, stylists and buyers. Students have highlighted emerging fashion technologies and digital innovation as strengths of the programme.
The courses at Fashion Design Studio have been recognised globally, with the school featuring in the top 25 in Business of Fashion’s 2016 Global Fashion School Rankings.
Graduates of FDS may also have the opportunity to showcase their work to the crowds at Australia’s most prestigious fashion event, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week!
The Fashion Institute
Location: Sydney
Courses offered: Diploma of Business, Advanced Diploma of Business
If your preference is more towards fashion communications, marketing and styling, the Fashion Institute just may be your ticket in. With a focus on fashion in the business sector, these courses provide a pathway into the industry as a marketing, events or media professional.
This boutique Sydney-based college offers face-to-face learning by well-renowned guest designers and speakers, as well as hands-on experience via an internship with one of their workplace partners. There are many opportunities to network at iconic events such as Fashion Week and David Jones/MYER seasonal shows, with an endless list of excursions and product launches to keep you busy.
Website www.thefashioninstitute.com.au | Phone 1300 FASHION
Instagram @thefashioninstitute | Facebook
Academy of Design
Location: Melbourne
Course offered: Bachelor of Design Arts (Fashion & Costume Design)
If the idea of getting hands-on with fabric cuts and colours gets you excited, then consider this course specialising in style and design. For the creative and innovative thinkers who want in on the complete end-to-end process from storyboard to runway, graduates can find themselves choosing from fashion retail, marketing, design or production as career options.
The course comprising of only a small classroom size of up to 18 students runs full or part-time via a face-to-face curriculum in their state-of-the-art facilities located in Melbourne.
Website www.academyofdesign.edu.au | Phone 03 9676 9000
FBI Fashion College
Location: Sydney
Courses offered: Fashion Business, Fashion Design
FBI Fashion College offers Certificate and Diploma courses in both the business and design realm, allowing students to choose according to their career interests. Whether you want to be a stylist, buyer or blogger within business or a fashion designer, illustrator or pattern maker within design, you can take your pick from these vocational courses.
If you enrol, you’ll be paired with a fashion industry professional who will provide guidance and advice to help you achieve career and industry success through a mentorship program. FBI Fashion College is based in Glebe, NSW with all courses delivered part-time.
Website www.fbifashioncollege.com.au | Phone 02 9566 2020
Instagram @fbifashioncollege | Facebook
Whitehouse Institute of Design
Location: Sydney and Melbourne
Courses offered: Design
For students requiring beginner, intermediate or advanced education and training, try Whitehouse Design that offers Certificate III up to Master of Design. Each course focuses on creative development with an appreciation of design history, aesthetics and communication. Upon completion, graduates can expect to work as a professional designer specialising in either creative or technical execution.
Choose to study in Sydney or Melbourne either fulltime or in block intensives. Further, short duration workshops are also available for those wishing to brush up their specialist skills and knowledge.
Website www.whitehouse-design.edu.au | Phone 1300 551 433
Instagram @whitehouse_edu | Facebook
University of Technology Sydney
Location: Sydney
Course offered: Bachelor of Design in Fashion and Textiles
UTS is another that featured among the top schools globally in the most recent edition of the Global Fashion School Rankings.
Students are encouraged to focus on innovation, experimentation and individual expression and the school’s resources include 3D printing technology, digital fabrication studios, animation studios and robotics.
A feature of the school’s program is opportunities to engage in global study tours, allowing students to explore fashion in some of the worlds most iconic cities. If you’re a keen traveller with a view to work overseas after your study is complete, UTS could be the perfect fit.
Website www.uts.edu.au | Phone 02 9514 2000
Instagram @utsengage | Facebook
Otago Polytechnic (NZ)
Location: Dunedin
Course offered: Bachelor of Design (Fashion)
Let’s not forget our Kiwi friends from across the ditch who are also spoilt for choice. After all, you may have arrived here via our sister site in All The Dresses New Zealand.
The course at Otago Polytechnic promises a more custom learning environment with opportunities for further study in Europe and Asia. With a strong international focus and industry placements with experts in the field, this degree will transform you into a highly creative, industrious and successful design guru.
Study duration is for a minimum of three years full-time or six years part-time on campus at Dunedin with student loans available for applicable students.
Website www.op.ac.nz | Phone +64 (0) 3 477 3014
Instagram @otagopolytechnic | Facebook
New Zealand Fashion Tech (NZ)
Location: Auckland, Wellington and Manukau
Courses offered: Fashion Technology, Pattern Design
NZ Fashion Tech offer vocational courses that provide core skills and knowledge as a foundation for further career development. It is the perfect pathway for those who just love fashion including recent school graduates new to the fashion game.
You can study from Auckland, Wellington or Manukau, with scholarships, student loans and allowances available to students. For a technical program rich in grass-roots pattern-making and production, consider these courses as your next step into your fashion career.
Website www.nzfashiontech.ac.nz | Phone +64 (0) 9 309 5020
Instagram @nz_fashion_tech | Facebook
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