Fashion is more than just pattern-making and sewing. At a fashion school, you’ll learn a variety of skills from merchandising to marketing to photography and beyond. If you want to enter the fashion industry, then read on for our list of world-class fashion schools in the country.
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What Jobs Can You Get After Taking Fashion Courses?
Once you have fashion class credits under your belt, you can take on a wide range of positions in the fashion world. Here are just some of the most common career paths for fashion school students and graduates:
- Assistants at fashion labels
- Garment or textile technologist
- Fashion designer
- Fashion merchandiser
- Personal or professional stylist
- Fashion writer
- Fashion illustrator
The Best Fashion Schools In Australia
UTS Business School
Location: Ultimo, Sydney
Courses offered:
- Bachelor of Design in Fashion and Textiles (3 years), which can be combined with one of the majors for a 5-year double degree program:
- Bachelor of Arts in International Studies
- Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation
- Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Fashion and Textiles (1 year)
Requirements: ATAR of at least 91.50 OR the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT)
Famous alumni:
- Donald Chung
- Rachael O’Brien
Visit the University of Technology Sydney’s website here.
FBI Fashion College Sydney
Location: Glebe, NSW
Courses offered:
- Advanced Diploma of Fashion Business (2-3 years)
- Diploma of Fashion Design (18 months)
- Certificate in Fashion Design (12 months)
Requirements: Completion of Year 12
Famous alumni:
- Charlotte Stoke
- Chloe Hill
- Danica Osland
Visit the FBI Fashion College Sydney’s website here.
Australian Style Institute
Location: Sydney or Melbourne
Courses offered:
- Certificate of Professional Styling and Image (6 months)
- Advanced Certificate of Creative Fashion Styling (12 months)
- Masters of Advanced Professional Styling (18 months)
- Online Fashion Styling Courses (20 lessons)
Requirements: Entrance interview
Famous alumni:
- Anna Mabin
- Tina Abeysekara
- Sylvia Chen
Visit the Australian Style Institute’s website here.
The Fashion Institute
Location: Chippendale, NSW
Courses offered:
- Diploma of Business – Fashion Communications & Digital Marketing (1 year)
Requirements: Completion of Year 10 and an online skills assessment
Famous alumni:
- Erin Laffey
- Eleanor Crowe
- Georgia Collins
Visit The Fashion Institute’s website here.
Collarts (formerly Melbourne Fashion Institute)
Location: Collingwood or Fitzroy
Courses offered:
- Diploma of Applied Business – Fashion Marketing (2 trimesters/
- Bachelor of Applied Business – Fashion Marketing (6 trimesters/2 years)
Requirements: No required minimum qualifications
Famous alumni: Lina Gavira
Visit the Collarts’ website here.
Australian Academy Of Fashion Design
Location: Sydney or Melbourne
Courses offered:
- Certificate in Fashion Design (3 months)
- Advanced Certificate in Fashion Design (6 months)
- Post-graduate Certificate in Fashion Design (9 months)
- Higher National Certificate (BTEC) in Fashion Design (9 months)
- Higher National Diploma (BTEC) in Fashion Design (18 months)
Requirements: No required minimum qualifications
Visit the Australian Academy of Fashion Design website here.
Australian Institute Of Creative Design
Location: Brisbane or Gold Coast
Courses offered:
- Diploma of Applied Fashion Design and Merchandising (1.5 years)
- Diploma of Styling – Fashion, Image & Media (10 months)
- Certificate III in Applied Fashion Design and Technology (15 weeks)
- Various other short courses, distance courses, and online fashion courses
Requirements: No required minimum qualifications
Visit the Australian Institute Of Creative Design website here.
TAFE Fashion Design Studio Sydney
Location: Sydney
Courses offered:
- Bachelor of Fashion Design
- Certificate IV in Design – Fashion Design
- Certificate III in Design Fundamentals – Fashion Design
- Certificate IV in Design – Textile Design and Printing
- Various other short courses
Requirements: Portfolio and tertiary preparation certification
Famous alumni:
- Alex Perry
- Dion Lee
- Akira Isogawa
- Nicky Zimmermann
Visit the Fashion Design Studio Sydney website here.
RMIT Melbourne
Location: Melbourne, Brunswick, Bundoora, or other regional sites
Courses offered:
- Diploma of Fashion Styling (1 year)
- Bachelor of Fashion – Design (4 years)
- Bachelor of Fashion – Enterprise (4 years)
- Bachelor of Textiles – Design (4 years)
- Master of Fashion – Design (2 years)
- PhD – Fashion & Textiles (3-4 years)
- Certificate III in Clothing and Textile Production (2 years)
- Certificate IV in Custom-Made Footwear (1 year)
- Certificate IV in Textile Design, Development, and Production (1 year)
- Various other diplomas, degrees, and certificates
Requirements: English study score of 30+, a portfolio, and an interview
Famous alumni:
- Toni Maticevski
- Jessica Gregory
Visit the RMIT University website here.
Similar Courses
Design Institute Of Australia
The Design Institute of Australia doesn’t provide their own courses, but they do ‘accredit’ certain institutions. If you graduate from a DIA Recognised Course, you can become a member of the exclusive industrial body. You can check out their list of DIA-recognised courses here.
Walk, Walk, Fashion, Baby
If you want to follow in the footsteps of some of Australia’s top figures in fashion, then going to a fashion school is your best bet. The schools on this list are the best in the country, and they’ll look amazing on your resume. But the most important thing is that you have the drive, commitment, and an eye for style – that will take you much further than a fancy degree.
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