What Are The Alternatives To Fashion School?

Music by:  Image credit: Deborah Smith

It’s Leyla with CULTED.

Do you ever wonder if attending fashion school is still relevant?  More and more pressure is being placed on Universities to deliver the same standard of teaching after COVID-19 forced lectures online and affected access to physical resources. Last season also saw graduate shows going virtual which for many stripped away the opportunity to liaise and impress industry leaders and potential employers. This has led many to question if attending a fashion university is even worth it anymore.

But what are the alternative ways to enter the fashion industry?

Mentoring programmes, such as Mentoring Matters and Slow Factory Foundation, are a great alternative, allowing applicants to meet and get assistance from industry leaders. Many of these schemes, like Mentoring Matters, are also exclusively for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, which is in contrast to most top fashion universities who’ve been accused of having a history of classism and systemic racism.

Aside from mentoring programmes, internships and placements are also another great way to enter the fashion industry. However, they are massively oversubscribed, with many brands or designers still choosing applicants with a fashion education. But having said that, there are many fashion start-ups on the look-out for interns who aren’t generally as picking about a fashion education, as long as you can show you’ve got the desired skills.

For emerging designers, social media is also a great way to get noticed, with many accounts like 1granary helping showcase emerging talent. 

What are your thoughts on fashion school? Let us know. 

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