The BA fashion show held at Central Saint Martins (CSM) is highly anticipated each year as it showcases the work of undergraduate students to fashion journalists, buyers, and employers. This year’s event was held in the atrium of the art college, which is now part of the University of the Arts London and featured 40 student collections. However, outside the venue, nearly 100 students silently protested, showcasing their own designs or enlisting their friends to model their work. These students were disappointed that their collections were not chosen for the runway. "When you think how much they had spent on course fees and on their collections, you can understand why they were so disappointed not to get shown," revealed Sarah Mower, a fashion journalist and ambassador for emerging talent at the British Fashion Council. It can cost students up to £10,000 to prepare their MA collection.
According to a new global ranking of fashion schools, CSM is the best in the world, with the Royal College of Art as the best for graduate courses. Kingston University is rated third for undergraduate fashion courses, and the London College of Fashion is fourth for graduate programs. Nevertheless, a survey of over 4,000 fashion students and recent graduates exposed widespread discontent, primarily concerning how well fashion schools prepare their students for employment. CSM was significantly ahead in the undergraduate table for global influence, but it has a long way to go when it comes to learning experience and long-term value. One graduate of CSM commented that it "is not alone; students from most schools wanted greater exposure to employers and more preparedness for working in the industry."
Furthermore, many students complained that they struggled to find employment after completing their course, despite attending highly regarded schools. "Career paths were not adequately explained," said one graduate of the University for the Creative Arts in Epsom. "Brilliant school, brilliant exposure, zero help afterwards… no agencies or industry links provided," revealed another respondent. Alex Brownless, a fashion designer and co-founder of the Arts Thread network, explained that the top schools produce a long list of alumni designers, but most of these graduates do not work in the industry. "It’s incredibly cruel," he added.
Over the last two decades, fashion has become one of the most competitive courses at university, with at least six applications for each place at the top schools. However, this does not guarantee a job upon graduation. Students often accumulate massive debts and struggle to pay for materials, believing that there will be a job at the end because their course boasts an 89% employment rate. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.
Joshua Kane, a bespoke tailor and one of Russell Brand’s favorite designers, is concerned about the loss of certain skills within the fashion industry. To hone his skills in cutting and sewing techniques, Kane took extra classes. Despite the claim that fashion schools fail to provide enough support, Kane disagrees, stating that students receive ample exposure to the industry. Ultimately, success depends on the individual students’ work ethic and their efforts to make themselves more employable. Unfortunately, not all students possess this drive, according to Kane, who graduated from Kingston University in 2007.
Ayako Furness is a womenswear textile designer at Burberry. She reveals that as someone who moved from Japan to study at the prestigious Central Saint Martins (CSM), she was surprised at how much self-learning UK fashion students are expected to do. Nevertheless, Furness disagrees with those who assert that fashion schools do not help their students find jobs. CSM assisted her in obtaining internships and ultimately landing her first job at Louis Vuitton.
Elinor Renfrew, the BA (Hons) fashion course director at Kingston University, asserts that fashion design courses are not intended to teach business and enterprise. Instead, students work on real briefs with actual companies as well as developing as many connections as possible with employers, thereby immersing themselves in the industry. Willie Walters, the director of BA (Hons) fashion at CSM, defends her school’s methods of linking students with employers. She acknowledges that the press show from which most students are excluded can be unfair, yet asserts that students are aware that not all of them will present their work there. Assessment shows are held two weeks prior to the press event, where the students’ work is showcased. Walters adds that there is also an exhibition every June where students display their full portfolios, which is attended by both employers and press. Although Walters commends the independent spirit of students who launch their shows, she will neither encourage nor discourage such ventures.
Below are The Business of Fashion’s top 20 undergraduate fashion courses:
1. Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, UK
2. Bunka Fashion College, Japan
3. Kingston University, UK
4. Parsons The New School for Design, US
5. Fashion Institute of Technology, US
6. Polimoda, Italy
7. University of Westminster, UK
8. London College of Fashion, UK
9. Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia
10. Drexel University, US
11. Shenkar College of Engineering, Design and Art, Israel
12. Ryerson University School of Fashion, Canada
13. Stephens College, US
14. Nottingham Trent University, UK
15. Savannah College of Art and Design, US
16. Philadelphia University, US
17. University for the Creative Arts – Epsom, UK
18. Istituto Marangoni, Italy
19. Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology, China
20. Hogeschool Van Amsterdam, Netherlands
Here are The Business of Fashion’s top 10 master’s fashion courses:
1. Royal College of Art, UK
2. Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, UK
3. Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Belgium
4. London College of Fashion, UK
5. Savannah College of Art and Design, US
6. Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia
7. Institut Français de la Mode, France
8. Ryerson University School of Fashion, Canada
9. Polimoda, Italy
10. Philadelphia University, US
