Fashion College? How many years?

Question

so if i want to be a clothes/fashion designer how many years of fashion school/college would i need to do?

Answer 1

It really depends on what your educational goals are; are you interested in earning a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college? Or do you just want the info and go immediately to work? If you earn a Bachelor's degree from an unaccredited college, realize that you cannot enroll in an accredited Master's Degree program.

Not always easy questions, but ones that only you can answer. Once you have decided what is it that you want out of an education (degree or vocational training) then you can start looking at schools. If you are going to move towards an accredited Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) you need to plan for a minimum of 4 years (and that is if you never fail one class and take full loads every semester). BFA's require general education so you will need to complete entrance exams in English and Mathematics to be placed in the appropriate classes. Humanities, Math and Science, all will need to be completed as well as your 'major' coursework in design.

If you are interested in simply learning the craft there are many private schools such as Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) which is a well know institution and happens to be accredited! Here is the link: http://www.fidm.com/admissions/catalog/index.html
I would recommend the Los Angeles branch if you can afford it as the experience you will receive in the field (actual designing experience) is incredible. However, the prices for tuition can also be incredible when you compare them to local Community Colleges or State Colleges and Universities. Here is FIDM's tuition schedule for a 12 month "Professional Designation"
A.A. Professional Designation:
12 months - 60 units
Tuition $21,030
Books & Most Supplies $3,700
Matriculation Fee $100
Student Association Fee $290
Lab Usage Fee $200
Graduation Fee $140
Total [Tuition, Supplies & Fees] $25,460

To me that is a very expensive A.A. degree, but you may be qualified for grants or scholarships. (And, remember that does not include living costs such as rent, food, transportation, etc).

There are other schools on the web, but be careful not to be wowed by a great web page. Ask LOTS of questions when you call a school you are thinking about; how long, for an average student, does your program take to complete? Is your program accredited, and if so by what accreditation bodies? Do you have an extern or internship for students? If so, with whom and for how long? What are the hidden costs of your institution? and so on. I can think of a hundred questions to ask and if you sit down before you contact the institution you should make your own list.

I would also encourage you to talk to professionals in the field you are interested in before signing up. Do what is called an "Informational Interview" by calling companies who employ designers and ask if there is any designer willing to be interviewed for 15-25 minutes (no more, or you will get a lot of "no's!"). Again, think of questions ahead of time that you want to know about. How did that designer get where he or she is today? Did they go to college? a vocational institution? just lucky? What is the range of pay for an entry-level designer? How did this person get their big break? And so on until you have asked your questions, but please be sensitive about the time you take from a working professional.

If you are lucky enough to find someone who really encourages you, you might ask if you could job shadow that person for half or a whole day. Your role would be to truly be a shadow; listen, watch and take in that person's work experience. Then, ask yourself, does this look like what I really want to do? If so, go for it and I wish you the best of luck.

Answer 2

Google It :D