Fashion Forum

Hi, I'm Tee C.

So anyway My long story, below, leads to me needing to get my degree online and I want to know if an online degree in Fashion is just as acceptable as getting one on campus. I thank you in advance for all your input. I want to be a Fashion Stylist and Fashion Coordinator. I would also like to own my own clothing boutique and, even crazier, I want to start my own magazine. So I cannot afford to move away to go to college anymore. I'm 25 and I had a hard time getting into SCAD-Savannah (financially) for the one year I attended there. I just don't have the financial ability to get into college for Fashion anywhere in South Carolina. The colleges here don't offer a curriculum in Fashion Retail that has a strong emphasis on Fashion. I realize that the degree would be okay, but I want to pay for what I want and I want a curriculum that also has a big focus on the actual fashion industry itself. And when I look over the curriculum for the schools that offer a Fashion Retail class, its all just business and nothing to do with the artistic side of it. And although I loved SCAD-Savannah, their curriculum only focused on the Artistic side and not so much on the business side. I only realized that after I started looking at other Fashion schools. I know that Fashion Merchandising is one of the degrees I will need and I'm also looking into Visual Merchandising and Fashion Journalism (for my magazine). I was considering the Academy of Art University's online degree options. So far I like what I see in the curriculum better than anywhere else. And they have an A rating with BBB but that doesn't specify how great their online educational experience is.

im studying a degree in design atm (albeit in architectural design) but an online degree in anything creative leaves me wondering just how much can be taught in a creative field without interaction. we learn a lot from our tutors and lecturers and their experience in regard to design and how to express our ideas creatively, and that comes from mentoring and collaboration-its hard to teach, and would be harder still to learn on-line, as it involves you expressing your ideas to a tutor or mentor, and them helping you learn how to develop and explain those ideas visually- its not something that can be learnt from a book.

i also hold a business degree which required very little mentoring and in my opinion would be very easy to learn online.

i guess what i was trying to say by all of that is it depends what you want it for- from a business point of view no problem, but from a creative point of view it probably would not give you the development opportunities you would require

Here is a great article about how to choose a fashion school and what to look for, click here.

sorry, here is the article....http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1370385/fashion_design_school_online_choosing_pg2_pg2.html?cat=46

Students looking to study fashion will discover dozens of colleges of which to choose from worldwide. If you find yourself looking to attend a fashion college you may just discover the perfect one, and it is right here in Shanghai. Through hybrid experimentation, innovation and discovery, International Fashion Academy prepares students to succeed both as a fashion student and fashion pro.

International Fashion Academy, better knows as IFA Paris established their Shanghai school in 2002. Eight years on IFA Paris has placed itself at the forefront of fashion education. As the leading fashion school in China, IFA Paris offers students undergraduate and graduate programs in design¡¡and business within an environment of cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Natalie Brunaux, Academic Director, IFA Paris said, ¡°At IFA Paris we recognize the importance of a student¡¯s decision to commit to an excellent fashion education and we are very pleased to offer programs in our Shanghai and Paris school¡¯s that reflect the breadth of opportunity available in this vibrant industry.¡±

Testament to their commitment in providing students with the best fashion education, IFA Paris have wide-ranging links to the creative and luxury industries, and the school¡¯s permanent teaching staff, all specialists in their fields, are supported by contributing lecturers who are active practitioners in their chosen fields.

IFA Paris undergraduate program offer rigorous design & technical training allowing emerging designers to break new ground in their fields and develop nascent disciplines. The school¡¯s Fashion Design & Technology Bachelor prepares students for success at every level. Offered in Shanghai and Paris, the program is continuously evolving along with fashion itself with students experiencing a fashion education that nurtures their creativity while providing a rigorous grounding in the practical and technical skills needed for success.

Alan Zhou, IFA Paris Fashion Design & Technology 2009 graduate and most recently finalist in the popular reality TV show, My Style said, ¡°The school and teachers were always so open to creativity while at the same time focused on the technical and practical aspect of the design process. It was the right mix.¡±

¡°I really enjoyed being surrounded by so many talented people at IFA. It was very inspirational.¡± Zhou adds.


The post-graduate programs at IFA Paris expand on the school¡¯s mission to produce exceptional leaders. Students join the graduate programs from all over the world to discover an academic atmosphere that¡¯s professional and focused on academic goals and industry projects. IFA graduate programs provide exceptional opportunities for students to develop their professional network by offering numerous and valuable interactions with leaders in the industry.

Joining forces to create a Master¡¯s program in Fashion Business, IFA Paris in association with POLIMODA, Italy¡¯s leading fashion design and marketing school, offer students a unique opportunity to develop skills and gain an in depth understanding of fashion¡¯s fastest emerging market ¨C China, with 6 months study in Shanghai followed by 3 months in one of Europe¡¯s oldest and most dynamic fashion centers, Florence. Students gain invaluable knowledge in product design, merchandising, strategic marketing, retail management, distribution and other related industry modules such as buying and luxury theory & practice.

IFA Paris Master of Arts in Fashion Design & Management, available in Shanghai and Paris enables students to take the next step in their fashion careers by building not only on design skills but understanding the cultural, industrial and market forces that shape the fashion world.

Capturing the essence of the IFA Paris post-graduate experience, Anastacia Plastinina, Masters in Fashion Business 2010 graduate said, ¡°They worked us hard! It taught me to how to be competitive in one of the most competitive industries in the world. The instructors were all so professional and the school partnered with different retailers and corporations with the aim of broadening our perspective. I was really happy with my choice and wouldn¡¯t change it.¡±

The school also recently launched a Graduate Certificate program. Working professionals in pursuit of part-time study in the field of fashion are encouraged to consider the Graduate Certificate in fashion business which also features an optional ¡°Fashion Discovery Tour¡± of Paris upon conclusion.

So, if you¡¯re exceptionally dedicated with an experimental and innovative sensibility, IFA Paris may be the place for you. Studying with IFA Paris will help you to develop the skills and confidence necessary to succeed in today's fashion workforce and the school¡¯s placement office will assist you to access great internships, job fairs with top companies, career coaching, a dynamic job board, workshops, and much more. IFA Paris cultivates relationships that lead to employment opportunities for their students and graduates. At IFA Paris, the opportunities are plentiful.

For more information about IFA Paris and their courses visit www.ifa-edu.fr