The United States can rightfully be considered a place where fashion is born and talented designers grow. There are many companies and manufacturers that are aimed at almost all styles, creating sportswear, classic clothing, luxury clothing, etc. Read more on chicagoka.
According to statistics, the revenue from online clothing retail in the period from 2005 to 2017 is 2025 billion dollars. Therefore, joining this niche will not be a mistake, that’s for sure! You can start with fashion schools. The best of them are located in Chicago.
Fashion schools in Chicago
One of the reasons, and probably the most significant one, why people choose schools in Chicago is because they teach you all the crucial aspects of creating and promoting your own clothes and brand. Additionally, instructors share the secrets of understanding the market and target audience, branding clothing and presenting products to potential investors.
Fashion schools not only help create original designer clothes but also teach you how to solve problems that arise at every stage. Moreover, some of the Chicago schools have online programs, allowing students to learn even if they are located in a different part of the globe.
Advantages of a fashion school in Chicago
In fact, there aren’t many professional fashion schools in Chicago, but the ones that do exist enjoy considerable popularity among students from around the world. It is here that the curriculum is structured in such a way that allows students to study and understand fashion design from different angles as well as immerse themselves in the vast world of fashion and various styles. In addition to modern trends, you can learn the true and real history of fashion, its development from the past to the present.
The instructors at these schools are primarily professional designers and fashion designers who will not only teach you how to design but also help you achieve success and promote your own brands. By choosing to study at one of the Chicago schools, you can be sure that it’s not just a lecture-to-lecture education; it’s a place where students live fashion and are ready to capture the hearts of many fashionistas from around the world.
There is a small town not far from Chicago where fashion schools show their students a variety of fabrics and accessories because there are a lot of shops and salons.
Tuition fees vary, influenced by several factors. First of all, US citizens typically receive a reduced tuition fee. However, there are also educational programs and courses for international students to suit any budget. In general, the average cost is $460 per course.
How to apply?
Getting into one of these schools can sometimes be quite challenging, but it’s possible. It all depends on your desire and the skills you already have. Firstly, on the website of the chosen school, you need to familiarize yourself with the schedule of classes and programs available for the required period. You also need to fill out an application for admission and prepare all the necessary documents. Each school has its own set of documents, and some educational institutions may even request a brief portfolio to assess the prospective student’s level. It’s important that the portfolio is prepared in accordance with the requirements. If it includes photos, they should be bright and high-quality; photos taken with a phone, unfortunately, won’t meet the format standards. Sketches should be organized in a portfolio with a description for each clothing model, sometimes even with examples of fabrics for creating the product.
List of the most famous schools in Chicago
Today, there are 5 most popular and prestigious fashion schools in Chicago. Each of them offers its own special programs and areas of study. Therefore, when making a choice, it’s advisable to study all the specifics and curriculum in more detail.
School of Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC)
It is the best school in Chicago according to the QS Top University Ranking
In addition, this school is ranked 9th in the list of the world’s best fashion schools. The school has existed for over 150 years and has never left the ranking. This educational institution has been recognized as the most influential art college in the United States. The school of art received its status thanks to research conducted by Columbia University.
The biggest feature of this school is that all students closely collaborate with leading fashion and design experts, along with continuous student practice. Furthermore, the curriculum is structured in such a way that after graduation, students already have certain connections and experience for cooperation.
The school has three forms of education. The first is a Bachelor of Fine Arts. The main focus of such specialists is fashion design. The second form is called Master of Design in Fashion and the third form also involves obtaining the corresponding certificate.
Columbia College Chicago
This is one of those schools that emphasize design technology in their education. Some of the students of this school have become quite famous in the fashion world and even received the Next Generation Award from the NRF Foundation for several years in a row.
Here, students not only learn to design and create clothes and stylish looks, but one of the areas of study is business promotion. That is, they are taught not only how to create, but also how to find the right sales approaches, investors and build a business process to make a profit from their collections.
For practical experience, the school engages its students in cooperation with stores and salons almost from the beginning of their studies so that they can gain the skills that will help them develop their personal brand and business.
There are only two degrees at this school. The first is a Bachelor of Fashion Studies, and the second is Fashion Design, BFA.
Dominican University (DU). Fashion design direction
The curriculum of this school is structured in such a way that fashion is perceived as an art form. It is here that instructors teach their students to turn their personal portfolios into real masterpieces. This school offers only a bachelor’s degree in fashion, but there are a huge number of areas of study. For example, Jewelry Design, Surface Design of Fabrics, Fashion Illustration, etc.
Harper College
This educational institution has a wide range of diverse areas of study. They offer an AAS degree, which allows students of this college to choose an enterprise where they can prepare a term paper in real conditions at the end of the course. Here you can select textile design, costume history, drapery, and more. Each class is an in-depth study of one area. Unfortunately, the program is designed for only 61 hours of study, so the skills you acquire will be quite basic. There is also an interesting area here, such as fashion merchandising, where you can learn about effective brand promotion. Moreover, this particular college offers certified training programs.
Hovet Fashion Studio
Finally, the last one from the list of top fashion schools in Chicago. This school specializes in short training programs. You can choose individual training or choose a group class here. On average, one short course ranges from 10 to 20 hours of training. Individual classes are suitable for beginners who are just looking for their path in the fashion industry. A beginner’s training program costs about $400. However, there is an option to choose an hourly payment method. In addition, group classes consist of only 4 students, not 20. Therefore, everyone gets enough attention and help from the instructor during the lecture. In general, it’s recommended to choose such programs in virtual classrooms, as they are about 30% cheaper.
This list of fashion schools in Chicago should definitely assist those who plan to connect their lives with design and create marvelous collections.