There are passions that slowly grow into the heart of people, and fashion is certainly one of these. Some guys pursue this passion from the beginning, others linger in different ambitions and then re-enter the abandoned road. However, at some point, it is time to choose the new training course in line with the student's needs. Is it better a fashion school or a fashion institute? What's the difference between the two? In this article we try to clarify the terminology used in the fashion education sector.
Fashion seen from outside
The working areas within the fashion industry are many and interconnected. Often, when the word "fashion" is pronounced, what is truly emanating in people's minds is the magical world of runways and the Milan Fashion Week. Suitably packaged clothing that floats in the air hanging on sinuous moving figures; Charismatic designers who, with their esteem, make the Made in Italy more valuable; Celebrities and fashion bloggers who are wearing the latest news from the most famous brands, attracting the followers. Fashion is also this, but not only.
Fashion is synonymous of creativity, media power, craftsmanship, business skills, communication and industry. For each operating area, it is necessary to have professional skills and competence, and skills acquired during an appropriate training period and in the field. According to the preferred field, therefore, the student will have to choose which course to undertake and which structure to attend.
But here comes the first problems and the first existential questions: to find work after bachelor degree of three years, should I opt for a fashion school or for a fashion institute? Is the quality level the same? But is the fashion school the equivalent of the English fashion school? All of these questions have been heard in our experience at Milano Fashion Institute and this is why we have decided to make it clearer and dispel some myth.
Perceived and Effective Differences
The student career is made up of several phases and all are focused on achieving a certain goal. The student knows that pursuing his dreams in today's society - so deciding to work in only one sector – it is not easy and needs study, practice, direct contact with the world of work and emotional unblock. To reach the final goal, the student must look around, analyze the various means available in the society and find the institute able to support him adequately. It is therefore of fundamental importance not to go back in front of banality such as the name of the school in which you would like to enroll.
The main problem is in the perception that people have of certain words. It seems that "school" is less effective than "institute", while fashion school sounds cooler and more innovative, probably because it comes from a different culture than the Italian one. But let's clear the issue about the denominations in more detail:
- Design School: in the common imaginary, fashion school it refers to two different training areas. The first one is that of high school, or academy, specializing in the fashion industry and handcraft sector. The second case, however, is related to real post lauream courses, organized by private institutes aimed at training professionals in the manual (tailoring, design, etc.) and creation (stylist) areas.
- Fashion school: even in this case, the general belief is that it has to do with a private structure with a high rate of innovation that can turn students into talented fashion designers. When you hear about fashion school, in fact, you imagine a dynamic and creative environment, limited to the student's artistic growth.
- Fashion Institute: institute, in the common conception, seems to be a term more suited to a less creative and more structured type of education. For this reason, when we are talking about a fashion institute, we think that it is the managerial and directional segment of the fashion industry.
It is time to say things like they are: these terms are the same and they can be used in any area, obviously within the fashion industry, without affecting the quality of the service offered and the type of program provided. There are structures that address the tailoring and manual work called "fashion institutes", others instead teach how to manage a Company in a Fashion Industry called "fashion schools".
For example, in the name “Milano Fashion Institute”, we wanted to encompass everything we are proud of:
- The city of Milan is the first element as the heart of Italian and international fashion and cradle of ever new professional opportunities. Milan is a city full of life and warmth, which houses more than 3,000 fashion companies and 600 national and international showrooms.
- The renowned collaborations with the major Italian fashion brands. Milano Fashion Institute gives its students the chance to experience on the field what it means to be part of structured companies in the fashion world: this is possible thanks to our internships.
- The set of skills and experiences brought by the teachers of the most renowned Italian and International Universities.
To conclude
The titles of "fashion design", "fashion school" and "fashion institute" do not specify a particular training scope, but their use is discretionary. We wanted to make it clear, because we believe it is important for the student knows everything around him before moving on to the next training step.
For any questions or inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact us. Milano Fashion Institute and its team are always available for counseling and helping in difficult choices.
