Does IFM Paris teach in English?

In the hub of Paris, with incomparable links to the world-renowned French fashion houses and their legendary ateliers, the BA in Fashion Design is taught by designers working in international studios and highly qualified, industrially experienced technical staff.

Offered either in English or in French, the course focuses on learning through guided experimentation and innovative technical practice. You will learn to use both cutting-edge techniques and artisanal craftsmanship in order to transform your 2D ideas into 3D garments and accessories as you develop your signature style.

This three-year program will prepare you to "hit the ground running" when you graduate, whether your ambition is to work for a major luxury brand, start your own business or work as an independent designer.

Culture

Paris is a city of culture and the fashion capital of the world. We believe that fashion and culture are inextricably linked. Through our new program, you will have extensive access to contemporary art, dance, music and performance through unique partnerships with major Parisian cultural institutions including Le Centre Pompidou, La Cinémathèque Française, Le Centre National de la Danse and La Station Gare des Mines.

Diversity

The BA in Fashion Design welcomes students from all over the world. You may choose to follow the course either in French or in English.

Campus

Our Austerlitz campus is located at Les Docks - Cité de la Mode et du Design on the bank of the famous Seine river. By Autumn 2020 students will have access to state-of-the-art workshops, a fully equipped Fab Lab, a knit workshop, a leather workshop, a photographic studio and a C.A.D laboratory.

Entirely dedicated to the fashion, design and creation sectors, our analog and digital Library has one of the most unique collections in Europe.

Accreditation

The BA in Fashion Design leads to a diploma "designer concepteur de mode" conferring the "grade de licence" (Bachelor's level) by the Ministry of Higher Education: Official Bulletin (BOESRI) n°10 of March 10, 2022, by order of February 14, 2022.

Curriculum

Year 1/ Exploring creativity and learning the fundamentals

Intended as a creative incubator, this year will allow you to lay the foundations of your creative signature, combining know-how and experimentation.

Main objectives:

  • Approach different types of bodies: human body - clothing body - textile body
  • Acquire new approaches to volume, shape and the human body through innovative design projects
  • Practice drawing in all its forms and experiment with a wide variety of techniques and media
  • Learn the basics of sewing, pattern cutting and draping techniques, while approaching the notions of volume and cutting in a different way.

The first year ends with a week of discovery at the end of which you will choose one option (knitwear, image, footwear or bags)

Year 2 / Consolidating & Developing

This second year builds on the fundamental skills acquired in year 1 by allowing you to develop a more personal style of writing and language.

Main objectives:

  • Consolidate the fundamental skills learnt in year 1 (pattern making and assembly techniques)
  • Learn to develop your own creative signature
  • Understand links between the different skillsacquired, think in terms of silhouette
  • Imagine and create garments in 3D

During this year you will start a specialisation in knitwear, image, footwear or bags. A 2-month internship is compulsory at the end of the academic year (April).

Year 3 / Conceptualization and realization

In the third year, you will defend your creative signature through your know-how, your stylistic choices, your casting, a place and an "audience". Sustainability, innovation and identity will be at the center of the creative process of your final project.

Main objectives:

  • Develop communication and presentation skills (visual and verbal)
  • Understand fashion in its industrial and economic reality through industry-led projects
  • Collaborate through workshops and group critiques
  • Strengthen your area of specialization: knitwear, image, footwear or leather goods, as a lead-up to a Master's program

This final graduation project (which takes the form of 6/8 fully accessorized silhouettes) must include either a sustainability, technological or ethical dimension. It will be presented to a professional jury and to the public.

During the year we will be organizing various events so that you can meet us, visit our premises and ask any questions you may have :

  • High School Open Day on December 7, 2022 from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm: discover our bachelor programs (BSc in Management for Fashion and Creative Industries, Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design and Bachelor Modéliste Concepteur.

Register here.

  • IFM Open Day on January 28, 2023 from 9am to 6pm.

The BA in Fashion Design typically leads to careers in:

  • Menswear / Womenswear Design: Designer, Design director, Creative director, Artistic director
  • Accessory Design: Designer in Leather goods, Small Leather goods, Shoes, Leather accessories, Textile accessories, accessories, Textile accessories
  • Creative Pattern Making: Creative Pattern Maker, Modelist/Pattern Maker, Pattern workshop Manager, Research & Development Manager
  • Knitwear Design: Fashion Knitwear Designer, Knitwear Programmer, Knitwear Developer

Career advice and coaching

The Career Services Department is here to support you in order to shape your personal career path, find internship and job opportunities and develop your network, during your studies at Institut Français de la Mode and after you leave school. As students, the Careers team acts as a bridge between students, alumni and companies, and offers you many events and individual support throughout the year:

  • Company presentations
  • Career presentations by Human Resources professionals, operational staff and alumni
  • Intensive individual coaching (definition of your creative identity, assistance in CV writing and portfolio preparation, interview coaching, individual follow-ups)
  • Active support in the search for internships
  • Speed-recruitment sessions and personal interviews with specialized recruiters (Career Fairs, portfolio presentations…)
  • Access to an extensive database of job and internship offers

Internships

Between Year 2 and Year 3 of the program you will complete a 2- to 4-month internship. For those of you who do not go on to study in our Master of Arts program, you will also be given the opportunity to complete an optional 6-month internship at the end of the course. Examples of companies who offer internships: Balenciaga, Chanel, Carven, Celine, Chloé, Christian Dior, Givenchy, Hermès, Kenzo, Maison Kitsuné, Lanvin, Loewe, Louis Vuitton, Maison Margiela, Nina Ricci, Pierre Hardy, Valentino, Vetements...

As alumni, you will benefit from the strength of our network of companies and alumni, both in France and abroad. A personalized career follow-up is offered to you at all time during your professional career, and regular events are organized by our Alumni Association.

The course is headed by Thierry Rondenet and Hervé Yvrenogeau. After launching their label 'Own', they collaborated with prestigious firms such as Acne Studios, Balenciaga, Louis Vuitton, Maison Martin Margiela, Jean-Paul Gaultier or more recently Lanvin. They taught for 15 years in the fashion department of La Cambre.

Tuition fees

For students starting in September 2023, the following tuition fees apply:

EU students:

  • Year 1: €14,200
  • Year 2: €14,500
  • Year 3: €14,900

Non EU students:

  • Year 1: €21,800
  • Year 2: €22,200
  • Year 3: €22,700

There is also a lifetime contribution to Institut Français de la Mode's Alumni Association: €400.

Due to the economic context, the tuition fees are likely to evolve within the limit of an annual increase which cannot exceed the inflation rate in France.

Scholarships

Thanks to the sponsorship of company members of Institut Français de la Mode's Foundation, need-based scholarships are available for EU citizens under 28 years of age on September 1 of the academic year and who do not benefit from an individual training leave.

To apply for a scholarship, please complete the scholarship application form downloadable from the application website and submit it with your application form. We recommend that scholarship applicants apply as early as possible. Our criteria are the same, regardless of the session, but the amounts available diminish over time.

We also recommend that you consult the Campus France website to learn of other potential scholarship opportunities.

Admissions requirements

The course is open to students who have graduated from high school (Baccalaureate or equivalent) and are passionate about fashion and design. A preparation in art, design or fashion or a Foundation course is a plus but is not mandatory.
Exceptions are possible for candidates who do not hold a high school diploma. A few places are open for students wishing to apply directly for year 2 or 3.

The program is offered either in French or in English.

For the French track, students who are not native French speakers or who have not studied at least one year on a French language programme in a French-speaking country must present a certificate of success in a language proficiency test at level B2 (delf).

For the English track, students who are not native English speakers or who have not studied at least one year in an English-speaking country must present a certificate of success in a language proficiency test (CEFR level B2, IELTS 6, or Cambridge FCE).

Admissions process

The admissions process consists of two steps, firstly the submission of a detailed online application file and a digital portfolio and secondly, for selected candidates, a day of tests and an interview, on campus or online.

There is a non-refundable €50 application fee.

To apply for a scholarship, please complete the scholarship application form downloadable from the application website and submit it with the application form. Scholarship applicants are invited to apply as soon as possible. Scholarships are awarded according to the same criteria, but the funds available tend to diminish over time.

Applications via Parcoursup

If you are preparing for or hold a French degree and wish to apply for the first year of the BA in Fashion Design, you must apply through the Parcoursup platform and not directly on our website.

On Parcoursup you will be asked to attach a portfolio of personal artwork and an "imaginary museum". Click here for more information on what is expected in terms of content and tips for compressing your files.

If your application is selected in Parcoursup, you will be invited to a day of tests and interviews on the IFM campus on 5 or 6 May 2022. Exemptions will be granted to students living abroad or unable to travel. Pre-selected candidates should contact the admissions department to find out about the details of these online tests.

If you wish to apply for a scholarship, you will find the download link on the Parcoursup platform, "Fiche formation", section "dispositif pour réussir" (under "description concours". The file must be filled in and sent by e-mail with the supporting documents (one pdf document only) to the address indicated at the latest on the date of validation of your wishes. No application can be processed after this date.

International applications

If you are preparing or hold an international degree (A-Level, Abitur, International Baccalaureate...), you should apply on the IFM website by clicking on "Apply".

Required documents:

You will find below the list of documents to be collected, which should be scanned and uploaded in PDF format to your application profile:
- A recent and detailed curriculum vitae
- A passport photo
- A copy of your identity document
- Each diploma obtained. If you do not have a degree, please leave this section blank.
- Transcripts of your last two years of secondary school and any subsequent years (if you have undertaken higher education or a preparatory course). If you are a student in an art school, this transcript is mandatory.
- Your portfolio
- Your imaginary museum
- Your English or French language test (if applicable), minimum level B2 required.
- Your scholarship application (if applicable)

You will be asked to attach a portfolio of personal artwork and an "imaginary museum". Click here for more information on what is expected in terms of content and tips for compressing your files.

If your application is selected, you will be invited to take part in an online admission jury consisting of a 2D graphic assignment (drawing and collage), a 3D creative assignment and an interview with the faculty.

Applications for Year 2 or Year 3

A few places are available for students wishing to enter the program directly in the second or third year. Applications for the second or third year of the Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design should be submitted on our website (outside Parcoursup).

To enter the second year, you will need to be able to prove that you have obtained all your first year credits in a similar programme (three-year fashion design programme); to enter the third year, you will need to be able to prove that you have obtained all your second year credits. These credits will not be requested at the time of application, but will be required to confirm your admission, if applicable (by the end of July).

Please note that you can only apply once a year for the same program (in the first, second or third year).

  • Application process for Year 2
  • Application process for Year 3

Application sessions outside Parcoursup (Year 1 only)

The following application sessions only apply for candidates applying for Year 1 outside Parcoursup.

You may choose the session you wish to apply for, but can only apply to one. If you are invited for the online interview day, a specific time and date will be given to you within the dates specified below. Please note that we strongly advise non-EU students to apply as early as possible, in anticipation of visa processing delays.

The admission platform will open on January 6, 2023.

Session 1: 5 February 2023

  • Deadline for submission of application file: 5 February 2023
  • Notification of eligibility: 17 February 2023 latest
  • Online Interviews: 3 or 4 March 2023

Session 2: 14 May 2023

  • Deadline for submission of application file: 14 May 2023
  • Notification of eligibility: 1 June 2023 at the latest
  • Online Interviews: 9 or 10 June 2023

Bachelor of Arts Show 2022

After opening the PFW® in March with a film showcasing the final collections of Master of Arts's students, Institut Français de la Mode offered its very first physical fashion show on 20 June 2022. Aiming to offer an immersive experience within the school, the show showcased the collections of 32 students of the Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design, each composed of 6 looks integrating sustainability, technological or ethical dimensions.

Bliss Firth

Bliss, from the UK, tells us about her passion for fashion and her wish to continue her studies in Paris to gain a better understanding of both technique and design.

Alexandre Beucher-Pingeon

Alexandre, from France, tells us about his passion for fashion and his wish to continue his fashion studies in Paris in English after a foundation year.

Jude Macasinag

Jude comes from the Philippines. He wanted to push forward with his passion and abilities for fashion and gave himself the means to pursue his dream by continuing his studies in Paris, at IFM.

Frequently asked questions

Application

Is there an age limit to apply for Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design?

There is no official age limit. However, we do not recommend that applicants over 26 years of age join this undergraduate program, which is mainly intended for students aged 17 to 20. If you are over 26, you should explain how your studies fit into a clear and coherent career plan.

I have no artistic background, I can't sew or draw, is that a problem?

60% of those admitted come from general education streams (L, ES, S, International Baccalaureate, etc.). We do not require any technical or drawing skills, which will be taught in the programme, but their mastery is an added advantage.

Therefore, all applicants will be required to submit a 15-20 page portfolio to present an overview of their artistic skills and creative process. It is therefore important to provide content that will catch the attention of the reading committee. The ability to draw will be a plus, but collages, for example, are an excellent alternative way to express creativity.

What should I present in my portfolio?

Click here for more information on what is expected in terms of content and tips for compressing your files.

Can I send my application by email?

No. You must create your profile on our recruitment platform, complete it, download all the required documents (resume, portfolio, imaginary museum, copy of transcripts, copy of baccalaureate, passport photo) and pay the application fee of €50.

I live abroad, I will not be able to come to Paris to take the tests, is that a problem?

Not at all. You will need to specify this in your application. If you are selected, you can take the remote test and the admission interview by Skype. However, we encourage all our candidates to come and take the test at our offices.

My application was not accepted; may I ask why? Can I file an appeal?

The decisions of the reading committee are final and given the number of applications, will not be motivated. If your application has not been accepted, it will be impossible to send additional information or to know the reasons for the refusal.

You will have the possibility to reapply the following year with a more successful application. In most cases, failure is often due to a portfolio which is not strong enough creatively or insufficiently compelling.

My application has not been selected; can I try again in another session?

No. You can choose your session, but you can only apply once a year. You can try again the following year.

Is it possible to visit the school?

You can only visit the school on our Open Days. Outside of these dates, it is unfortunately not possible to plan a visit to the campus.

You can see an overview of the campus in this video.

Financing your studies

Where can I download the scholarship application file?

You can download the scholarship file on your application profile, in the "general information" section, question 7 "financing your studies" by clicking on "Institut Français de la Mode scholarship on social criteria ".

What supporting documents should I include with my application?

The scholarship application must be completed and accompanied by the following supporting documents:

  • Parents' complete tax notice for 2021 income (in France, this is the 2022 tax notice).
  • If the parents are divorced or separated, you must attach the complete tax notices of both parents.
  • Full copy of the family record book (parents and siblings).

All documents must be translated into French or English and certified by competent authorities.

The completed application and supporting documents must be merged into a single pdf document and uploaded in the dedicated section. The scholarship application must be submitted simultaneously as the application form.

Any incomplete or late document will be rejected without any possibility of appeal.

I did not send my scholarship application with my application, can I apply for a scholarship later?

Unfortunately not. Scholarship applications are examined at the latest at the time of the admission jury and no further applications can be considered.

Can applying for a scholarship be detrimental to my application?

No. The committees reviewing your application for the program and your scholarship application are separate.

Are there any other scholarship schemes for Europeans?

Yes, the programme is entitled to receive CROUS scholarship holders. You can check your eligibility by using the scholarship simulator: https://www.service-public.fr/...

You can create your student social file and apply for a CROUS scholarship on the dedicated website: https://www.messervices.etudia...

I am not a citizen of the European Union. Can I apply for an IFM scholarship?

Unfortunately not. IFM scholarships are dedicated to students under 28 who are citizens of the European Union only.

Do not hesitate to contact the Campus France offices in non-EU countries to obtain information on other scholarship possibilities.

If I get a scholarship in my first year, is it automatically renewed?

No, you will have to apply for a renewal. New criteria will be taken into account at the time of renewal: attendance, progress in studies and behaviour. They may result in a discount or the withdrawal of the scholarship in the event of repeated incidents.

If I repeat a year, does the scholarship continue?

No, the scholarship is not renewed when you repeat a year. However, an application can be made again when you move up to the next class. For example, if you receive a scholarship in the first year, you repeat the year, the scholarship is suspended, you pass to the second year, and you can (subject to resources, results and attendance) obtain a scholarship again.

What are the conditions of payment of the tuition fees?

The tuition fees should be paid yearly. Once accepted, you will have to confirm your place with a down payment of €2,000. The remaining yearly fee can either be paid in full in September or in three installments (schedule of payment will be provided when enrolling).

In addition to tuition fees, are there any additional fees to be considered?

The cost of supplies and equipment varies greatly depending on the nature of your projects. However, in the first year, a minimum annual amount of €1,200 is required. In the second year, this minimum amount is €1,300. It is impossible to estimate the cost of supplies in the final year, as this is directly linked to the nature of the projects (recycling, noble materials, etc.).

Mannequins and sewing machines will be available in our workshops.

Budget and cost of living in Paris

The cost of living and studying in Paris is very dependent on your type of accommodation and lifestyle. For reference a basic budget could include at least €800 for accommodation, €220 for meals, €30 for metro transportation, €180 for leisure and €150 for other expenses, for a total of approximately €1,380 per month.

Is it possible to work while studying at IFM?

Due to the intensity of the coursework, students do not really have time the time to work. However, some students choose to take on a 1 day per week position (Saturdays or Sundays) in order to help finance their academic year.

Practical information

Do I need a visa for France?

If you are a citizen of the European Economic Area, your national ID or passport is enough. For students outside the European Economic Area, a student visa is necessary (Visa VLS-TS). French law demands that you have “sufficient means” at your disposal to study without having to work. For visa application information and the necessary documents, please refer to the CampusFrance website. IFM sends the official acceptance letter, necessary to start your visa application after the non-refundable deposit has been paid.

Does IFM have a Campus? Dormitories?

Institut Français de la Mode is a nonresidential campus, offering on three levels, 9 000 m2 of classrooms, design studios, knitwear and leather workshops, a fab lab, a Photo Studio and a documentation center.

There is no on-campus Housing, however our academic support teams will transfer offers from landlords. Once accepted, all students receive a “student handbook” where tips, suggestions and partnerships are presented.

Students can also refer to the CampusFrance website for housing suggestions or www.ciup.fr for specific information about student dormitory-type housing.

How do I get to Institut Français de la Mode?

Institut Français de la Mode is located at 34, quai d’Austerlitz (75013)

Metro: Gare d’Austerlitz (lines 5 and 10, RER C), Quai de la Gare (Line 6) or Gare de Lyon (Lines 1, 14, RER A and D).

Bus: Lines 24, 63, 89 and 91.

What are the opening hours?

From October 1st to June 30th opening hours are:

  • Monday to Friday – from 8:30 am to 8:30 pm
  • Saturday – open on certain dates

Is it hard to get into IFM Paris?

Courses include a six-month internship for all students. Student places are highly sought after and only one in five applicants secure a place in the course.

Is IFM Paris free?

Jacquemus gives a free online fashion course For example, the French fashion school Institut Français de la Mode (IFM) in Paris, which starts tonight with an online course of fashion.