What to expect from fashion school if you’re unsure whether to apply

A peek behind the curtain.

What do the words ‘fashion school’ evoke for you? As a kid, I imagined it to be glamorous and intimidating, full of The Devil Wears Prada-type people who knew exactly who they were and what they wanted. Bryanah D’Costa, a fashion design student at LCI Melbourne, had a similar picture in her head before she enrolled. “I thought fashion school would be hectic, fun and fast-paced,” she says. “I can confirm fashion school is all these things and more.”

One of the more delicate considerations of submitting your course preferences is that, while you can imagine an area of study might be right for you, it’s hard to know if a course is the right fit until you start. Study outlines help paint a picture, sure, but nothing quite beats a hands-on experience. 

To learn more about the industry, head to our Fashion section.

LCI Melbourne’s hands-on ‘Student for a Day’ fashion workshop is designed to give high schoolers a glimpse into the creative chaos. It’s a one-day-only crash course to learn essential design skills, experiment with materials and watch your vision come to life – the kind of experience that could determine the trajectory of your future career.

The workshop will be led by Darran Arabin-Gander, who has over 20 years’ experience in the fashion industry, including at a series of renowned local and international fashion houses. He’s worked at Loewe, Dion Lee, Emilio Pucci and Christian Lacroix, and is now the head of fashion at LCI Melbourne. As Bryanah notes, learning from the right people is crucial to success. “I’ve been set up to adapt to any creative environment thanks to my mentors, who show this incredible support towards each of us and a genuine desire for us to succeed.”

Anyone interested in joining can sign up here, otherwise read on for more on what to expect from fashion school.

It’s more than sewing

A well-rounded fashion program should prepare you to enter the fashion industry through a range of different pathways, with subjects that encompass the technical, contextual and professional knowledge you need to succeed as a creative entrepreneur. Of course, you’ll learn to make clothes, but you’ll also leave armed with a much greater breadth of knowledge and wider set of skills. 

Expect to study patternmaking and garment construction, as well as history, politics and culture, and all the ways they’ve influenced the evolution of fashion. Early classes often cover the fundamentals of design, giving you hands-on experience with 3D design software, photography and Adobe programs. You can also expect to be trained on trend forecasting, with an eye to forecasting social and cultural impacts.  

As technology evolves, so will your studies. You may even learn to harness the terrifying power of AI for your next collection.

Fashion school also prepares you to become employable. A good school will bridge the gap between academic study and industry, teaching you to analyse business models, and supporting you with professional placements as you learn to present yourself and your work with confidence. 

Like any higher education, fashion school isn’t always easy. But it’s worth it. “You could be sewing for a full day and not realise you have sewn your pants backwards (true story), or designing a jacket with a fabric swatch which happens to be sold out in store later (also true story). But In the lows, there are many days you walk in, see your space, your friends and a respect for the work we put in that drives you to keep going,” says Bryanah. 

In the studio and beyond

The design studio will become your second home. Most fashion programs are built around a series of design labs, where you’ll develop a complete collection from scratch. 

Throughout the process, you’ll engage with the full spectrum of the real-world design process, experimenting, failing, revising and eventually producing a body of work that reflects your design ethos. This typically all culminates in a final showcase, a chance to present your designs and introduce yourself to the broader industry.

You don’t need a concrete plan

Not everyone enrols in fashion school with a step-by-step plan for becoming the next Galliano, and that’s okay. The beauty of fashion school is that it prepares you to step through any industry door that opens for you. 

“I still have no clue which part of fashion I will be going into, even nearing the end of my degree,” says Bryanah. “However, I’ve been set up to adapt to any creative environment due to my mentors, who support each of us and have a genuine desire for us to succeed.”

Fashion students might become fashion designers, stylists, creative directors and even writers at Fashion Journal. But they’re also equipped with the skills to become the unsung heroes of fashion: garment technicians, patternmakers and merchandisers. A good program even sets students up for adjacent careers in branding, marketing or public relations. 

Not knowing where your future lies can even make your designs better. Bryanah tells me that uncertainty and exploration of related disciplines, such as poetry and sustainability, have helped her get to know herself and her own design practice more deeply. 

If the fuzziness of your future is what’s keeping you from applying to fashion school, know that you don’t need to know exactly where you’re headed. All you need is to step forward with an open mind and a willingness to embrace whatever comes your way. 

Vulnerability matters as much as creativity

Like most art, fashion asks you to invest a part of yourself in your work. Bryanah says vulnerability is one of the most important (yet lesser-known) requirements of fashion school. “At every turn here, you’re given a choice to either put walls up between yourself and your art or to share fragments of you, which could open a field of doors,” she says. 

“I would tell my younger self that you have to be prepared to feel everything towards your practice – sometimes love, hate or frustration – to reach an end result,” she continues. “But also don’t forget to take a second and look around, you never know what you can do until you start.”

So, if you’re curious about fashion school, hear this: You are capable of great things, you just need the right tools, guidance and support to achieve them. And all of those are waiting for you at fashion school.

Join LCI Melbourne for its ‘Student for a Day’ fashion workshop by registering here.