ESMOD Runway Show in June 2017. Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images for Esmod
Location: Paris, France
Programs:
Undergraduate & Graduate: Fashion Design & Creation, Fashion Business
Annual Tuition:
Undergraduate: €10,550 (or $11,931 at the current exchange rate)
Graduate: €12,900 (or $14,589 at the current exchange rate)
Famous Alumni: Olivier Rousteing, Thierry Mugler, Alexandre Vauthier, Catherine Malandrino, Suzy Menkes, Christophe Decarnin, Damir Doma, Juun J, Franck Sorbier, Vanina Vesperini
Enrollment: 1,300
Percentage of International Students: 50%
What the Students Say:
"If you're ready to follow your dream, and just have a tiny time for social life, go for it!"
"The teachers and staff are overall extremely rude, unorganized and are not there to help or motivate students. Rather they are there to make you work and spend weeks on work no one has interest in, and tell students they are bad at this or that and offer no help."
"You do get prepared for the industry, with its excessive technical focus on clothing construction and confection."
The Bottom Line: ESMOD is best known for its history as the world's first and oldest French fashion design school. It has a high placement rate — most major design houses in France likely employ someone who went here — and offers classes in both English and French. What's more, it hosts programs at 24 schools across 15 different countries for those who want to study at the school, but aren't able to relocate to Paris. Students and alumni did have a few gripes, though: Many were dissatisfied with the amount of help they got from the school regarding things like internships and career counseling. If you choose this school, that may be the sort of thing you have to take into your own hands.
More Info: www.esmod.com
The 25 Best Fashion Schools in the World in 2018: See the full list.
Last updated December 2018.