There are plenty schools to choose from with courses based on practical application and theory, leading to an interesting and potentially lucrative career.

Brooks College in Long Beach and Sunny Vale, California offers Associate of Arts degrees in Fashion Design and Fashion Merchandising. These are intensive programs, lasting 18 months, delivered by merchandisers and designers working in the industry. Courses at this Fashion Design School include Fashion Illustration, Consumer Trends, Fashion Design Software and Business Classes.

The International Academy of Design and Technology has eight campuses across the United States and provides hands on courses, including Fashion Production Technology, Clothing Construction and Fashion Merchandising. Students can take Associate of Applied Science or Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in Fashion Design.

The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles has four campuses and is the largest of its kind in Western USA. There are several two year Associate of Arts degrees on the curriculum, including Fashion Design, Textile Design, and Apparel Manufacturing Management.

This school for Fashion Design also offers one year Advanced Programs in Film and TV Costume Design and Advanced Fashion Design and Theatre Costume, making it one of the best schools for an introduction into the entertainment world. One of the campuses is the location for a prestigious costume museum. A student exchange program has links with Fashion Design Schools in Paris, Milan, London, New York and Hong Kong.The Academy of Art University in San Francisco has a fashion department, dedicated to providing practical courses in very specific areas. These include Fashion Design, Menswear Design, Knitwear Design and Active Sportswear Design. The fashion program also reflects the environmental concerns of the industry and runs a course on Sustainable Design and Green Design. There is an impressive list of graduates who have gone on to work in Giorgio Armani, Louis Vuitton, Gap Inc., Macy’s and Saks Fifth Avenue.

The London College of Fashion, part of the University of the Arts, is the only specialized Fashion Design School in the UK. It welcomes overseas students, with students coming from more than 70 countries.  The courses are extensive and varied and include Buying and Merchandising, Costume, Fashion Marketing, Fashion Management, Footwear and Accessories, and Pattern Cutting. The college has produced many high profile people in the industry and some household names, including shoe designer Jimmy Choo and the owner of the Jaegar label, Harold Tilman. The Fashion Design School also has a research facility, which is well respected in the business world. The department curates fashion exhibitions, fashion photography exhibitions and collaborates with London’s Victoria and Albert Museum and with National Theatres and producers of catwalk shows.