Hunting for fashion/accessory design courses? Try the Institut Française de la Mode

So, with today we say goodbye to the month of August as Autumn slowly but relentlessly approaches. Those of you who are still studying will soon go back to their courses, but those ones who are finishing this year an art, fashion or design school, are planning to go onto further education but feel lost among all the different courses on offers, should definitely have a look at the catalogues or website of the Institut Française de la Mode (IFM). I first mentioned this Paris-based institution in a previous post about London’s Graduate Fashion Week, where the Institut presented some of the creations made by its postgraduate students.

Founded in 1986 to create new and competitive figures to place in the textile and fashion industries, the centre focused at first on management programs and market research courses. As the years passed its portfolio grew and new courses in fashion and accessory design – also at postgraduate level – were added. The Institut also opened its doors to international students and started collaborating with foreign companies.
 
The IFM offers two interesting fashion design programmes, one in fashion, the other in accessory design. Both last roughly one year, are taught in English and are divided in 5 major themes or modules. The fashion design program includes creating a collection of accessories, studying the connection between fashion and interior design, drawing a personal collection of over 60 models, learning how to launch it and finally analysing the communication policy of various brands and fashion houses. The accessory design program focuses on creating a collection of shoes and on ensuring development of prototypes with an established company, designing a collection of leather goods and glasses, analysing the different materials and finishings, and, last but not least, drafting a strategy and a financial plan to launch one’s own collection.

One of the most interesting aspects of these two postgraduate courses is the creation of prototypes done in conjunction with prestigious companies based in France, Italy and Japan. Among the companies that actively participated in this activity there are Bally, Robert Clergerie, Salvatore Ferragamo and Louis Vuitton (shoes); Agnelle and Olivier Fabre (gloves); Mandarina Duck, Chanel, Celine and Hermès (bags).

There are quite a few exciting IFM graduates around, but my favourite ones are Thaï designer Chalermkiat Khatikasemlert, aka “Pop”, with his gloves and leather accessories with iconic imprints and reliefs, and João Pedro Filipe who created with Louis Vuitton prototypes for some amazingly glamorous stiletto boots.

The IFM courses have proved very successful: its graduates usually end up working for renowned houses such as Jean-Paul Gaultier, Hermès and Alexander McQueen or have set up their own business. From September 2008 the postgraduate course in Fashion Management will also feature three new specialisations: design and environment, accessories and perfume/cosmetics.

Wannabe designers might want to check out the courses on offer at the IFM, but fashionistas shouldn’t miss the annual catalogue the Institut publishes that includes designs made by students in collaboration with important partner industries. This year there is another appointment that passionate lovers of fashion and design shouldn’t miss: the Institut is moving to the "Cité de la Mode et du Design", also known as Docks en Seine, located at the old Magasins Généraux d'Austerlitz (designed in 1907 by Georges Morin-Goustiaux). Originally the opening of the building was set in the Spring of 2008, but it has been postponed till this Autumn. The old warehouses were renovated by architects Dominique Jakob and Brendan Macfarlane.

The IFM will also launch an exhibition at the Docks en Seine to celebrate the crème de la crème of young designers and the best of the French industry, a definitely unmissable appointment.

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