Top 10 Fashion Design Schools in the West - 2023 Rankings

Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, CA

Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) was founded in 1969. It is home to 5,300 students, 300 faculty members, and an advisory board that includes “industry giants” such as Fred Segal, Diane von Furstenberg, Tim Gunn (of Project Runway, Filmed at FIDM), and Emanuel Ungaro.  Four Southern California campus locations, including Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and Irvine make the school an attractive place to study fashion as well.

The school offers 26 creative majors leading to an AA, BA or BS in the areas of fashion, graphics, interior design or entertainment.  Degree programs for aspiring fashion designers include a BA in Design, a BS in Apparel Technical Design, and AA degrees in Fashion Design, Fashion Knitwear Design, Jewelry Design, Merchandise Product Development, and Textile Design. Associate of Arts Advanced Study Programs (ADV) programs include Advanced Fashion Design, Film and TV Costume Design, Footwear Design, International Manufacturing & Product Development, Menswear, and Textile Production and Development.

In addition to a wide variety of program offerings, fashion students can collaborate on special ‘Industry Partner Projects’ with brands like Nike, Murad, Athleta, Signal Snowboards, Lacoste, GUESS, and TOMS. Part-time work and internships with companies like J Brand Jeans, Stila, Topshop, Forever 21, Victoria’s Secret, and Adidas are an integral part of the curriculum.   There are also annual study tours that will take students to fashion capitals such as New York, Paris, London, Rome, Milan, and more. Students may also participate in the annual DEBUT Runway Show.

Otis College of Art & Design, CA

Otis College of Art and Design (OTIS) was founded in 1918 when General Harrison Gray Otis—publisher of the Los Angeles, “bequeathed his L.A. home to the city for the advancement of the arts.” The school is home to nearly 1,100 students from 43 states and 24 countries, enrolled in more than a dozen art and design programs. Offerings for aspiring fashion designers include a BFA in Fashion Design with options in Sustainability or Costume Design.

The Costume Design Emphasis focuses on “new directions in character development for film, television, live performance, concept art, and video,” according to OTIS. The Sustainability Minor helps students “develop strategies and systems, as applicable to art and design, which can meet the needs of current generations without compromising those of future generations.” The Continuing Education Department offers a number of single courses for aspiring fashion designers as well. Offerings include Fashion Design, Textile/Surface Design, Jewelry Design, and Illustration.

OTIS Fashion students are mentored by major brands and designers such as Ruben & Isabel Toledo, A|X, Halston, Billabong, Nike, BCBG, Hurley, Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Patagonia, and Johnny Was. Internship opportunities with major brands such as Tahari, GAP, Bob Mackie, Armani Exchange, Ralph Lauren, DKNY, and many others provide real world experience, while fashion show events and other prospects offer the opportunity for students to display their designs.

These mentors often participate in The Annual Scholarship and Benefit Fashion Show which is in the 36th offering in 2018. This year’s mentors included Rod Beattie of Bleu, Marisol Gerona Bradford for Universal, Chris Chang for Poesia, Claudia Cividino for Bally, costume designer Louise Mingenbach with Jose Fernandez for Ironhead Studios, Johnson Hartig for Libertine, Davora Lindner for Prairie Underground, and Sapna Von Sick for Alo Yoga.

Academy of Art University, CA

Academy of Art University was established in 1929. The school, which had a 2016 fall enrollment of 7,959 students, offers dozens of programs in the areas of art and design. The School of Fashion at Academy of Art offers several programs for aspiring fashion designers. Undergraduate offerings include an AA in Fashion, a BFA in Fashion with an Emphasis in Fashion Design, Textile Design, or Knitwear Design, BFA degrees in Fashion Product Development and Costume Design, a Certificate in Fashion, and an Online Award of Completion in Fashion Design. A BA degree in Fashion Journalism is also offered. Graduate offerings include MFA degrees in Fashion, Costume Design, Fashion Product Development, Knitwear Design, Textile Design & Fashion Merchandising and Management.

According to the Academy, fashion students have access to facilities that feature “the same leading-edge equipment and resources that top fashion houses enjoy.” Internship opportunities are also available as well as the opportunity to participate in Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City and the Annual Graduation Fashion Show in San Francisco. According to the Academy, “the show has been heralded as the ‘Fashion Week of San Francisco’ by both local and national members of the fashion industry.

Graduates of the Academy of Art University have been hired at major companies such as Gap, Kate Spade, Levi Strauss & Co., Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Adidas, Ralph Lauren, and many others.

California College of the Arts, CA

California College of the Arts (CCA) was founded in 1907. It is home to nearly 2,000 students enrolled in more than 30 degree programs. Options for aspiring fashion designers include BFA degrees in Fashion Design, Jewelry/Metals Arts, and Textiles.

Program highlights include CCA’s internship program, which offers the opportunity to work at San Francisco Bay Area companies such as Levi Strauss & Co, Athleta, and TEA Collection, the opportunity to participate in the Annual Fashion Show, and unique study abroad opportunities in places such as London, Paris, Berlin, and Italy.

Many CCA graduates have found success in the world of design. Some have started their own businesses, while others have landed positions with major companies such as Abercrombie & Fitch, J. Crew, Athleta, Forever 21, John Varvatos, Michael Kors, GUESS, Kate Spade, and many others.

Beverly Hills Design Institute, CA

Beverly Hills Design Institute is located at the crossroads of fashion and entertainment in the Luxury Capital of the World, Beverly Hills, United States. Nearby are fashion temples for the rich and famous; comfortable and luxurious department stores, like Neiman Marcus, Saks 5th Avenue or Barneys New York, which offer an unforgettable shopping experience alongside celebrities.

From art galleries to architectural tours to the Paley Center for Media, Beverly Hills is also home to art, culture and the scene of a great variety of events, festivals, and prestigious ceremonies like the Oscars, the Emmy Award, and the Grammy’s.

Beverly Hills Design Institute has set a mission to serve employers, and their communities by preparing a diverse and qualified student population to become responsible professionals committed to lifelong learning and equipped with a firm academic foundation and career-specific competencies.

California State - Los Angeles, CA

California State University – Los Angeles (Cal State LA or CSU LA) was founded in 1947. The school is home to 21,000 students enrolled in more than 60 degree programs through eight colleges. The College of Arts & Letters is home to the Department of Art, which offers several programs for aspiring fashion merchandisers. Offerings include a BA in Art with an Option in Fashion and Textiles/Specialization Fashion Merchandising, MA and MFA degrees in Art with an Option in Fashion and Textiles, and undergraduate Certificates in Fashion Merchandising and Retail Professional Development.

Program highlights include internship opportunities at the Getty Center, Alternative Apparel Los Angeles and more, participation in the Annual Senior Fashion Show, access to International Programs with more than 50 universities in 18 countries, and participation in the Fashion Association of Design Students.

Oregon State University, OR

Oregon State University (OSU) was founded in 1868.  OSU, located about an hour and a half South of Portland, is an international public research university that draws people from all 50 states and more than 100 countries.   It is home to more than 30,000 students enrolled in over 200 undergraduate and 80-plus graduate degree programs across 11 academic colleges. The College of Business recently restructured the design major under the School of Design and Innovation Management.

The B.S. degree allows students to tailor their major to meet their career needs; students will choose one of three options available under the major: apparel design, interior design and design management. The apparel design major is a four year program with a redesigned curricular that has an emphasis on outdoor and performance wear with an integration of business principles.  Graduates learn about the apparel industry that dominates the Pacific Northwest. All students follow the common design core program, designed to be completed in two years and provides a comprehensive foundation of design concepts. The major still requires admission to the OSU COB pro-school. 

California State University, Long Beach

Home to more than 37,000 students, California State University Long Beach (CSULB) is the third largest member of the 23-school California State University (CSU) system. Established in 1949, CSULB offers more than 300 programs across eight colleges. 

The College of Health and Human Services (CHHS), Department of Family & Consumer Sciences (FCS), and the College of Business Administration offer several programs for aspiring fashion designers. FCS offerings include a BA in Family and Consumer Sciences with Options in Fashion Design or Textiles & Clothing, a Minor in Textiles, and a Certificate in Textiles. Program highlights include the Annual Spring Fashion Show and Fashion Study Tours of New York City offered every January and July, and tours of Paris luxury fashion industries offered every June.

The College of Business Administration offers an MBA with a Specialization in Fashion Merchandising and Design. The MBA is a self-paced, 48-unit evening program designed for part-time, full-time, domestic or international students. An undergraduate degree in business is not required to enter the program. 

University of Hawaii at Manoa, HI

The University of Hawaii at Manoa (UH Manoa) was founded in 1907. The school is home to 13,689 undergraduate students and 5,176 graduate students enrolled in more than 230 programs across 14 colleges and schools. The College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), Department of Family and Consumer Sciences houses the Fashion Design and Merchandising (FDM) Program. Degree options include a BS in Fashion Design and Merchandising with a Fashion Design or Merchandising Emphasis. Students are also able to earn a minor is Fashion Design & Merchandising. Classroom work is enhanced by one of the largest costume collections at a university in the U.S., giving students and faculty a rich source of items to draw upon for their classes and projects. According to the school, “the curriculum teaches cutting-edge skills in computer 2-D and 3-D fashion design; apparel product development; entrepreneurship; retailing; and consumer behavior, attitudes, and consumption of textile and apparel products around the world.” Program highlights include optional membership in the Fashion Club and participation in the Annual Fashion Show. Graduates of the program are prepared to compete for positions such as Textile and Fashion Designer, Technical Designer, Visual Merchandiser, Costume Designer, Curator, and Fashion Forecaster.

San Francisco State University, CA

San Francisco State University (SFSU) was founded in 1899 as San Francisco State Normal School. According to the school’s most recent enrollment report, SFSU is home to more than 30,000 students enrolled in more than 140 undergraduate and graduate programs, 17 credential programs, and 38 certificate programs across seven colleges.

The College of Health and Social Sciences is home to the Department of Family, Interior, Nutrition & Apparel (FINA) (formerly the Department of Consumer and Family Studies/Dietetics), which offers several programs for aspiring fashion designers. 

Offerings include a BS in Apparel Design and Merchandising with an Emphasis in Apparel Design and an MA in Family & Consumer Sciences that can be developed around Apparel studies. Program highlights include internship opportunities, participation in the Annual Fashion Show, and study abroad opportunities in Italy, London, and Sydney.