• Fashion Design BFA

    A student in a fashion design classroom uses a ruler to draw a line on a design.
    A gallery lit from above by a large skylight showing many fashion designs by BFA-MFA students hung on mannequins, including a floor-length garment made from down-filled shiny fabric.
    A student wearing a green blouse decorated with zebras works on a piece of muslin draped on the head of a mannequin.

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    Alexandra Helminger, Program Director

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  • The BFA Fashion Design program immerses you in the thriving world of fashion innovation in Paris. With an exceptional range of historical and contemporary fashion houses and luxury brands, Paris is a historical laboratory for experimental and avant-garde fashion design. You familiarize yourself with French traditions of excellence while being trained in cutting-edge design methods. Through studio projects, technical and theoretical courses, unique partnerships with local companies, and internships, you acquire hands-on experience within the most dynamic fashion hub in the world.

    Program Highlights

    • Fashion Fundamentals

      Develop concept, experimentation, and research through 2D and 3D processes, balancing making and digital skills with an integrated approach to fashion design.

    • Professional Relevance

      Engage intensive design projects - often related to Paris fashion and luxury companies or cultural organizations - and internships, especially during Paris Fashion Weeks.

    • Final Collection

      Design and produce a collection of garments and accessories that will be presented to international talent managers and specialized press at a final fashion show in Paris.

    • Cultural Immersion

      Take advantage of French language courses that help you develop the communication skills needed for local internships and post-graduation job opportunities.

    • Connections to NYC

      Access the faculty expertise and alumni networks of the Parsons campus in New York City, because the BFA Fashion Design is offered in both Paris and NYC.

    • Degree Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
    • Duration 4 years

  • Curriculum

    Your BFA begins with the first-year curriculum, which serves as the academic foundation for all undergraduate programs at Parsons Paris. From your second year on, you learn to combine traditional techniques with experimental methods, leading to the creation of a final collection that reflects your own brand identity.

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  • Parsons Paris faculty represent a broad range of expertise and are acknowledged as leading practitioners and scholars in their fields.

  • Student Work

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    • Career Paths

      Students graduate with a diverse and complete portfolio and a thesis collection that allow them to apply for jobs in the fashion industry. Our graduates are prepared to pursue a variety of careers in the fashion fields, including fashion design, fashion styling, and fashion production.

    • Beyond the Classroom

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        Industry Engagement

        Courses, projects, and faculty at Parsons Paris are closely integrated with industry and external partners, enabling you to apply what you’ve learned in the classroom to real-world challenges in creative business, nonprofit, government, and technology sectors.

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        Making and Academic Resources

        To facilitate your creative growth and experimentation across all disciplines, Parsons Paris offers access to academic resources such as on-campus making and project facilities, tech and fashion research labs, and The New School’s digital libraries and archives.

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        Campus Mobility

        Parsons Paris offers a unique opportunity to study in two of the world’s most creative cities. Studying at our academic centers in both Paris and New York broadens your practice through studio and liberal arts courses on campus and applied, hands-on experiential learning off campus.

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      Undergraduates

      To apply to any of our undergraduate programs (except the Bachelor's Program for Adults and Transfer Students and Parsons Associate of Applied Science programs) complete and submit the Common App online.

      Undergraduate Adult Learners

      To apply to any of our Bachelor's Program for Adults and Transfer Students and Parsons Associate of Applied Science programs, complete and submit the New School Online Application.

      Graduates

      To apply to any of our Master's, Doctoral, Professional Studies Diploma, and Graduate Certificate programs, complete and submit the New School Online Application.