Snow Day Sewing

Snowed in - have some fun!

Istituto Marangoni Degree Warning

ISTITUTO MARANGONI 

DEGREE WARNING

THERE ISN'T A DEGREE FROM THIS SCHOOL!  No degree will be awarded to a fashion design student after attending and graduating from the Istituto Marangoni!

Instead you will be given a Certificate of Attendance.  That's it.  3 years of study and a possible internship year but no bachelors degree.A bachelors degree holds a lot of weight in the United States, especially if you are not going to be able to make your own brand or name for yourself right off the bat.  For what ever reason, the Ministry of Education in Italy doesn't view fashion as a degree worthy study.

Which is so odd because fashion from Italy is so prominent!

So I got to thinking - what do the  Italians do?  

Well, Domenico Dolce (pictured on the right) studied at Istituto Marango but dropped out when he felt he learned everything he needed to know about fashion before pairing up with Stephano Gabbana.  Gabbana has no formal training in fashion.

Riccardo Tisco  graduated from Central Saint Martin's art school in London please view posts about this school dated 5/30/14 and 7/5/2014

he was awarded designer of the year by GQ Magazine in 2012

 It seems most of the famous Italian designers worked their way into the industry.  Prada?  Opened a leather shop in Italy with his brother called Fratilli Prada - the Brothers PradaThat worked out well!  Guccio Gucci?

as teenager Gucci worked in the Savoy Hotel in London as an elevator operator!  He was so impressed with fashionable patrons - he went home to Florence and started creating handbags

Versace?  Gianni Versace worked in his mothers dress maker's shop and studied Latin and Greek language and culture.Kind of shows in this collection, doesn't it?

 He will be missed.  His sister runs his House of Versace since his murder a few years ago.  It appears that the Italian designers are in agreement with their government and make or break it through work experience.

Work in the United States in the fashion world is very competitive so anyone studying in the United States - or any other part of the world for that matter, should aim for a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts/Fashion.

Keep sketching!

keep working!and my advice?

Stay in school and get that degree!

 It will take you farther!

Pam

Only a fashion student

has a measuring tape in her school book bag

and a cat who thinks the sewing box makes an excellent perch!

Look What the School of Art Institutes of Chicago sent!

Look what SAIC sent Mimi!

How cute is that!

Massachusetts College of Art and Design

Massachusetts College of Art and Design

Fashion Program

Boston, MA

Most commonly known as Mass Art.  I wanted to find some safety schools, and because of this school being a independent public school, I thought this was a good place to start.  Boston is such a vibrant city - one in four people you meet on the streets in Boston is a college student!

This might be a good safety for some - students need a 3.0 grade point average in high school, SAT scores of 500/600 in reading; 470-580 in math; 490-510 in writing.  ACT scores required are 22/27.

 But don't treat this school too lightly - it looks like a fantastic place to study!

The college opened in 1873 as the first public college of art and the first to grant a degree.

Mass Art wanted to "better the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by producing drawing teachers as well as professional artists, designers and architects".  You don't see teaching as a profession listed first too often.

When they opened the doors the school's philosophy was to welcome anyone with talent and the will to succeed at a time when access for everyone was uncommon.  "Our history sets the direction for our future."

The courses available for a BFA in Fashion Design cover everything from the history of fashion, textile design, even tailoring

along with the classic drafting, sewing classes all the way through couture

Fashion Certificate programs

are also offered at Mass Art for those who don't want a 4 year degree. "Our curriculum encourages creative expression built on a foundation of tech development"  The school teaches jewelry design and metal working and some study abroad programs.First level fashion design students can study in Brazil - that would be cool.

I haven't found any famous fashion designers that the school could boast about but I did find this guy - Will Wegmanand Wegman's art of adorable dog photo's

Mass Art is the home to the largest contemporary art space in New England - the Bakalar & Paine GalleriesWhich are free and open to the public.  Nice opportunity for the students to be discoveredbut do they have any of the fashion students work on exhibit?

This photo was on the gallery web site and clearly a fashion show - but more snooping lead me to the answer of yesfashion design students exhibit as well.  Mass Art students are treated to free admission to the Museum of Fine Arts as well the Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum

This used to the home of Isabella Gardener before turning it into a museum displaying her vast collection of art.  Sweet.

The school is one of the five "The Colleges of Fenway" so the art students can take classes in other theory's if they wanted too.  MCPHS which educates people in the heath care field, as well as Emmanuel and Simmons Colleges.  All of this makes the city seem so open!  Mass Art has  three huge student dorms - including the "tree house" which boasts studio space! 

Although not the most well known, the school is competitive about gaining admissions.  If your high school doesn't have an art program, you will need to prove your passion for the arts by taking classes outside of schoolIn addition when applying a prospective student needs a 500 word essay on why this field of study is their passion, a portfolio of 10-15 of your best work, as well as a resume of your other activities.

 or did you play rec soccer all through high school?another language perhaps?

Mass Art clearly wants well rounded individuals.  So maybe we haven't heard of any famous fashion designers from this school - not yet anyway!  But maybe "somebody" started here, and finished somewhere else!  

Pam