It's so easy to say that you want to become a fashion designer but what does that truly entail? From sketching to stitching, the process of designing fashion requires lots of skill, knowledge, and craft. To be the best as it, you need to enroll in one of the best fashion schools in Paris—
École Nationale supérieure des arts appliqués et des métiers d'art (ENSAAMA). Though the French capital boasts many prestigious institutions, this one stands out for its utter devotion to textile design. Staffed with some of the best professionals in the industry, this place is all about turning you into the fashion professional you can be!
Source: Ensaama Facebook Page
History of ENSAAMA
ENSAAMA's history dates as far back as 1856. Around that time, the school was known as École des Arts Appliqués à l’Industrie, the first professional school for women in
Paris. Eventually, the institution merged with the schools of potter Bernard Palissy and sculptor Germain Pilon, giving birth to the applied arts school it is today. Over time, the school came to teach various art disciplines, including wall decoration, interior design, visual communication, sculpture, ceramics, and industrial aesthetics, among many others. In terms of its fashion-related courses, textile research, and jewelry-making became its most prominent programs.
What Does ENSAAMA Look Like?
ENSAAMA boasts a modern campus on Rue Olivier de Serres in the
15th arrondissement. Far from the ornate Haussmann and Belle Epoque buildings, its sleek and symmetric architecture is proof of the institution's devotion to furthering applied arts. Out of the many
prestigious fashion schools in Paris, ENSAAMA is the one that looks like a typical college. The campus itself may not be all that expansive, but it's mostly made up of a series of halls and buildings that house the school's diverse range of courses. The fashion programs get their own studios and facilities where they can research textiles, design clothes, and more.
Source: Wikimedia Commons/ Ri ensaama/ PH: ©Cassandre Joly
The ENSAAMA Student Body
As one of the most prominent art schools in Paris, the ENSAAMA welcomes over 1,000 students per year. Don't worry! They're not all in the fashion program. These 1,000 undergraduate and postgraduate enrollees are spread out among the school's various courses. The textile program is even the smallest in the bunch, often only welcoming about a few couple hundred students per year. Nevertheless, ENSAAMA also impresses with its international student body. While it changes from year to year, the school still welcomes hundreds of foreign applicants, accounting for about 20% to 40% of the student body.
ENSAAMA's Best Programs and Courses
Truth be told, ENSAAMA is not a fashion school in the traditional sense. They don't even offer fashion design or business management courses. Instead, they focus on textile research and printing, an underrated but still highly vital part of the fashion industry. Though the students still get to design clothes for some of their projects at times, this isn't exactly the school you'll want to enroll in if you want to train to be a designer. As a whole, ENSAAMA's approach to fashion education is more academic and scientific rather than straight-up creative.
Source: Ensaama Facebook Page
ENSAAMA's Prerequisites
As it's a post-baccalauréat institution, most of ENSAAMA's courses, including the textile-centric programs, require at least a high school diploma for to enroll. Some, particularly the post-graduate programs, also require a Bachelor's Degree in related fields. And since it's an
international school in Paris, ENSAAMA also requires a certain level of fluency in both English and French. They differ from course to course, as some programs are exclusively taught in French, hence, the level of proficiency required is much higher.
How Much Does It Cost to Study in ENSAAMA?
For a school that has nearly a century-long history and an undisputed legacy in the art world, ENSAAMA is surprisingly not as expensive as the other art and fashion schools in Paris. They mostly charge international students around €1,300.00 to €1,600.00 per semester, far more affordable compared to the yearly tuition fees in other institutions. Nevertheless, these prices don't include the materials you'll need to pass its various technical courses. On top of that, the
living costs in Paris are commonly high too, so don't expect a cheap stay in the city when you go to school here.
Where is ENSAAMA in The City?
ENSAAMA is located on Rue Olivier de Serres in the 15th arrondissement, one of the more underrated
neighborhoods in Paris. Even though it's on the more popular left bank of the Seine, the place is largely residential. There are still tons of various establishments around, but the overall area is a fair distance away from the city's most famous landmarks. Hence, the place is often quieter compared to the other arrondissements. This is the sort of peaceful environment that's perfect for students to focus on their studies. Hence, it's also a great spot to
rent a luxury apartment in Paris!
Source: Ensaama Facebook Page
Want to further your studies in fashion and art? Enroll in ENSAAMA now! This prestigious post-baccalauréat institution is one of the best fashion schools in Paris. It's the perfect training ground to get into the fashion industry.
