IFM Paris
Nov 20, 2015
Institut Français de la Mode is a higher education institution offering a broad range of activities: postgraduate academic programs, executive education, and expertise in areas such as textile, fashion, luxury and design industries. It was ranked #1 fashion school worldwide by The Business of Fashion in 2017 (Graduate programs).
IFM was founded in 1986 by representatives of the fashion industry with support from the French Ministry of Industry. It is state-recognized and is a member of the Conférence des Grandes Ecoles and of the International Foundation of Fashion Institutes (IFFTI). IFM welcomes 200 students and 2,000 executives each year.
In 2016, IFM announced a strategic alliance with Ecole de la chambre syndicale de la couture parisienne, an institution founded in 1927 and praised for the excellence of its teaching, combining creativity and technical savoir-faire.
After one year of studies, students take on careers in companies where creativity is a major source of added value, or alternatively set up their own businesses. IFM aims to break down barriers between management and design in an industry that blends products, brands, culture and design.
IFM maintains very close links with the industry. Businesses from the sector are very well represented in its governing bodies. A circle of partner companies finances a grant system that guarantees the diversity of its student body.
Academic and market research are important assets of IFM, offering numerous publications in social and human sciences applied to fashion and design, as well as professional guidelines for decoding the profound economic and structural changes in the sector in terms of product strategy, consumer behavior and retail strategies.
Finally, IFM opens to a wider audience through public conferences and library resources.