Consistently ranked in the top fashion design schools worldwide and the only fashion school in Australia to be invited onto the official schedule at Australian Fashion Week, the Fashion Design Studio is the place to get the skills, experience and exposure to launch a successful fashion career.
Bachelor Fashion Design
HE20506V02The Bachelor of Fashion Design is a three-year career focused qualification that prepares you to work as a creative professional in the global fashion industry. You’ll refine your craft at the Fashion Design Studio, a leading force in the Australian Fashion industry since 1955. This degree aims to identify and nurture your individual design aesthetic and fashion interest, and to equip you for sustained creative fashion design practice. You are taught through a global fashion business lens, and we draw on our international links to ensure your learning is aligned with current trends. You’ll participate in two work placements and be ready to enter the design world with confidence and establish your professional networks. In your third year, you’ll create and present your collection and graduate with a portfolio of realised work. Graduate as a highly creative, work ready fashion designer with the skills to work as an independent design professional or as a member of a collaborative design team.
Diploma Fashion
HE20516V01Kick-start your career in the fashion in industry with the Diploma of Fashion at the Fashion Design Studio. In this Higher Education Diploma you will achieve a broad understanding of the fashion business from textiles, to design and illustration, through to fashion branding and marketing. You’ll get hands-on experience using the latest design software and have an understanding of how designs are taken from concept to production. In this course, you’ll develop an understanding of the fashion industry and develop foundation skills to work in a design context or a fashion business environment.
Certificate IV Design
CUA40720-01Explore a creative career and learn the essentials of design principles in this exciting course. Depending on your campus location, specialise in general design, graphic design, fashion design, jewellery design and more.
Certificate III Design Fundamentals
CUA30720-01Follow your artistic passion and start a career in the vibrant creative industries. Depending on your campus location, specialise in general design, graphic design, fashion design, visual arts, photography, ceramics, and more.
Meet our teachers
Andrea Cainero
Head of School
With 17 years in the fashion industry, Andrea has run her own label and costume design and styling business,is also an award winning milliner. She brings an eye for detail and a flexibility of design solutions to her classes.
Holly Siles
Illustration & Fashion Design
Holly worked as a designer for 18 years in the fashion industry, enabling her to bring a breadth and depth of knowledge to the classroom. Holly has also won ‘The Premier Scholarship Award’ for best teaching practices.
Laura Washington
Head of School
Laura has enjoyed a diverse career, working as a fashion designer, design consultant, costume standby, costume buyer, and fashion and interior stylist. In 2013, she started her own interior styling and staging company and also began lecturing at The Fashion Design Studio.
Meet our graduates
Akira Isogawa
A TAFE NSW graduate, Akira Isogawa is one of Australia’s most iconic designers. A multi-awarded designer, Akira has achieved international recognition for his exquisite contemporary designs. In 2007 Akira was awarded the inaugural Australian Fashion Laureate Award for his contribution to the Australian Fashion Industry.
Alex Perry
Alex Perry studied fashion at TAFE NSW before opening his first atelier. He exhibited at the inaugural Australian Fashion Week in 1995 and has shown annually at AFW since 1997. Quickly establishing himself as the designer par excellence, Alex Perry is synonymous with creativity and elegance.
Nicky Zimmermann
After graduating from TAFE NSW, Nicky began selling her designs at Paddington Markets and quickly caught the attention of Australian Vogue. A two-page editorial followed, launching her range of fashion infused swimwear, but it is the optimistic and feminine collections across the Zimmermann ready-to-wear and resort range that has propelled this iconic, award-winning brand to greater global appeal.