Information for term Fashion Design & French Culture
Application deadline, and cost information.
Overview
Click to OpenShape your creativity and imagination in the fashion capital of the world.
Sashay into the unique fashion classroom of Paris. Through expert-led classes, experience the design process from conception to production. Learn how designers work with patterns, sketches, and prototypes, and use these techniques in creating your own fashion designs. 
Go beyond the glamour and access the day-to-day workings of the industry, including market research and merchandising. Get an insider’s perspective into showrooms and trend forecasting. Watch fashion come to life and consider the cultural context of new collections in a front row seat at a runway show in the Galeries Lafayette, the biggest department store chain in Europe.
The French capital is a fashion lover's dream. Look for inspiration in Parisian street style. Stroll past original fashion houses on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré and do some window shopping. More into vintage pieces? Fall in love with the old-world charm of the Marais and its second-hand shops. Get fashion tips from local teens and indulge in Paris’ iconic cityscape, too, from the Eiffel Tower to the Louvre to a cruise along the Seine.
The Take-Aways
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REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE
Experience the fashion design process from sketches on paper to fittings to samples in hand. See merchandising in action. Come home with the skills to create and present your own fashion designs.
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CREDENTIALS FOR YOUR FUTURE
Topics for your college essays, experience to inform your future career, and a Portfolio of work to showcase your fashion design concepts.
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LIFE SKILLS AND NEW FRIENDSHIPS
Return with greater self-confidence, independence, and improved communication skills. Enjoy a broader worldview and friends of different backgrounds from across the U.S.
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HOURS OF EXPERT INSTRUCTION
45 -
WEEKS PURSUING YOUR PASSION
3 -
LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE
1
Location & Culture
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The Destination
Welcome to Paris, the first city to make an industry out of fashion.
Paris has always been at the forefront of style—from the Baroque extravagance of Louis XIV to the haute couture (“high sewing” or “high fashion”) of Rose Bertin, fashion designer to Marie Antoinette. Dozens of top world fashion houses were founded in Paris (Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Dior just to name a few), and Paris Fashion Week is one of the world’s most important fashion events happening twice a year.
In “the cultural heart of Europe,” you breathe in diversity, ingenuity, and beauty. Paris has around 130 museums and art galleries—two excursions on your trip are visits to the Musée Yves Saint Laurent and the Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris. Café culture, dating back to the 17th century, is deep in the soul of Paris, and it’s where you can settle in on the terrace with a café au lait and find locals discussing new ideas. Mixing the past and present, the romantic and revolutionary, the city is an incredible playground, especially for young creators and artists like you.
CULTURAL AWARENESS
CIEE wants all our students to feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to succeed while studying abroad. Local CIEE staff have provided details about conditions and cultural attitudes that students with specific identities might encounter in Paris.
Daily Life
Click to OpenDaily Life
Monday–Friday
Each day offers a balance between interactive instruction and cultural activities with time on your own, too. Morning classes and afternoon activities may swap places.
- Breakfast at the dorms
- Hands-on classes with expert instructors, fashion designers, and industry professionals 
- Lunch with your fellow Global Navigators
- Out and about for a Cultural Activity 
- Dinner at the dorms or in the community
Weekend
- Overnight or day excursions to top sites
- Quality time with your program friends
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Dorms in Paris, shared rooms with other Global Navigators
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1 Program Leader for every 12 students and support from local staff
Activities
Click to OpenSample Activities
Just imagine all the fun you’ll have!
- Tour the fabled fashion district of the Triangle d’Or, where the finest haute couture lives, venture out to the Marais to shop for vintage styles, and go behind the scenes at fashion agencies to look at trend books that forecast next year’s styles.
- Get all dressed up to cruise along the Seine and marvel at the city’s landmarks and their sparkling reflections on the water.
- Trace the steps of French fashion and design from the 18th century to the present day at the Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs.
- Discover Paris street art at the Bercy Skatepark and hear firsthand from street artists about their design process. Pick up a spray can and make some designs of your own!
- Take a day trip south of Paris and admire the Baroque gardens of Parc de Sceaux, designed by famous 17th century landscape designer André le Nôtre.
Please note activities are based on past programs and subject to change at CIEE's discretion to adapt to local circumstances and participant feedback. Our goal when arranging activities is always to enhance your experience.
Dates & Fees
Click to OpenDates & Fees
Eligibility
- Program open to all current high school students: Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors.
- For scholarship eligibility requirements, please check our Scholarship page.
Application Fee
$25
Program scholarships and tuition include iNext Travel Insurance, but do not cover the cost of flights. Find additional details about what’s included with your tuition.
More questions? Find answers, get application support, sign up for virtual presentations or contact us.
Program |
Application Due |
Start Date |
End Date |
Costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer Session I 2023 3 weeks | Apr 1, 2023 | Jun 18, 2023 | Jul 8, 2023 |
$6,150 |
| Summer Session II 2023 3 weeks | Apr 1, 2023 | Jul 9, 2023 | Jul 29, 2023 |
$6,150 |
Looking for funding?
What's Included
Click to OpenWhat's Included
Our Staff
Click to OpenOur Staff
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Berit Nelson
Program Director
Berit Nelson has an M.A. in Performing Arts and an M.B.A. in Cultural Management.
Ready to change your life?
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