Paris is perhaps the richest cultural city in the world, and PFI guides students through this vast mosaic of artistic and historical treasures. Three guided tours of the most important museums of Paris are conducted by an accredited art historian. There is also a day trip to Versailles. Survival French is given immediately upon arrival by an American teacher. The emphasis is on enabling students who do not speak French to maneuver about the city; to understand and be understood.

Design students learn from observing people, their habits and their personal expression of fashion in Parisian daily life, as a source of inspiration. The Paris Fashion Institute guides you into the famous fashion haunts, trend-setting boutiques and department stores to understand where the inspiration of fashion comes from. In a saturated marketplace only creativity, quality and originality make the difference.

Marketing/Merchandising students learn the inside mechanics of fashion, an overall view of the design industry and how a design studio operates. Participants learn how a collection is created, from color to silhouette, how to forecast and report on trends, and a comprehensive background in fashion terminology and the true value of a garment. We explore sales and promotion. Invaluable information is provided for future retailers, from consumer behavior and buying patterns to the workings of distribution channels.

CLASS STRUCTURE
Classes will be conducted from Monday through Friday.  All classes are taught in English.

Fundamental French	Art History
History of Fashion	Creative Workshop
Product Development	Marketing
Merchandising Analysis	Product Positioning
Fashion Illustration	Trading Retailing
Retail Research and Evaluation

	
			
	



The Paris Fashion Institute credits are transferable to other 
college degree programs.  There are 32 hours of Creative
Workshops, 32 hours of Fashion Marketing/Merchandising
and 48 hours of Seminar/Lecture class work, with 12 hours of
art history, Cultural Appreciation of 22 hours, 10 hours of Fashion
Trend Presentation and Survival French of 8 hours totaling 164
hours of work. For students requesting credit transfers, individual
dossiers are compiled based on work accomplished and a written
 evaluation of the student by the teaching staff.