Fashion Retail Academy

[Nutcracker02]

Has anyone got any experience of the Fashion Retail Academy for 16-18yr olds? My daughter has always wanted to work in fashion and is keen, but I’m worried it doesn’t seem very academic. They say they’re very well regarded in the industry - but are they really?

From a quick look at the website it offers a decent qualification but seems to be offering a full level 3 course load over two days which is dodgy.

@Nutcracker02 What is “work in fashion”? Designing? Marketing? Production? I would take a quick look at the courses at the London College of Fashion and work backwards from which courses she likes. So are A levels the best prep? Or a mix of BTec type courses and A levels. It’s the hardest career to break into and you need perseverance and talent. Preferably identify a way in via networking.

If the Fashion Retail Academy just bums on seats?

@Nutcracker02 This college deleted my review but here’s an honest opinion because I think you guys should know for your children’s sake , I studied at this place for 4 years in total and it is not what it seems compared to how they present it online , they put more money and attention on their social media to promote the college and hardly any on the students . They never gave me any support with my disabilities and would constantly leave me in dark when I would ask for help with these disabilities as they effected my struggles with learning etc . The teachers are not good at engaging with students and will just sit and read off the board if I could give them a 0/10 based on staff alone I would . They are rude and treated me and my friends like dirt on the bottom of their shoes . It is just full of girls now who go because it is on “TikTok” and for the famous side of it so they can just post on social media and hardly any students there actually even want to go into the industry they just go so they can post about it online . The work experience is a 0/10 they promised work experience and a week before said there wasn’t enough brands wanting to work with them , if you think you will get a job or work offers after here you are definitely wrong . It’s a rip off , no respect there and the well-being service honestly makes me laugh they do not care about mental health in the slightest it’s a joke had a meeting with them only for them to say my ED wasn’t bad enough and they don’t have any space to give me the so called therapy they offer which is by the way not even in a private space but next to 5 over staff members that are working on their laptops , oh and they keep the door open where students walk past and hear everything . They live off of the fact Molly mae went here and they think hiring a DJ makes this place sooo amazing to go too . This isn’t to be rude it’s to warn you do not go here unless you want to be surrounded in that atmosphere .

I looked at this years ago when it was new. Instead I went to a Russell group uni after doing A levels (including textiles) and did a fashion retail degree there.
Id advise her to do similar. Take art or textiles A level. Do an art foundation course then uni or straight to uni. Loads of good unis do textile, retail or fashion degrees. Then you are able to apply for graduate schemes. I’m so glad I didn’t go there. Also it’s not like a campus based uni.

Sorry to hijack this thread, but @fashionqueen0123 my DD is thinking of taking A levels in business, PE and textiles (she's not an artist but loves interior design – her bedroom is very tasteful!). Her thoughts are that with this she could do a business degree and then take it either into sports sponsorship, management within sports venues (like Wimbledon / Oval / Wembley etc) OR more into fashion or furniture brands, maybe a buyer or something. I've spied both the Harrods Retail Academy or the LÓreal degree apprenticeship and think those routes might be good too. Any insight would be really helpful (especially as DH is concerned that a departure from traditional A levels is a mistake).

My daughter currently attends here. I'm not over impressed if I'm honest. She's in her second year of college and is supposed to be doing a work placement for three weeks in her chosen sector next month. The college have come back and said they do not have a placement to send her on. So now instead she will spend three weeks travelling to London five days a week to sit in a class room while some students got selected. This will cost a fortune in travel for very little gain. I do feel they talk the talk but don't back it up.

They are still A Levels and not everyone enjoys all the ‘standard’ subjects like English and History etc
I ended up in buying for a while :)
So I would say those A levels are great for a business degree. Or the other things you have been researching.

The important thing with A Levels is to do subjects you enjoy. There are lots of good jobs in those subjects she is considering too.

@SingingAvocado My DD is an Interior Designer. Her A levels were Business, Art and Photography. Initially she went to LCF for a fashion degree. Work did not materialize in that field. So, she did an Interior Design Diploma. Full time 1 year. She did not want to extend it to another degree and didn’t need to. She was a major prize winner on her course.

However, I would say if DD is serious about interior design, she must be computer literate and a quick learner. DD was able to master the programs really readily but others struggled . Also don’t make the mistake of thinking A levels lead to a career. I’m not sure where PE comes into the career options you have listed, or the degree choices. Maths would be significantly more useful but my DD would not have done that - ever! However she has a good eye and Interior design is all about using space to meet the needs of the client. It’s not cushions and curtains. Computer use is therefore vital and so is an appreciation of architecture.

When you mention sports venues, what sort of job? If she does a business degree it’s a good idea to have a career objective in terms of marketing, HR, venue management etc . So what element of business? Loads of sports clubs employ grads, but I would not narrow work down to one sector. There’s a need to be flexible. DD thought she wanted to do residential design and now mostly does commercial and the projects are high end and exciting. She’s much happier than chasing the fashion dream!

@TizerorFizz DD started out thinking she wanted to do physio (particularly sports physio), but attending a uni open day that we were really going to for her elder sister has made her realise that isn't what she wants. PE is sort of a remnant from that (she really enjoys it) and she started to think that maybe she can still use sports somehow in a more business way. But failing that working for brands (fashion, home design) is another tack and that is where she thinks textiles might fit in – but I would say that she has a good eye rather than being obviously creative (she doesn't sit and sketch, for example). All a bit hazy still. Sadly she'd be dreadful taking maths! We went to a 6th form open evening last night and the textiles teacher was very inspiring. Seemed to suggest that she could take the course in a direction that worked for her, maybe interior design or maybe sportswear and the fabrics used for that …

@SingingAvocado My DD really enjoys interior design. Maybe have a look at what the courses need? It’s likely undergrad will need a portfolio. UAL do anyway!

Not sure DD sketches by hand but Interior design is technical as well as needing a good spacial eye. It’s primarily use of space in a creative way DD works on multi million £ projects and they work closely with architects. You don’t need maths A level of course and DD was never good enough for it either but picking up the computer program techniques is vital.