My idea of preparing for fashion school involved packing my closet into one suitcase. However, my narrative of fashion completely changed from when I crossed the Vogue College threshold for the first time to last time. The Fashion Media course at Vogue College of Fashion, London revealed to me that there is so much more beyond the fabrics we wear. A thread and needle may stitch together a garment, but a story is weaved in the process.
I learned that fashion is a way to send a message to the world. The most influential lecture we had was about the power of print with Fiona Hayes, a magazine art director. I remember everyone on the edge of their seats listening to different takes on the power of fashion in culture, politics and social movements.
The course exposed me to industry professionals I could only dream of being in the same room with. There was someone new every day to teach us about their fashion niche, showing me how large the fashion world truly is. I was most surprised by the intricacies of still life photography thanks to Timothy Rennie, one of my best-dressed lecturers. I learned that still life photography has a complex process with each turn and tweak of an object changing the final story.
Vogue College put together a panel each week presenting, but not limited to, Bay Garnett, Bebe Rexha and Giuseppe Santoni. Our field trip to The Adelphi (Condé Nast Headquarters) was a highlight because we got to meet people that worked within different magazines and sections under Condé Nast. Other trips included visiting the NAOMI in Fashion exhibit at the V&A Museum and a general exploration of London with fellow students. While I loved the darling Bedford Square, I appreciated the encouragement to learn in the real world instead of solely in the classroom.
Vogue College provides access to what is best described as fashion gold. Getting lost in the winding stairs of the historic campus left us finding gems like Vogue archives, rare Vogue Magazine editions and books on every designer from A to Z. Whether excitedly, yet carefully, flipping through pages for inspiration or out of pure amazement, the material the College has accumulated is incomparable to anything I have consumed.
As students, we got to work on a real fashion project. Generating ideas and creating mood boards for a September issue of Vogue allowed me to step into the shoes of a creative director. Our ideas came to life with the click of a camera during photoshoots surrounded by industry professionals. By giving us complete control, every flick of fabric and pin of thread created a different perspective of the story we were trying to convey.
Just as my experience started at the College, a pop of champagne brought it to a close. As sad as I was to leave, I looked forward to walking through life with an elevated amazement of the fashion world. To me, fashion is no longer a simple facet of life but rather a grand ornament of artistic expression.
Explore fashion media and business with Vogue’s accredited undergraduate-level summer programme.
