Tailored to your choice

A new certified fashion programme will open its doors for budding talents and designers of the future. Sara Saleh reports

Splashing out designs for what you think America Ferrera or Jennifer Aniston should really be wearing to the Oscars all over your class notebook may become a thing of the past, as students in the UAE may finally get their chance in the exciting but competitive world of polka dots and lace trimmings.

With the launch of its new, French certified three-year bachelors degree programme in Fashion Design and Pattern Drafting, French Fashion University Esmod Dubai is keen on opening global doors to aspiring fashion designers.

"The only one of its kind in the Middle East, the university is constantly expanding its programmes to keep up with new trends and preferences," says Esmod Director Tamara Hostal.

Entry requirements

The programme, open to all students, will give those chosen an 'A to Z' methodology in the world of fashion and shaping future career prospects. According to Hostal, the programme is open to anybody even if they don't have any background in this field.

"What we do care about," says Hostal, "is motivation and passion as students will need to work hard, love fashion and love studying it."

And the students really do seem to love it.

"Being surrounded by French teachers and fashion professionals of the field, it's more than I could have truly imagined," says Dennis Ravi, a second year student of fashion design.

What the future holds

Starting the next academic year, Esmod will also offer three- and six-month workshops in Costume and Stage Design, Nightwear and Kids Fashion, run by international experts and made particularly for those with no experience in the industry. The courses are thus designed to provide them with the fundamentals of fashion history and design.

According to Hostal, these courses were opened "as a flexible, part- time option to cater to more people who have other commitments like work or other degrees."

Students are chosen not according to the strict entry requirements of the programme per se, but based on the level of their commitment. "It's not really about the programme," says Hostal, "but the students we feel are very motivated to do this."

Creating a dream

With over 80 students and growing, the university is looking to pave a pioneering footpath for the future in the rapidly growing areas of this industry, and naturall, and make sure that all students are on board as they graduate with a priceless, colourful talent in one hand and optimum career prospects in the other.

"I feel I am learning tremendously and that I am equipped with at least five times the amount of knowledge and techniques that any other person with equivalent qualifications would have," says Ravi.

"We want to be part of events and make our students both brilliant and professional," says Hostal.

"We have future plans for adding master classes, expanding workshops into areas like film costume design and bringing in new highly specialised teachers. After all, we believe fashion is a dream and we try to create this."