Parsons Paris Online Fashion, Business, and Arts Courses for High School Students

The Parsons Paris Online Program is a great, flexible, online course offering for high school students (or those ages 13 through 19) interested in fashion design, the business of fashion, branding, and sustainability in fashion. The course includes teachings by Parsons Paris professors, as well as mentorship for students by a Parsons/The New School student or graduate. Though the courses do not offer college credit, students do earn a Certificate of Completion from Parsons Paris upon completion.

The courses are 100% online and include two options: Prerecorded or Prerecorded + Live. Students who choose to attend the Prerecorded only course can complete it autonomously on their own schedule; the Prerecorded + Live course does include a live component and is only offered in the summer in select weeks. There are 30 hours of overall course time over 2 or 4 weeks, depending on the session chosen, and the content includes video lessons, unit assignments, and mentor access and support.

What makes the “Plus Live” session different? This session includes all the features of the online prerecorded-only courses PLUS live sessions on weekdays, which feature guest speakers, mentors, and interactive events with classmates.

The four courses currently offered are:

• Inside Fashion Design: Becoming a Designer for the 21st Century
• Inside the Business of Fashion and Luxury
• Build Your Own Fashion Brand
• Sustainability: The Future of Fashion Inside Fashion Design

Becoming a Designer for the 21st Century: This course takes students through the process top designers follow to arrive at new product ideas. Students will use the same process to develop a concept and illustrate their own ideas for a fashion line. They’ll learn methods for pattern cutting, draping and assembly, as well as how to bring their ideas to life through storytelling, mood boards, and videos.

Inside the Business of Fashion and Luxury: This course takes you behind the scenes of the fashion runway to understand the business side of the industry. Students will discover and explore the many careers available in fashion outside of pure design. They’ll also learn how brands and trends are created, how sustainable materials inspire creativity, and the evolving role of social media influencers in the fashion and marketing space. Students will even virtually visit a Louis Vuitton workshop!

Build Your Own Fashion Brand: In this course, students will develop a complete vision for their very own fashion line, devise a business plan, build a brand identity, delve into the financials of the fashion industry, and gain an understanding of production and delivery. Students will further create an elevator pitch around their brand in this entrepreneurial experience.

Sustainability: The Future of Fashion: In this course, students will discover the innovative ways the fashion industry is responding to today’s ecological crises, learning about everything from product life cycles to eco-friendly approaches to design, the upsides and downsides of “green” branding, and more. Students will also develop a vision of a sustainable future for fashion, while also diving into design, marketing, and the intersection of fashion production and sustainability.