Home to some of the best colleges in the nation, the Hudson Valley can now add another win to its ever-expanding list. This time around, the recognition isn’t for culinary programming or university education (Valley schools have already done that, after all). In June, Marist College brings new acclaim to the region with its ranking as one of the top fashion schools in the world by Business of Fashion.
In 2019, the Poughkeepsie school earned top marks from the London publication, which serves as a daily news resource for fashion industry professionals across the world. In creating the report, Business of Fashion evaluated colleges in four areas: best overall, best in global influence, best in learning experience, and best in long-term value. The publication analyzed 66 fashion schools using 30 metrics and 13,000 responses from students and alumni.
Marist was one of the 15 schools recognized for fashion business and management, receiving badges of excellence in overall program, learning experience, and long-term value. Plus, it was one of the 37 recognized for fashion design, also racking up badges for excellence for learning experience and long-term value.
Senior fashion students in the senior studio at the Steel Plant. Photo by Carlo de Jesus/Marist College
“Continuing to be included in Business of Fashion’s global ranking is a testament to the many strengths of Marist’s Fashion Program,” says Sean Kaylor, Vice President of Enrollment, Marketing, and Communication. “Business of Fashion is a key voice in this industry and the ranking is based on thorough research and, notably, feedback from students and alumni. We appreciate the recognition of our stellar program.”
Over the past decade, Marist College’s fashion department has grown from 200 to 500 students and welcomed major additions to its campus programming. In January, the college opened The Steel Plant, a newly renovated and expanded building that houses the fashion and arts and digital media programs. Featuring digital labs, fashion studios, a makerspace, and a fashion exhibition gallery, The Steel Plant is a welcome resource for students who want to gain hands-on experience with production and design.
Almost 90 percent of Marist’s fashion majors study abroad — whether they’re flying to the branch campus in Florence, Italy or to Hong Kong’s Polytechnic University Fashion Program. When they’re not globetrotting, fashion students can participate in Marist in Manhattan, an internship program that connects Poughkeepsie and New York City.
If Business of Fashion’s ranking doesn’t solidify Marist’s presence in the fashion world, maybe these accolades will. First, the student-produced FM/AM fashion magazine recently received a Golden Crown award from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA). In May, fashion design student Isabel Holden won the highly prestigious Council of Fashion Designers of America Liz Claiborne Design Scholarship.
Read the full Business of Fashion Global Rankings of Fashion Schools report here.
