When you think of Paris, you think of fashion and haute couture. Just ask Emily.
When you walk down Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Avenue Montaigne or Rue Saint-François, you get the urge to strut your stuff and express your personality. The world of fashion, style and Parisian chic is infectious… you’ve been warned!
There’s so much more to learning French for fashion and design in Paris than just a language stay: you get to grips with a catwalk show, put a name to the fabrics and materials, learn techniques and the lingo behind them, dive into the history of designs and iconic pieces (the must-have little black dress!). It’s bursting at the seams with knowledge and craftsmanship!
You live and breathe fashion in Paris entirely in French: we bring you OUR vision of a language stay on the theme of fashion and design in the French capital.
Cracking the fashion code: a French dialect in its own right
Un tailleur bar, robe fourreau, plissé soleil…
What do these dreamy words actually mean? Learning the lingo is more than an exercise in style: it’s your ticket to the fashion world. The French fashion language is a thrilling and graphic semantic field inspiring colour, light and emotion. Just the sound of it brings the words to life!
Our professional or cultural language stays focus on gaining specific and idiomatic vocabulary. We like to design French classes and educational workshops to teach globe-trotting students appropriate expressions and turns of phrase in subjects like these:
- Fabric and fits: tell the difference between gabardine and crêpe de Chine, understand the subtleties of a princess or empire seam.
- Analyse specialist press articles: decipher reviews in Vogue France, L’Officiel, Madame Figaro, define editorial lines, see how trends are made in words and images!
- Write catwalk show reviews: learn to express a vision, structure an opinion, play with the fashion journalism rules.
- Role play inspired by the fashion world: present a collection like a press secretary, pretend to be a buyer looking for exclusive pieces, interview a designer about their latest collection.
These exercises enable French students and visitors to get used to the industry’s specific language and gain the confidence they need to work in a professional environment.
Follow in the footsteps of fashion icons
“Faire du lèche-vitrine”
Literal translation: Lick the window! Err…
“Faire du lèche-vitrine” is a 19th century expression that translates to window shopping. There’s no need to actually “lick the window” just because you’re in Paris; just feast your eyes instead.
Head to the “beaux quartiers” home to the biggest designer studios, galleries and dazzling shop windows. The models and outfits showcased on Rue Saint-François or Avenue Montaigne are a sight for sore eyes among fashionistas and magpies. Fashion is an art in itself which draws on countless areas of expertise: styling, design, embroidery, leatherwork, goldsmithery, lacework, millinery and more.
You’ll be blown away by the fabrics, sequins, feathers, shapes and styles you see as you wander from shop to shop or concession to concession on a trip to Galeries Lafayette!
French style, Parisian chic and their icons
Parisian style is often described as effortless chic and inimitable! A classic feminine look is chic and carefree by definition. It may look simple, but creating the perfect Parisian outfits takes time and effort! Parisian chic is embodied by several French icons from very different worlds: Brigitte Bardot (film, music), Inès de la Fressange (modelling, journalism), Loulou de la Falaise (modelling, journalism, design), Vanessa Paradis (music) and many more.
Parisian fashion hotspots!
Paris is packed with iconic neighbourhoods celebrating different styles and haute couture. A few of the places we like to take our visitors for a feast for the eyes include:
- Le Marais: an open-air laboratory for experimenting with style among avant-garde concept stores and bold new designers.
- Saint-Germain-des-Prés: the former hangout for intellectuals and artists blends timeless elegance and creativity surrounded by legendary cafés and luxury boutiques.
- Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré: the biggest designer shops (Chanel, Dior, Givenchy) ooze luxury and sophistication.
A trip to the famous couture brands is a golden opportunity to dive into fashion history and iconic industry figures. Meet Coco Chanel and Inès de la Fressange to Yves Saint Laurent on a world tour of influences, immortal icons and styles that are hot then not. If you think about it, fashion is a series of new beginnings…
Paris, real fashion culture
If you want to get to the heart of French fashion, nothing beats exploring the cultural sites that fly the flag for French haute couture and design and continue to inspire designers and enthusiasts.
Musée du Parfum Fragonard guided tour
The world of fashion and luxury includes fragrance and the great French perfume brands. A trip to the Musée du Parfum Fragonard introduces students to the history of French perfumery and the secrets behind making the most famous fragrances. It’s a spellbinding sensory experience! You could delve deeper with a trip to Provence and the village of Grasse, the home of French perfumery!
Galerie Dior tour
“Fashion designers offer one of the last refuges of the marvellous. They are, in a way, the masters of dreams…” Christian Dior, 1956.
Galerie Dior is a manor on the corner of Avenue Montaigne and Rue Saint-François. The designer began his career in this legendary building with three ateliers under the eaves, a tiny studio, a presentation room, a dressing room and six small fitting rooms.
This is where Dior designed his collections, including the iconic New Look and its incredibly feminine style named after the first Dior show in February 1947. VIP guests, Monsieur Dior’s friends, clients and stars from all over the world came to this manor to watch catwalk shows and learn what the future of fashion would look like.
Musée Galliera: everything there is to know about fashion history
The Musée Galliera delves into the history of fashion from the 18th century to the present day in its opulent 19th century setting. The outstanding collections showcase outfits worn by nobility alongside contemporary pieces by Chanel, Dior and Yves Saint-Laurent. Its temporary exhibitions capture the connection between clothing and changes in culture and society. The building’s sleek blend of stone and metal designed by Gustave Eiffel’s studio make it a unique and rewarding place to visit.
Meet students at the École des Gobelins
Aside from haute couture and prêt-à-porter, Paris is also a leading academic hotspot for the image and design industry. The École des Gobelins is famous for its graphic design, animation and photography courses and provides VIP access to its students, giving you an unmissable opportunity to discuss what they’re working on, visit the design workshops and understand how these areas of expertise elevate the fashion and luxury world.
Explore Parisian fashion careers
Give your language stay a professional slant and dive into the world of work. We provide opportunities to rub shoulders with the people who work in fashion to share their experiences and take you behind the scenes of an exciting industry. For example:
- Visit studios and designer brands: get to grips with the design process, experience real craftsmanship in action, watch a sketch transform into a standout piece.
- Meet industry professionals: stylists, designers, pattern makers and journalists. They share their backgrounds, advice and discuss the realities of the industry with students.
- Attend fashion events: exhibitions, showrooms, discussions about current trends.
- Join an exclusive masterclass: a fashion expert gives students the chance to ask all their questions and talk to an experienced professional.
A springboard for a career in fashion and design
This course is so much more than a cultural visit: it’s an eye-opening introduction to anyone who wants to work in fashion and design.
- Elevate your CV: linguistic and cultural experience in Paris is a great way to stand out from the crowd in a global industry.
- Build a professional network: the people you meet during your experience enable you to create contacts, talk to experts and access a sometimes-elite job market.
- Learn the lingo: understanding and using the right technical terms in French is vital if you want to thrive in the luxury and fashion world.
Learning French for fashion in Paris is a dream for anyone who wants be part of the action! With educational workshops, trips to designer HQs and museums plus eye-opening encounters with industry professionals, it’s an all-encompassing and immersive experience that couldn’t be more on trend.