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Fashion Schools and Programs in Poland

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Cracow

Fashion Studies in Poland

Palace of the Kraków Bishops in Kielce, PolandAre you a fashion student who has always dreamed of visiting the beautiful and exotic country of Poland; dreamed of basking in all the history and tradition the country has to offer?  Did you know that there are now several programs in which you can study and live for a time in Poland as a participant in a study abroad program?  Poland is a great place in which to pursue a fashion education, and even a better place to visit—a country that oozes with history and is filled to the brim with ancient monuments, churches and other architectural wonders. 
 
Officially known as the Republic of Poland, the country is located in Central Europe and shares borders with Germany in the west, the Czech Republic and Slovakia in the south, Ukraine and Belarus in the east, and the Baltic Sea, Lithuania and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave in the north.  With a geographic area of roughly 121, 000 square miles (313,000 square kilometers), it is the 69th largest country in the world by total area and the 9th largest in Europe.  As of the last census, Poland had a population of approximately 39 million, making it the 34th most populous country in the world and the sixth-most populous country in the European Union.  The capital and largest city in Poland is Warsaw.

Fashion Education in Poland

Although not often mentioned with the likes of France, Italy and the United states in terms of fashion, there are many universities within Poland that offer Fashion as a major area of study, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.  Some schools, such as the Cracow School of Art and Fashion Design, are dedicated solely to artistic fashion education at the postsecondary level.
 
Established in 1989, the Cracow School of Art and Fashion Design is an umbrella group of post-secondary art and fashion design schools in Krakow, Poland.  The institution is approved by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland, and is listed in the Ministry’s Art and Fashion School Directory.
The School of Fashion Design offers a full-time, two-and-a-half year program for interested applicants.  The program is available to all students who have successfully completed high school, earning a diploma in the process.  The coursework is individually designed by the staff of the program—teachers who focus solely on the students’ needs and the fashion market’s requirements. Most of the courses are taught as workshops, a structure which provides students the opportunity to develop and hone specific skills that are crucial in the industry of fashion and to release their full potential. The program covers topics such as design, textiles, fashion illustration, garment construction and garment styling. There are separate workshops for life drawing, the study of color, painting, jewelry design, textile technology, accessories—including millinery and shoe design—fashion photography and the history of fashion. At the end of the fifth semester, each student gets the chance to design and present his own authored collection on a runway show during the Cracow Fashion Awards.
 
The program offered by the Cracow School of Art and Fashion Design is very popular among students, including international students studying abroad, and is just one of the hundreds of opportunities in Poland for receiving a top-notch education in the field of Fashion.

Why Study Abroad in Poland?

Not only will students receive an excellent education when studying in Poland, they’ll encounter countless opportunities for enjoyment as well as personal and professional enhancement.  Poland has a great tradition of welcoming foreign students with open arms and, for historic reasons, a longstanding tradition of tolerance.  Despite, or perhaps even because of the fact that Poland is one of the most homogenous countries in the world, with nearly 98 percent of the population being ethnic Pole, its people have a superb reputation for being kind, obliging and warm to all foreign visitors.

Sadly, there are few people in the world who will ever get the chance to learn and embrace a culture other than their own.  Fortunately for you, by studying in Poland you will have this golden opportunity and will, at least for a time, be completely immersed in it, giving you the rare chance to learn the language, music, literature, architecture and cuisine of the Polish people. 

If music is your cup of tea, you might imagine that the music of Poland is limited to the pleasant sounds of classical music, with famous composers like Chopin and Penderecki leading the way.  However, you might be surprised to learn that the country has a very active musical scene for people off all ages.  In fact, it is one of the few countries in Europe where rock and hip hop dominate over pop music, and a place where all kinds of alternative music genres are encouraged.  The literature of Poland is also very pleasing and the country has produced many famous authors and poets, including Sienkiewicz and Reymont, both former winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature, and Joseph Conrad.

Sightseeing opportunities in Poland are everywhere.  Polish cities and towns reflect the whole spectrum of European styles, from the Romanesque architecture of St. Andrews Church in Krakow, to the Brick Gothic style of St. Mary’s Church in Gdansk. Some buildings, as you will surely notice, have been painstakingly restored, like Wawel Castle, or completely reconstructed after being destroyed in the Second World War, including the Old Town and Royal Castle in Warsaw and the Old Town of Gdańsk.  All of these buildings, and many, many more throughout the country, are considered must-see structures when visiting Poland and they all make for great photo opportunities.

Finally, there is the delicious cuisine of Poland, a cuisine that you are certain sure to enjoy abundantly during the course of your study abroad adventure.  Dishes in Poland are very unique, and its cuisine has influenced the gastronomy of many neighboring countries as well.  Meals are rich in meat, especially pork, chicken and beef; winter vegetables, such as cabbage; and plenty of spices.  Pasta is also a feature in many Polish dishes—dishes that can only be described as hearty.  Meals are carefully prepared, sometimes for days, and enjoyed slowly, leaving plenty of time for good conversation, allowing you to gather added details about the country and its longstanding history, customs and traditions.