San Jose / South Bay Area
San Jose is a good place to study fashion and fashion design. It is the largest city in Northern California, has an active arts scene, enjoys over 300 days of sunshine a year, is among the top safest big cities in the nation, and is close to both redwood forests and the sea.
San Jose and South Bay Area Fashion Schools
The San Jose metropolitan area - also known as Silicon Valley — is the nation's tech powerhouse and is famous for its technologically — innovative companies and their creations. (There are almost 7,000 technology companies in San Jose.) Yet there is more art and design in the area than in just renowned local company Apple's ubiquitous iPod.
The city of San Jose's strategy to promote public art and design has resulted in a number of attractive municipal buildings and public art works. Perhaps more importantly to the future fashion designer, San Jose Fashion Week showcases the collections of local San Jose fashion designers. The city is also home to the San Jose Museum of Textiles and Quilts.
The San Jose area arts scene is further represented by the numerous events, shows, and exhibitions that take place year-round at the San Jose Museum of Modern Art, Civic Auditorium, Shoreline Amphitheatre, Center for the Performing Arts, California Theatre, San Jose Repertory Theater, Montgomery Theater, Children's Musical Theater, and others.
But innovative technology is inescapably the area's trademark. Now if only someone could revolutionize fashion in the area the way Silicon Valley companies have revolutionized the world...
Studying Fashion in San Jose and the South Bay Area
In addition to providing fashion and fashion design training, San Jose and South Bay Area fashion schools can help you to take advantage of Silicon Valley's traditions of innovation and entrepreneurial success.
The Art Institute of California-Sunnyvale
Located in Sunnyvale, The Art Institute of California-Sunnyvale is a new art school established in 2008, although it forms part of the larger The Art Institutes system. The school offers a Bachelor of Science in Fashion Marketing and Management. West Valley College: Located in Saratoga near redwood forests and vineyards, West Valley College is a community college that offers two levels of certificate programs in Apparel Design or Apparel Production and an Associate of Science in Apparel Design or Apparel Production.
Cañada College
A small community college set on 131 acres in Redwood City, Cañada College offers award-winning fashion programs. They grant Certificates of Achievement or Associate of Science degrees in Custom Dressmaking and Small Business, Fashion Design Merchandising, Technical (Apparel Industry), and Theater Costuming.
