Fashion Design & Development

More information

Fashion Design is the application of art, creativity and aesthetics to clothing and other lifestyle accessories.

It is a global business and one of the largest employers of the world’s workforce. This exciting, lucrative and growing market sector has many rich employment opportunities for fashion graduates, including Design, Buying, Marketing, PR and Advertising, Head Office positions, Styling, Pattern Cutting, Garment Technology and Sourcing, and all linked Retail and online operations.

By choosing to study Fashion Design & Development at Marbella Design Academy, you will find yourself surrounded by a hub of internationally acclaimed fashion designers and creative people. Spain is a mecca for Fashion, and some of the world’s most famous fashion designers are Spanish. Besides many others, Spain is home to the famous Inditex® group, a Fashion Empire which operates over 7,200 stores in 93 markets worldwide.

The Fashion Industry has continued to grow, and there are now many career opportunities to gain successful employment across many linked areas. Our graduates work across a wide spectrum of careers in fashion, working successfully and influentially to establish their own labels or to work as company designers, freelancers, fashion consultants, merchandisers or stylists.

This very comprehensive course will give you a professional insight into all the different job roles and career opportunities that exist within the fashion industry.

You will have the opportunity to learn not only the theoretical and practical skills required of a fashion design role, but also essential personal skills such as self-confidence, presentation, organisation, the ability to work with others and an opportunity to discover and express your own creative identity.

Compilation video of our Fashion Design students amazing collections and projects

“Wabi – Sabi”, Sofia Vesterinen final collection video

Head Of
Department

Natalia Rivera - Marbella Design School

Natalia Rivera

Head of our 3-year Bachelor of Arts with Honours validated programme in Fashion Design & Development at Marbella Design Academy.

Natalia is a passionate fashion designer, highly driven and extremely creative. She is an intuitive researcher and concept creator. Highly committed and with good communication and teaching skills, she focuses on the students to develop their design skills to the highest level.

Natalia has an in-depth knowledge of the fashion industry.

She is highly experienced in Visual Merchandising, Styling and teaching.

Natalia has her own successful fashion company – NATALIA RIVERA

Testimonials

view all
“I have learned so much over these 3 incredible years! I felt that I had so much support from both my teachers and the school staff. We were given the freedom to create and design whatever we wanted to at all times! It has been amazing.”t
Roberta Peixoto
BA (Hons) in Fashion Design & Development, Brazil
If I could just say “Thank You” it would be not enough compared to what I received from Marbella Design Academy. To have the chance to join, learn, have fun, and to be a part of Marbella Design Academy was amazing.
Thank you to all Teachers , friends and every single person from the teams which helped me to grow until today. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
Nan Khea, Thailand
BA (Hons) in Fashion Design & Development
“One of the things I loved about the fashion design programme, is that we really get to understand the basics of fashion, whether it comes from sewing, or marketing, or the business side of fashion. We also learnt how to digitalise fashion. It prepares you fully for the fashion industry. From 2nd to 3rd year, we also create our own collections, and we also produce it. We did everything that had to be done, from concept making, designing the clothes, and then sewing them at school. In these past 3-years at Marbella Design Academy, I had a very enjoyable experience, especially meeting my helpful teachers, and making long lifetime friends.”
Rana Ekwass from Libia
BA (Hons) in Fashion Design & Development
I absolutely loved my time at the Marbella Design Academy!
My experience was so rounded, as was my growth. The academy and all staff helped me in so many ways, not just academically. Without this I don’t think I would have made it through the 3 years (plus foundation) especially during the pandemic and subsequent lockdown. To receive a degree, let alone a First Class honours degree, is something I never thought I was capable of, but with the support, direction, and encouragement of my tutors I have managed to change my career after 10 years in a different industry. I am so happy to finally work in the fashion industry and have the confidence to pursue my passion and enjoy what I do on a day-to-day basis rather than working to live. For this I could not be more grateful!
Danielle Morgan-Kent – Gibraltar
BA (Hons) in Fashion Design & Development
These 3 years at Marbella Design Academy have been full of experiences where I’ve learned so much and I’ve met wonderful people.
Marbella Design Academy is a special place that feels like home, it feels like we’re all a big family.
I’ve made memories that I will take with me forever.
Ariana Serra – Spain
BA (Hons) in Fashion Design & Development
I came to Marbella Design Academy not knowing how to sew, not knowing what a pattern was and had never opened a single Adobe program in my life.
After studying Fashion Design & Development for three years I have grown into the path of fashion design that I want to pursue because of my own willpower.
I am extremely proud of my classmates and I for getting to the finish line although this pandemic has made things challenging in many ways.
My fashion teachers and best friend supported me throughout this year both academically and emotionally and I now leave Spain as a young professional and with friends for life.
It’s amazing what you can achieve and do if you put your mind to it!
Daniella Ramirez – Sweden
BA (Hons) in Fashion Design & Development
’m so grateful for my time at Marbella Design Academy. Before starting my degree in fashion, I barely knew how to sew and didn’t know much else, but after my three years were over I feel I have the skills and tools needed to achieve my dreams. The staff really care about the students and it showed; with plenty of 1 on 1 time with the tutors, students are easily able to get the help they’d like as well as constantly get inspired by those around them. It was a great learning experience. Along with the academic experience, I truly feel the school is so diverse and it was amazing meeting people from all over the world. I’ve made friends I feel like I will have for life and it has been some of the best years of my life. Thank you to my teachers for giving me the necessary skills to reach my goals and thank you to Marbella Design Academy for encouraging me to pursue them!
Mariel Shoemaker – United States
BA (Hons) in Fashion Design & Development
Three years of hard work at Marbella Design Academy payed off! – & I got a 1st Class BA Hons Degree. Professional and experienced teachers who passed on not only theoretical elements, but knowledge of the industry from the very inside of it. All tasks and assignments were created in a way that you learned and practiced to get only better and better within time restraints.
It took time and patience combined, but for me it was most important to be inspired and feel motivated- at Marbella Design Academy teachers and staff are always there to help and inspire you. Special thanks to our great tutors, our Department was like a big fashion family and that is so unusual compared to other Universities. I appreciated it so much! 
Kate Solomennikova – Russia
Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design
I am a third year fashion design student. I chose Marbella Design Academy because I wanted a new experience abroad and studying seemed like a good idea.
I chose Marbella Design Academy because I wanted a new experience abroad and studying seemed like a good idea. The best thing about MDA is that it is an international collage, so you meet people around the world here.
My options are to stay here and accept the job that is given to me or what I would love to do it study further in South Africa.
Raïssa Faber – Netherlands
Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design
Fashion design, started in January, so I’ve been here for 4 months. I have chosen Marbella Design Academy because I wanted to study abroad, and learn more about Spanish culture and language.
The best thing is that you have easy access to the teachers. That would be that almost everyone from school is living in Monda, so it’s easy to get to know people.
The options are many. I don’t really have a plan yet. Might start my own brand, after I’ve gotten some work experience.
Durita – Faroe Islands
Fashion Design student
I am a student studying the BA Hons Fashion programme at Marbella Design Academy.
I chose Marbella Design Academy after coming to see the school, which I’d found listed on the internet as one of Spain’s highly recommended design schools. On visiting the Academy I immediately felt a welcoming feeling which was only enhanced after meeting the extremely kind staff. I was given a tour around the academy by the head of fashion who was extremely passionate about the subject and the academy itself ,which made a large impact on me.
I was delighted to hear that at the academy the classes were rarely larger than 10, which gives each student a lot of personal time and help from the teachers, unlike many other universities. In my opinion the personal time where you can learn from the teachers knowledge & experiences in the industry are two of the most important things for ones education.
I also love that all the students and teachers are always willing to help one another and that everyone gets to know each other on a personal basis.
I currently live in Monda, which is useful for getting to school as its only a 10-15 minutes walk away no matter where you live and only a car or bus ride away from Marbella or Malaga.
After completing my course at the academy I hope to go on to doing a Masters before launching my own career.
Didi – Mata
Fashion design student
Fashion 2nd year September. Danish standard in a Spanish setting.
It’s nice and close in the morning, and Monda itself is pretty cheap to live in. I probably have to work a year to pay everything off and save up for my next step. Then I would like to take a Masters degree in Business-Fashion either in
New-York, Paris, London or Copenhagen.
Michelle – Denmark
Fashion design student

Want to be a
student?

Go to application form