Beverly Hills Design Institute

SUMMARY

The Beverly Hills Design Institute is a private for-profit design college located in Beverly Hills, California, United States, founded as a higher institution of learning to teach the principles and techniques of fashion by providing instruction combining European Haute Couture and American fashion. Beverly Hills Design Institute nurtures professionals with hands-on, student-centered programs and innovative teaching techniques focusing on student learning outcomes that develop confidence, sense of belonging and purpose.

HISTORY

The origins of Beverly Hills Design Institute date back to the late 1970s, when it was founded with the ambition of creating an institution combining the craftsmanship of European haute couture with the commercial dynamism of American fashion. Initially, the school sought to position itself in the heart of Los Angeles’ design and entertainment district, in Beverly Hills, offering students access to design studios and to the fashion-luxury ecosystem surrounding Hollywood and the West Coast.

The campus is at a short distance from one of the world’s most elegant shopping avenues, Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, which packs in enough glitz to qualify it as one of the most glamorous and expensive shopping stretches in the world. The luminaries of style are all represented, including Chanel, Valentino, Gucci, Versace, Dior, Cartier, Louis Vuiton, Prada, Escada, Tiffany, Van Cleef and Arpels, Bottega Veneta, Armani, Bally and Ralph Lauren.

Over time, it adapted its curriculum to the evolving demands of fashion branding, merchandising and digital pattern technology. During the 1980s and 1990s, the Institute expanded its facilities on Wilshire Boulevard, gradually incorporating studios for pattern-making, draping, apparel production and branding seminars. Its location within Beverly Hills enabled proximity to luxury retailers, showrooms and costume-design contractors, thereby enriching internships and practical project opportunities. In the early 2000s, the Institute underwent further modernisation – adding digital design suites, CAD pattern labs and moving beyond purely craft-based instruction. This period also saw a stronger emphasis on business, branding and global-market readiness for graduates.

In the 2010s, under the leadership of its founder-designer, the Institute intensified collaborations with celebrity designers, runway projects and couture clients, thereby raising the profile of Beverly Hills Design Institute in the fashion industry. For example, the founder’s work with stage-costumes and high-profile clients helped bring attention to the school’s experiential dimension. By the early 2020s, Beverly Hills Design Institute had an enrolment of approximately 20 undergraduates, with an acceptance rate around 39 %.  More recently, the Institute continues to focus on sustainability, digitalisation, direct-to-consumer branding, and luxury product development.

The Beverly Hills Design Institute Scholarship is a conditional scholarship that may only be awarded once per student. Applicants are required to present, in person or through video, a collection with three groups of seven pieces each including swatches. You must send your collection by email or DVD to your admissions representative. Successful recipients display strong professionalism in presentation, career focused vision, either a High school or Higher Education transcript with a Cumulative GPA of at least 3.0., or at least two recommendations from either High School or Higher Education institution. Application deadline is no later than 4 weeks prior the start of the enrollment.

 VISION

The founding vision of the Institute, as articulated by its founder Sonia Été, was to bridge couture-level craftsmanship and real-world fashion business by cultivating designers and fashion entrepreneurs rather than solely artisans. Under this vision, Beverly Hills Design Institute emphasises small class sizes, mentoring by fashion designers, real-world client projects and “from sketch to market” ethos. The intent is that graduates will emerge with both creative talent and commercial acumen — ready to found their own labels, work in luxury houses or lead product development.

TOP DESIGN COURSES

The only French Haute Couture Academy in the US, at Beverly Hills Design Institute, one of the flagship programs is the Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design, which covers fashion illustration, draping, CAD pattern-making, collection development and runway show production. It aims to provide a comprehensive route into the fashion designer’s role — from conceptualisation through to final garments.

Another prominent course is the Associate’s in Pattern Design which focuses on pattern drafting, flat pattern techniques, grading, digital pattern tools and technical specification sheets. This course suits students aiming for more technical roles in apparel manufacturing or high-end couture houses. At the end of each degree program, Fashion Design and Pattern Design students join together to create the “Cell Manufacturing” and prepare a professional fashion show.

Beverly Hills Design Institute also offers shorter diploma- or certificate-level programmes, such as the Professional Fashion Design Laboratory Certificate, which concentrate on practical skills in a condensed time-frame — enabling faster entry into the industry or acting as a foundation for further study.

KEY TEAM

• Sonia Été — Founder & President

JOB INTEGRATION RATE

The job integration or placement rate is not disclosed.