Amsterdam Fashion Academy

What Amsterdam Fashion Academy does

Amsterdam Fashion Academy (AFA) is a private, for-profit international boutique fashion academy headquartered at Nieuwe Herengracht 103, Amsterdam, founded in 2013 and operating as a subsidiary of Italian parent Luiss Business School since January 1, 2020. It delivers UK-validated Bachelor's (Honours) degree programmes (180 ECTS each) in Fashion Design and Fashion Business & Innovation, awarded by Buckinghamshire New University, alongside a 1-year Foundation Diploma, a 3-month Fast-Track course, six part-time specializations (Fashion Business, Styling, Pattern Cutting & Construction, Photography, Art Direction, Illustration), and seasonal summer and winter intensives including a Sustainable Pattern Cutting offering.

The academy operates a highly selective intake of 26–32 students per academic year drawn from 15+ nationalities (Netherlands, Switzerland, UK, Italy, Colombia, Japan, Suriname, Peru, Vietnam, Venezuela and others), with classes capped at 16 students and a 7:1 student-teacher ratio supported by a Personal Development Plan programme. Teaching infrastructure rests on a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) for online lectures, illustration, collection development, pattern cutting and textiles lessons, and on CLO3D as the 3D garment design platform, with a Professional Advisory Committee that includes executives such as Kristina Szasz of HUGO BOSS anchoring industry connections. All revenue is generated through tuition fees on a per-programme subscription basis (Bachelor's tuition totals approximately €36,500 across Year 1 €15,600, Year 2 €11,900 and Year 3 €9,000), with short-course and seasonal fees supplementing the top line; AFA is non-governmental and non-subsidized, distributes through direct applications, UCAS (for UK students), university fairs, open days, Meetup community events, and HubSpot-powered digital consultations, and is geographically constrained by EEA-only visa eligibility for its Bachelor's programmes.

Name

Amsterdam Fashion Academy

Legal name

Amsterdam Fashion Academy

Website

https://amsterdamfashionacademy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Amsterdam Fashion Academy is a private Amsterdam-based boutique fashion school offering UK-validated BA (Hons) degrees, Foundation, Fast-Track, and part-time courses to a selective international intake of 26–32 students per year under parent Luiss Business School.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fashion Higher Education

NAICS

Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519)

akta.pro primary industry

Fashion & Apparel Design Colleges (EDAHAJAF)

Keywords

• Fashion education
• Higher education
• Design education
• Fashion design degree
• Vocational fashion training

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees - Bachelor's Degree Programmes: Three-year Bachelor's (Honours) programmes with year-by-year tuition: Year 1: €15,600, Year 2: €11,900, Year 3: €9,000. Total programme cost approximately €36,500.
2. Foundation Diploma Tuition: One-year Foundation Diploma programme with tuition fees; direct pathway to Bachelor's degree programmes
3. Part-time and Short Courses: Various part-time courses including Fashion Business, Fashion Styling, Creative Pattern Cutting & Construction, Fashion Photography, Art Direction for Fashion, Fashion Illustration. Also summer and winter seasonal courses.
4. Fast-Track Programme: 3-month intensive fashion design and business course

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Amsterdam Fashion Academy is a boutique fashion academy that sells tuition-based educational programmes, including two three-year UK-validated BA (Hons) degrees in Fashion Design and Fashion Business & Innovation, a one-year Foundation Diploma in Fashion, a three-month Fast-Track course, part-time evening courses and seasonal summer/winter intensives. It delivers education through small classes (max 16 students), a 7:1 student-teacher ratio, CLO3D 3D design software, a Virtual Learning Environment, mandatory 3-5 month industry internships and real industry projects in partnership with fashion brands.

Product overview

Amsterdam Fashion Academy is an international boutique fashion academy offering a portfolio of educational programmes validated by Bucks New University (UK). The core offerings include two 3-year BA (Hons) degree programmes: Fashion Design and Fashion Business & Innovation, both worth 180 ECTS. Pre-degree preparation includes a 1-year Foundation Diploma and a 3-month Fast-Track Fashion Design & Business course. The academy also offers a range of part-time courses covering Fashion Business, Styling, Pattern Cutting & Construction, Fashion Photography, Art Direction, and Fashion Illustration, typically running one evening per week per semester. Seasonal offerings include Summer and Winter intensive courses in fashion business portfolio, design portfolio development, and sustainable pattern cutting. The academy differentiates through small class sizes (maximum 16 students), personal attention, industry network connections, and 3-5 month mandatory internships for second-year bachelor's students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BA (Hons) Fashion Design A 3-year (180 ECTS) UK-validated Bachelor's (Honours) degree in Fashion Design covering fashion design, textiles, and creative development, taught in small classes (max 16 students) at the Amsterdam campus with 3–5 month industry internship in Year 2 and real company projects in Year 3.
• BA (Hons) Fashion Business & Innovation A 3-year (180 ECTS) UK-validated Bachelor's (Honours) degree in Fashion Business & Innovation covering fashion business, marketing, branding, and innovation, with industry projects and a 3–5 month internship in Year 2.
• Foundation Diploma in Fashion A 1-year pre-bachelor preparatory programme providing direct access to the Bachelor's degree programmes, covering foundational fashion design and business skills.
• Fast-Track Fashion Design & Business A 3-month intensive full-time course introducing fashion design and business concepts, suitable for gap-year students or those exploring fashion careers; can continue with the Foundation Diploma.
• Part-time Fashion Business Course A part-time evening course covering fashion business fundamentals including trend forecasting, marketing, and buying, running one evening per week for one semester.
• Part-time Fashion Styling Course A part-time course teaching fashion styling techniques, visual storytelling, and editorial creation for fashion communication.
• Part-time Creative Pattern Cutting & Construction A part-time technical course teaching pattern making and garment construction techniques, including pattern drawing and production.
• Part-time Fashion Photography Course A part-time course covering fashion photography techniques and visual communication for fashion-industry applications.
• Part-time Art Direction for Fashion A part-time course focusing on creative direction, visual concepts, and artistic leadership for fashion campaigns and editorials.
• Part-time Fashion Illustration Course A part-time course developing hand-drawn and digital illustration skills for fashion design visualization and communication.
• Summer Course: Fashion Business Portfolio A 2–4 week summer intensive covering fashion business portfolio development and industry-focused business skills.
• Summer Course: Fashion Design Portfolio Development A 2–4 week summer intensive focusing on developing a professional fashion design portfolio for applications or industry use.
• Summer Course: Sustainable Pattern Cutting A 2–4 week summer course combining sustainable fashion principles with creative pattern cutting and garment construction techniques.
• Winter Fashion Course A winter seasonal intensive course for concentrated skill development in fashion design or business.
• Online Consultation Service Personal appointment and video call consultations available to prospective students to learn about programmes, housing, and life in Amsterdam.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of second-year students complete 3-5 month industry internships
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Luiss Business SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Amsterdam Fashion Academy acquired by Luiss Business School (Rome, Italy) effective January 1, 2020. The acquisition brought new international Board of Directors and strengthened international connections for the fashion academy as part of prestigious private Italian business school.
• Bucks New UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBachelor's degree programmes validated by Bucks New University (UK). Students receive UK university-awarded Bachelor's (Honours) degrees, which are widely recognised worldwide.
• FashionUnited Education NetworkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership announced March 2018 to expand international fashion collaborations. Through FashionUnited's online platform, academy presents itself towards educational institutes, potential students, and global fashion industry companies.
• Highsnobiety and Spring StudiosminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHosting of masterclasses with fashion industry professionals. Highsnobiety (brand partnerships team) and Spring Studios visited academy during academic year to offer students industry insights.
• DifuzedminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry visit arranged for students to Difuzed's Amsterdam office. Difuzed develops lifestyle products from entertainment, fashion, sports, and consumer goods brands. Students toured office, warehouse, showroom, sourcing, photo studio, and design/sales departments.
• MediamaticminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Mediamatic (Amsterdam-based art centre) for Dutch Design Week 2021. First-year BA students created 30 costume designs advocating biodiversity as part of DDW exhibition.
• Viktor & RolfminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCLO3D design collaboration and masterclass opportunity. Three students selected to present portfolios to Viktor & Rolf at Kunsthal Rotterdam. Ongoing collaboration on 3D fashion design projects.
• @easeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration started during COVID-19 pandemic to support students' emotional well-being. Partnership provides mental health and emotional support through Personal Development Plan programme.
• CreamPRminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSecond-year Fashion Business students worked alongside CreamPR (Amsterdam-based PR agency for fashion and lifestyle brands) on special event project.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Istituto Marangoni: Private Italian fashion school offering bachelor's and master's degrees in fashion design and business across multiple European campuses. Directly comparable as a private, for-profit international boutique-style fashion academy competing for the same global student pool.
• Polimoda: Florence-based private international fashion school offering BA, MA, and short courses in fashion design and business. Closely matches AFA in private-institute model, international intake, and product mix (design + business).
• Amsterdam Fashion Institute (AMFI): Amsterdam-based fashion higher-education institute offering BA programs in fashion design and business. Most direct local competitor, sharing both target geography and curriculum structure.
• ESMOD International: French-origin international private fashion school with a network of campuses offering fashion design and pattern-making programs. Comparable private, for-profit model with similar international recruitment approach.
• Accademia Costume & Moda: Rome-based private fashion academy offering undergraduate and postgraduate programs in fashion design, costume, and accessories. Closely comparable private boutique model with international intake and Italy-based ownership synergies via Luiss.

Broad incumbents

• IFM (Institut Français de la Mode): Leading French fashion higher-education institution formed from the merger of IFM and École de la Chambre Syndicale. Overlaps with AFA's fashion design and business curriculum at a much larger scale and broader program portfolio.
• Parsons Paris (Parsons School of Design): Paris campus of Parsons/The New School offering fashion-focused programs. Comparable as a private, international fashion school targeting globally mobile students, but operates at significantly larger scale and brand recognition.
• Central Saint Martins (UAL): Premier UK fashion school within University of the Arts London, recognized globally as a top-tier fashion education brand. Overlaps with AFA's design and business offerings but at vastly larger scale and reputation.
• Royal Academy of Fine Arts (Antwerp) - Fashion Department: Belgian fashion school famous for the Antwerp Six; offers bachelor's and master's in fashion design. Comparable private-international boutique vibe with strong industry pipeline, though a public institution.
• London College of Fashion (UAL): UK-based specialist fashion institution within University of the Arts London offering broad fashion-related programs. Significant curriculum overlap with AFA's design, business, styling, and photography offerings.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/amsterdamfashionacademy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/amsterdam-fashion-academy
• Instagraminstagram.com/amsterdamfashionacademy/?hl=nl

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Amsterdam Fashion Academy