The High School of Fashion Industries

What The High School of Fashion Industries does

The High School of Fashion Industries is a public secondary school located at 225 W 24th Street in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, operating under the New York City Department of Education. Founded in 1988, the institution serves high school-aged students through a Career and Technical Education (CTE) model focused on fashion and design disciplines. It is publicly funded and tuition-free, with no commercial revenue model, no pricing tiers, and no go-to-market channels in the conventional commercial sense.

The school offers six CTE majors: Fashion Design, Visual Arts, Photography, Business of Fashion, Sportswear Design, and Textile Design. Its delivery model combines standard academic instruction with industry-aligned technical training, supported by an Industry Advisory Board that connects curricula to fashion industry practitioners. Students produce annual fashion showcases held at venues in the Meatpacking District and Chelsea Market, providing real-world exhibition experience and visibility within the New York fashion industry ecosystem.

There is no commercial revenue model. Operating budgets flow through NYC DOE public education allocations, and ancillary resources are derived from public-sector educational funding rather than tuition, private capital, or product sales. The entity is a public-sector educational institution rather than an investable commercial company, and conventional PE/VC/M&A valuation frameworks do not apply.

Name

The High School of Fashion Industries

Legal name

High School of Fashion Industries

Website

https://hsfi.nyc

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The High School of Fashion Industries is a NYC Department of Education public high school founded in 1988, offering tuition-free career and technical education across six fashion-related majors to high school students in Manhattan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Secondary Education

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (61151)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAJAAAD

Public High Schools

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/Public K–12 Schools & Districts

Keywords

• Fashion education
• Career technical education
• Secondary education
• Design education
• Public high school

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The High School of Fashion Industries is a NYC public high school that delivers Career and Technical Education (CTE) majors in fashion design and related creative-industry fields to students in grades 9–12. Programs are bundled within a College and Career Program and emphasize hands-on studio learning, portfolio development, and preparation for postsecondary study or careers in fashion and design. Outreach and admissions are supported through in-person auditions and a virtual tour hosted on the school's website.

Product overview

The High School of Fashion Industries is a specialized public high school offering CTE (Career and Technical Education) majors in fashion-related fields. The school's portfolio consists primarily of annual showcase events including the 37th Annual Scholarship & Fundraiser Fashion Show (held at the Meatpacking District), the HSFI Annual Senior Fashion Show, and the HSFI ArtShow at Chelsea Market. The school also provides prospective students with virtual tours and in-person audition opportunities, while supporting enrolled students through college preparation and career development programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CTE Majors (Career and Technical Education Majors) A set of six specialized Career and Technical Education majors (fashion design, visual merchandising, illustration, photography, and other fashion-related creative disciplines) offered to students in grades 9–12. Designed for NYC students seeking hands-on studio training in fashion and creative industries as part of their secondary education.
• College and Career Program A college and career preparatory program at HSFI that supports students with portfolio development, postsecondary planning, and career readiness in fashion and creative industries. The program is bundled with the CTE majors and serves grade 9–12 students.
• HSFI Virtual Tour A web-based virtual tour of the school hosted on the HSFI website, providing prospective students and families with an overview of the campus and programs as part of the admissions process.
• In-Person Auditions On-campus audition sessions conducted as part of the HSFI admissions process, allowing prospective students to demonstrate creative ability for entry into the school's CTE programs.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Meatpacking DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025The Meatpacking District serves as the venue and sponsor for HSFI's annual Industry Fashion Show. This partnership provides students with high-profile exposure to fashion industry professionals and raises funds for student scholarships and programs. Jeffrey C. LeFrancois, Executive Director of the Meatpacking District, was honored at the 37th Annual Scholarship & Fundraiser Fashion Show.
• Chelsea MarketcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Chelsea Market hosted the Senior Art Show, providing a prestigious venue for graduating Art seniors. This partnership leverages the Advisory Board's extensive network to connect students with business communities in Chelsea, Flatiron District, and Meatpacking District.
• HSFI Advisory BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Advisory Board provides ongoing industry guidance, sponsors the annual scholarship fundraiser fashion show, and facilitates connections between students and the fashion business community. Their network enables partnerships with venues like Chelsea Market.

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• School of Visual Arts (SVA): NYC-based college specializing in visual and applied arts. Comparable as a downstream educational destination for HSFI visual arts graduates in the NYC creative education ecosystem.
• Pratt Institute: NYC-based college of art and design with fashion, graphic design, and fine arts programs. Comparable as a destination school for HSFI graduates and a broader art/design education incumbent.
• Parsons School of Design: NYC-based design school offering fashion design programs at the college level. Comparable as a major destination for HSFI's fashion-focused graduates and a recognized brand in fashion education.
• Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT): Public college in NYC specializing in fashion, design, and business. Comparable as a downstream educational destination for HSFI graduates and shares NYC/public-sector educational positioning.

Direct peers

• Brooklyn Technical High School: One of NYC's specialized public high schools, offering career-focused technical majors to a selective student body. Comparable as another NYC DOE specialized high school with major-based program structure, though with engineering/technology rather than fashion focus.
• Stuyvesant High School: NYC specialized public high school with selective admissions, part of the same NYC DOE specialized school system. Comparable as a flagship specialized public high school, though STEM-focused rather than arts-focused.
• Professional Performing Arts School (PPAS): NYC middle/high school specializing in performing and visual arts with audition-based admissions. Comparable as a smaller specialized NYC arts school with similar admissions model and creative-industries focus.
• Bronx High School of Science: NYC specialized public high school with selective admissions and college-preparatory focus. Comparable as a peer specialized public high school under NYC DOE with rigorous admissions standards.
• High School of Art and Design: NYC specialized public high school focused on visual arts, design, and advertising design. Comparable as another NYC DOE specialized arts high school with portfolio-based curriculum serving similar student profiles.
• LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts: NYC specialized public high school with audition-based admissions offering arts-focused majors including visual art, design, and performing arts. Most directly comparable peer given shared NYC DOE governance, audition admissions, and arts specialization.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hsfi_news
• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLJEg6M2o_L3GK7uDwSw5kqHUw5n9MtRHZ
• Facebookfacebook.com/HSFIOfficial
• Instagraminstagram.com/fashionhighnyc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-high-school-of-fashion-industries

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 The High School of Fashion Industries