Fashion Retail Academy

Fashion Retail Academy
Address
Map
Electra House, 84 Moorgate

London
,
EC2M 6SE

United Kingdom
Coordinates51°31′04″N 0°05′18″W / 51.51774°N 0.08820°W / 51.51774; -0.08820
Information
TypeVocational training college
MottoHome of Fashion's Next Generation
Established1 August 2005 (2005-08-01)
Department for Education URN135800 Tables
OfstedReports
Head teacherLee Lucas
GenderMixed
Age16+
Enrolment2,000+
Websitefashionretailacademy.ac.uk

The Fashion Retail Academy is a vocational training college in the Moorgate area of London, England.

It was founded as a National Skills Academy in 2005[1] by M&S, Next, Experian, F&F and Arcadia,[2] with funding from the UK government. Philip Green, chairman of the Arcadia Group, contributed between £5 million[3]: 126  and £12 million[4]: 119 . It opened in 2006 with about 200 students, and has since taught over 12,000 students.[5]

The Fashion Retail Academy trains people to work in head office roles within the fashion industry, working with over 140 UK brands and retailers[5] to provide industry enrichment like work experience. Diploma courses run from six months to two years, and undergraduate degree courses are condensed across two years.[6] They also offer fashion and retail apprenticeships. In 2022, the Academy launched specialist online courses.[7]

In April 2017, students from the college took part in the Future Retail Challenge at the World Retail Congress in Dubai.[8][9]

Molly-Mae Hague, an English social media influencer and runner-up in the fifth series of reality dating show Love Island, studied at the Fashion Retail Academy.[10] She has been the creative director of fashion brand PrettyLittleThing since 2021. In her recent book publication, she referred to her time at the academy as "probably one of the best decisions of my life. It was such an amazing two years, I had so much fun." Social media influencer and actress Bel Priestley studied at the academy but later dropped out.[11]

Several alumni have also been chosen as part of Drapers 30 Under 30 including Thom Scherdel, a buyer at The Idle Man, in 2015[12] and Alannah Gold, international digital trading manager at River Island, in 2022.[13]

In August 2024, the Fashion Retail Academy announced that it had appointed its first Patron, Lord Rose of Monewden.[14] Lord Rose was CEO of Marks & Spencer, one of the Academy's founding partners, when it opened in 2005.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference enc was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ MacDonald2015-07-09T10:13:00+01:00, George. "Tony Blair joins retailers to celebrate Fashion Retail Academy anniversary". Retail Week. Retrieved 1 November 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference liz was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference black was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b "About the FRA | Fashion Retail Academy London". www.fashionretailacademy.ac.uk. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  6. ^ "Accelerated Undergraduate Degrees | Fashion Retail Academy London". www.fashionretailacademy.ac.uk. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  7. ^ "Online Courses Launching September 2022 | FRA News | Fashion Retail Academy London". www.fashionretailacademy.ac.uk. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference wrc was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference wrc2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ PA, Prudence Wade (28 February 2022). "Fashion: Molly-Mae Hague on fashion, trying to be sustainable and blocking out the noise". The Irish News. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  11. ^ "Bel Priestley is a Star on the Rise - BRICKS Magazine". 16 June 2023.
  12. ^ "30 Under 30: Thom Scherdel". Drapers. 9 January 2015. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  13. ^ Behrmann, Anna (11 January 2022). "Drapers 30 Under 30 2022: Alannah Gold, international digital trading manager, River Island". Drapers. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  14. ^ "Lord Rose Becomes FRA Patron | Fashion Retail Academy London". www.fashionretailacademy.ac.uk. Retrieved 14 August 2024.