Institut Colbert

Purchasing - Sourcing - Marketing - Sales - Distribution and retailing - Shoe design

Founded in 1989 by professionals in the fashion trade, Institut Colbert provides training programs which target the needs and skills of the fashion industry. For over 25 years the institute has trained successful professionals, providing them with the relevant technical and business skills for the industry. We give professionals expert knowledge in all the steps involved in the fashion production process from the initial design stage to the final marketing and launch of a product.
The Institute is part of the management and prospective innovation department of the Conservatoire National des arts et Métiers.

A teaching team of professionals

The program is taught by leading professionals with a passion for the job, hands on knowledge of the fashion industry and a real expertise in the field. At regular intervals product managers, purchasers and visual merchandisers come to share their experience with students. The school also organizes conferences and company visits.

An insight into the heart of the fashion world

A program with a hands-on approach consisting of fashion industry relevant core and specialist modules.
Depending on the course chosen, students may participate in a number of the following:

• Professional case studies based on real life situations
• Courses given in “training” shops and showrooms
• Creative workshops with practical project work : creating and marketing a clothing line, preparing a trade fair…
• A business game : a 40 hour simulation game which takes students into the heart of 4 competing companies in the fashion industry.
• A selection of courses given in English
• Full scale work projects within some of the industry’s leading companies : for example creating an e-shop for a brand of clothing/accessories, developing a line of swimsuits for a leading French brand, creating a concept-store, defining and writing recommendations for marketing the 10-14 age group for WAY( IKKS group), creating a brand of luxury accessories from high quality material.
• Company visits, from the design office to the distribution center
• Attending professional trade fairs (Who’s next…)
• Company based learning : at the end of their training, students are required to follow a 3 to 6 month internship in a company based in France or abroad.

What could you be during your internship?

• An assistant product manager for shoes and accessories at Quicksilver Europe
• A merchandiser at IKKS
• A French celebrities and ambassadors’ assistant at Chanel
• Assistant product manager at APC
• Assistant event organizer at Agnès B.
• Assistant shoe designer at Louis Vuitton
• An assistant creative director for Courrèges.

Career opportunities 

After their studies, graduates may work in the following positions : purchaser, product manager, visual merchandiser, shop manager, collection manager, shoe designer…

Programs recognized by leading companies in the fields of :

Clothing industry/luxury goods sector/fashion retailing...
Shoe industry...
Accessories…
Public relations and press agencies…

The Colbert Institute benefits from the support of a network of professional and public organizations as well as academic institutions.
Professional organizations on a regional level…
Schools
Local authorities

2h30 from Paris, 30 minutes from Nantes and Angers the town of Cholet offers
A fashion campus in the heart of the city
A university library with a unique range of documents relevant to the field of fashion
A pleasant and affordable environment to live and work in.