Southend-on-Sea
You can reach the Fashion Retail Academy in 1hr 20min via the C2C train from Southend Central. Get the train to West Ham or Fenchurch Street and take the tube to Moorgate. Our campus is opposite the station!
Study Fashion Courses at the FRA From ESSEX
Just a short train journey from Essex, the Fashion Retail Academy offers an unrivalled pathway into the fashion industry. You can choose from a wide selection of courses including Fashion Design, Buying, Visual Merchandising, Fashion Marketing and more.
Many of our students commute from the home counties and further afield to benefit from our expert tutors and extended network of retail and fashion experts.
Getting to Us From Essex
Essex is one of the most well-connected commuter areas if you're studying or working in London. You can reach the Fashion Retail Academy in around 1 to 1.5 hours in most cases. Check out commute times from popular Essex locations:
Chelmsford
Take the Greater Anglia train from Chelmsford to London Liverpool Street station. Our campus is then just a 5-minute walk away.
Colchester
You can travel to the FRA in around 1hr 30mins from Colchester Station. Take the Greater Anglia train to London Liverpool Street and then walk 5 minutes to our campus.
Basildon
Take the C2C train from Laindon Station to Fenchurch Street or West Ham. Take the tube to Moorgate and our campus is immediately opposite the station! You could get there in around 1 hour.
Our Courses
At the Fashion Retail Academy, we offer specialist diplomas, online courses and undergraduate degrees in fashion. Within easy commuting distance from Essex, you can study at the Fashion Retail Academy without having to relocate!
Undergraduate Fashion Courses
BA (Hons) Marketing & Communications for Fashion
BA (Hons) Marketing & Communications for Fashion will teach you the skills you need to design effective marketing campaigns. We’ll teach you to combine your creative and analytical expertise to identify new opportunities for brands to communicate with their audiences.
BA (Hons) Fashion Business
BA (Hons) Fashion Business will teach you the different ways of doing business within the fashion industry. You’ll learn about the financial, commercial and ethical factors that impact brands, combined with all skills you need to start and manage a successful business.
BA (Hons) Buying & Merchandising
Studying BA (Hons) Buying & Merchandising, you’ll discover how to plan and trade a fashion season from concept to customer. Discover how trends, customer profiling and consumer behaviour can help inform your business decisions.
Fashion Diploma Courses
Level 2 Fashion Retail
Level 2 Fashion Retail introduces you to the full range of careers available within the fashion industry. It's a fantastic starting point into further education or an apprenticeship.
Level 3 Fashion Design
Level 3 Fashion Design teaches you the fundamentals of clothing creation. This challenging and inspiring course prepares you for an exciting career in textile, pattern or fashion design, or creative direction.
Level 3 Fashion Retail
Studying Level 3 Fashion Retail, you'll discover the teams that make up a brand head office within the fashion industry. It's the perfect course if you aren't sure which area of fashion you'd like to work in.
Level 3 Visual Communication & Styling
On Level 3 Visual Communications & Styling, you’ll learn how to engage with audiences and tell ‘style stories’ to transform fashion products from just objects into modern, must-have trends. You’ll develop your skills in creative practice, across disciplines including journalism, photography, film, art direction and styling.
Level 4 Data Analytics for Retail
Level 4 Data Analytics for Retail teaches you to collate, analyse and report data for the fashion industry. Start a career at the forefront of a brand, supporting vital business decisions and solving critical issues. As a new and expanding area of industry, job roles are rapidly evolving and there are many opportunities for career progression.
Level 4 Digital Marketing for Fashion
Studying Level 4 Digital Marketing, you’ll develop an in-depth understanding of how marketing strategies are created and implemented by fashion brands. You'll learn about all the different areas of digital marketing, and how to effectively target customers.
Level 4 Fashion Buying
Our Level 4 Fashion Buying diploma will teach you the essential skills you need to start work as an entry-level Buyers Admin Assistant. You'll learn how to source garments from across the world, and how to design range plans that maximise sales.
Level 4 Fashion Retail (with Marketing)
Studying Level 4 Fashion Business (with Marketing), you’ll explore the fashion retail industry as a whole, learning about the entire product lifecycle from head office to store. This course is perfect if you aren’t sure which fashion career path you’d like to take.
Level 4 Garment Technology
Study the UK's only Level 4 Garment Technology diploma, and master the skills you need for a successful career as a garment technologist. Learn to improve and refine garment designs, making sure products fit perfectly and that details are consistent across a range of sizes and colours.
Level 4 Visual Merchandising
Level 4 Visual Merchandising will teach you a wide range of digital and design skills for visual display and branding. Learn to create dynamic physical and digital assets for brands retailers, from window displays to social media content, using trend forecasting skills to support your ideas.
Level 4 Fast Track Buying & Merchandising
Fast Track Buying & Merchandising is a condensed, 22-week course that will prepare you for entry-level roles as either a Merchandising or Buying Admin Assistant. This is the perfect choice for those looking to upskill or retrain whilst continuing to work part-time.
Online Fashion Courses
Now you can also study at the Fashion Retail Academy from the convenience of your own home with our brand-new online courses.
Buying & Merchandising [Online]
Studying Buying & Merchandising [Online], you'll learn the essential skills you need for a career as a fashion buyer or merchandiser. Discover how to plan and trade a fashion season from concept to customer; and how trends and consumer behaviour inform your business decisions.
Fashion Business & Retail [Online]
Studying Fashion Business & Retail [Online], you’ll learn about the structure of businesses within the fashion industry. You’ll discover all the roles and careers available and how they work together to achieve business goals. Learn the key skills fashion brands are looking for, including consumer behaviour and data analysis.
UX/UI Design [Online]
Developed in collaboration with ASOS, UX/UI Design [Online] will teach you how to enhance the customer journey, making it easy and intuitive. You'll learn how customers engage with brands, and how more useable products can improve a brand’s image and encourage customer loyalty.
Data Analytics for Retail [Online]
Endorsed by M&S, Data Analytics for Retail [Online] teaches you the key skills you need for a career in this rapidly growing area of the industry. Work at the centre of a fashion brand, identifying problems, recommending solutions and spotting trends to inform key strategic decisions to drive the future direction and growth of a business.