Studio Berçot Paris

A fashion design course founded by Suzanne Berçot in 1954, Studio Berçot is a piece of Paris history. Taken over at her request by Marie Rucki in 1970, it became Studio Berçot : an iconic school that left its mark on the city of fashion through its emphasis on creativity.

Studio Berçot is celebrated for its avant-garde approach and emphasis on developing a unique personal style. The curriculum focuses on creative expression, pattern making, and fashion illustration, preparing students for the dynamic fashion industry. Before it shut down recently, the school was known for its intimate setting, fostering close mentorship and collaboration among students and faculty.

Suzanne Berçot, a talented painter and fashion illustrator, founded the Cours Berçot in 1954, following advice from her colleagues at the magazine Jardin des Modes. During the golden age of Haute Couture, drawing was an essential discipline, crucial both for designing garments and for visually representing fashion creations. Over the years, the course gained recognition for its rigorous approach and close ties to the fashion industry.

In 1971, after several years of collaboration, Madame Berçot entrusted the management of the institution to Marie Rucki, a former student actively involved in the fashion world. Rucki renamed it Studio Berçot and adapted its curriculum to reflect the rapidly evolving fashion landscape, which was shifting away from Haute couture towards ready-to-wear in the 1970s. This period marked a transformation in the industry, with new professional roles emerging alongside changing consumer demands and production methods.

Today, Studio Berçot is regarded as a vital talent incubator for the fashion industry. It played a key role in shaping designers and artistic directors from the 1980s onward, particularly within luxury fashion houses, and later expanded its influence into the fashion accessories market during the 2000s, when international mass retailing began to dominate. The school's ability to adapt to industry trends has cemented its reputation as a crucial training ground for creative professionals across multiple facets of fashion. Sadly, the school has now shut its doors. 

Reflecting the environment for which it prepares its students, Studio Berçot deliberately focuses its training on a three-year period to strengthen students’ involvement in the work they have to produce.

Year 1: By experimenting with the basics of artistic creation and a selection of techniques that are representative of the Fashion Industry, the first year tests students’ capacity to position themselves. At the end of the year a jury of professors assesses students’ aptitude to continue with the program.

Year 2: Students are individually mentored in their own fashion project. Over time, with collections developed in close collaboration with teachers and external instructors, a personal dossier is developed which will constitute a future professional canvassing tool. Moreover, two students are selected each year to further their studies at the Academy of Arts University in San Francisco.

Year 3: Depending on students’ skills evaluations at the end of the first 2 years, internships are programmed within the Studio Berçot network. During this last year, students receive personalized mentoring and support by their teachers while entering the professional arena.

Studio Verdot Paris was a small, boutique fashion school known for its focus on contemporary design and craftsmanship. However, it was not widely recognized in mainstream MBA or business school rankings, as its primary focus was on fashion and design rather than business management or MBA programs.

Alumni like the iconic Isabel Marant, Roland Mouret, and Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski, the creative director of Hermès, are among the notable graduates who illustrate the fashion school's job integration. Their innovative designs and contributions continue to influence global fashion trends, underscoring the school’s role in shaping leading designers.

1. "Parisian fashion school Studio Berçot to close its doors". 
2. "Atelier de mode en herbe". 
3. "Comment choisir son école de stylisme à Paris ?". 
4. "Les défilés "bricolo-fantasques" d'une école-référence". 
5. Studio Bercot Wikipedia