Paris College of Art launches MA in critical fashion practices amid industry reckoning

Paris College of Art (PCA) has announced the launch of a new Master of Arts in Critical Fashion Practices, set to begin in September 2026. Applications for the English-language program are now open.

The graduate degree arrives at a time of heightened scrutiny for the global fashion industry, which has faced ongoing criticism over environmental impact, labor practices, and economic instability. Industry reports estimate that approximately 92 million tons of textile waste are generated worldwide each year, while brands continue to contend with sustainability pressures, supply chain disruptions, and shifting consumer expectations.

According to PCA, the new program is designed to address these systemic challenges by rethinking the role of fashion education. Rather than focusing primarily on traditional design output or market-driven production cycles, the curriculum emphasizes critical theory, research methodologies, speculative design, and experimental material practices.

The program is structured around the concept of “de-sign,” described by the college as a process of dismantling dominant systems in order to reimagine alternative futures for fashion. Students will be encouraged to examine fashion as a cultural, political, and economic system, exploring its connections to capitalism, colonial histories, climate change, identity, and power structures.

Lucas Maethger, Chair of the MA in Critical Fashion Practices and the BFA in Fashion Design at PCA, said the program responds to growing calls within academia and the industry for more reflective and accountable approaches to design education.

Slower design and fewer products

“The fashion system is no longer in need of faster designers or more products, it is in need of critical disruption,” Maethger said in a statement released by the college. He added that education must play a leading role in reshaping the industry in light of systemic waste, labor exploitation, and creative burnout.

The research-led, studio-based program integrates theoretical inquiry with material experimentation. PCA states that graduates may pursue careers not only in design, but also in research, curation, writing, strategy, sustainability leadership, and education, both within and beyond the traditional fashion sector.

Founded in 1986, Paris College of Art is an independent higher education institution offering undergraduate and graduate programs in art, design, and related disciplines. Instruction is conducted in English, and the college serves an international student body.

PCA said the new MA is intended for designers, artists, and researchers seeking to challenge prevailing fashion systems and explore alternative models of production and cultural engagement. The program will be based at the college’s campus in Paris, positioning students within one of the world’s major fashion capitals.

Additional information about the program is available on the college’s website.