Esmod Paris: Let’s hear from the teachers

Now that the prestigious Parsons School in New York has just opened its doors in Paris, there are more fashion schools than ever in the capital. It’s time to hear from the teachers, who are mainly designers and professionals working in the fashion

industry. Here are five original portraits for five establishments.

To start the ball rolling, we chose Esmod Paris which has consolidated its position as one of the leading groups of big fashion schools. Esmod has been in existence for more than 170 years and has 23 schools spread over 15 countries worldwide. Combining Creation and Business, Esmod Paris has been one of the leading schools to become interested in Sustainability. FashionUnited met Christian Tournafol who is an authority on sustainability and lecturer as well. After earning his stripes with his eponymous trademark (1996-2003), in 2005 he created Les Racines du Ciel, which combines know-how with environmental concerns.

FashionUnited: How did you become involved in teaching and what is your role at Esmod Paris?
Christian Tournafol : Esmod contacted me six years ago for their design course. With my skills and interest in sustainable development, I was handed the task to teach students about that. For the last three years, I have been teaching all first year classes about sustainability as well as teaching an optional course for third year students. I also give lectures, for example, I lectured at Esmod Jakarta before the summer. I also wear two hats, as I teach courses in fabrics and knitwear. In total, I spend 50 to 60 hours a month at the school.

Is it a new trend to talk about sustainablility in fashion schools?
Whilst fashion instills dreams in students, they do not always see the negative side to it and the environmental problems it causes. Sometimes even I don’t have a valid argument. At the moment, there is very little talk about sustainable fashion in institutions. Christine Walter-Bonini, Managing Director of Esmod International, was quick to see the issues and wanted to become involved in its development and in developing the school’s approach to it. We couldn’t wait for others to become involved, so we had to be the first.

What is the student intake? What is your latest thinking?
Students are unaware of the problems caused by fast fashion. They are often disappointed and don’t think about its impact. Many of them are affected and become aware of the problems. Others go their own way. Out of all the optional courses, mine has an intake of about a dozen students; others have about 60! It’s not much and there is a long way to go. We have to get going. My role is to tell them about raw materials, textile finishing, transport and having an overall vision. I tell them that organic is not the key, especially when the materials come from a long way away. I show them examples.

Do you think fashion

school apprenticeship courses still have some way to go?
Certainly, and I’d like to go further. Sustainability will become the standard in the future. In the short term, my courses will develop. The idea is to have discussions with those involved, to take students to visit trade names that have a code of ethics and to involve them through participation in workshops, for example, to discover vegetable dyes. In other words, to hand them the keys to create their own sustainable future. Those who are seriously involved have already gone a long way because they have developed. I offer to let them work with some of my suppliers from Germany and the Benelux countries. In the end, it is clear that the fashion schools have still got an enormous amount of work to do to make people aware of this area, but I think it must also be addressed much earlier in the primary and secondary schools.

Is it important to have contacts with the fashion industry when teaching?
Yes. It shows us the reality of the situation. Students have to see that fashion is not just a dream. It’s not all about style, it’s about being involved in a process of a collection as a whole within a budget. This enables experience to be passed on, and the constraints of the trade to be seen. Being a teacher is a real process of exchange.

What are your thoughts on today’s fashion schools?
I am a graduate of the Lycée de la Mode [Fashion College] de Cholet (49) where I obtained a BTS Stylisme de Mode [technical degree in fashion design] in 1990. I think there are too many fashion schools in Paris. Students are often bewildered at the range of choice. There are some good schools and some not quite so good. There is no homogeneity. However, each one has its own character, its specialisms and know-how. As a result, it’s easy to see those who stand out. I think that is important in order to be a good school. Such variety and vitality also makes Paris very attractive to future fashion students!

Céline Vautard

Photos: Portrait of Christian Tournafol, Room model within Esmod Paris, Workshop vegetable dyes.