A college of the University of the Arts London

Central St.Martins:
–1,200 fashion students
–A college of the University of the Arts London
–Tuition (not including room and board): $18,375 for international students
–Famous grads: Stella McCartney, John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Phoebe Philo, Christopher Kane, Hussein Chalayan, Zac Posen, Hamish Bowles, Paul Smith.

Central St. Martins’ elite fashion design program was the clear winner here amongst our panel of experts. As we’ve seen in all the schools, location is critical. Being in the heart of London provides inspiration and full access to cultural and industry resources. The school is partially government-funded, which means that talented British students from all walks of life have a chance to work their way in.

What’s more, the teaching staff is legendary. Professor Louise Wilson has schooled all the greats–from McQueen to Giles Deacon–and she’s become an international fashion figure because of it.

Further evidence of its importance, and influence: It’s the only fashion school that has its runway shows archived on Style.com.

There were some student complaints about the facility and the number of students competing for the attention of instructors and studio mentors, but most were extremely complimentary of the dedication, knowledge, and experience of the faculty.