FASHION
BUSINESS
ACCELERATOR
Make our Philadelphia studio your new HQ with this breakthrough hybrid program built to serve the needs of today’s fashion CEOs.
Join our community of creatives and refine your business goals through curated online modules, NYC sourcing trips, and live panel discussions with industry experts.
Led by Made Institute’s founder, Rachel Ford, participants receive monthly one-on-one mentoring and access to everything Made has to offer.
PROGRAM
OVERVIEW
MONTHS 1-4
In the first few months, we’ll learn how the fashion industry operates and how your business fits into the market. We’ll cover all the terms and concepts to help you navigate the fashion world, sharpen your skills, identify your target customer, and clarify your brand.
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Industry 101
Market Research
Branding
Design Principles for Production
MONTHS 5-8
Midway through, we’ll expand your knowledge of materials, foster connections with manufacturing, help you understand your numbers to maximize profitability, and assist your business in reaching a wider audience.
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Production Resources
Finance, Business Set-Up, Trademarking
Marketing Strategies
Sales Strategies
MONTHS 9-12
The last few months are all about the finishing touches. We’ll discuss photoshoots, events, and buyer meetings to get your work out there, organize calendars, and craft the perfect work-life balance to launch and sustain your business.
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Photoshoots, Events, and Buyers
Calendars
Work-Life Balance
Launch
EXCLUSIVE OFFERINGS
Your investment opens the door to so much more.
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24/7 Online Modules
Monthly virtual group sessions
Monthly virtual 1-on-1 coaching
Exclusive in-person talks and networking events
In-person studio hours for client meetings, fittings, sewing, and cutting space
Production, branding, and graphics contacts
Join our Stylist Closet for editorial pulls
Free weekend sewing classes
Lifetime access to online resources
PROGRAM
OUTCOMES
Fashion Industry Acumen
Gain a clear understanding of the fashion industry and its many components, such as understanding terminology, calendars, production flows, and the various careers specific to the business of fashion.
Market Analysis
Learn how to research within the market to better understand target customers, competitors, and respective categories.
Branding, Marketing, and Sales
Connect with graphic designers for website and logo production to help launch each brand. Through brand development and visual storytelling, create a comprehensive marketing strategy across all major channels, such as social media, press, and events.
Design Principles for Ethical Production
Demystify the production and costing process and design for target customers while ensuring ethical profit. We will cover tech packs, sourcing, and people-first production methods.
Business License, Trademark, and Business Plan
Learn how to register a business through city and state platforms, register trademarks, develop profit and loss worksheets, and create a business plan to pitch to investors and lenders.
Fashion Calendars for work-life balance
Learn organizational strategies that will assist with production planning, budgets, sales projections, and marketing campaigns. Through planning, fashion entrepreneurs can better maintain a sustainable work-life balance.
Industry Networking Skills
Through in-person guest speaker events and office hours at our Rittenhouse studio, students will learn how to build community and network with industry professionals.
FALL 2026
Business Accelerator Cost: $12,000 (3 payments of $4,000)
Application Deadline: May 29th, 2026
First Payment Deadline: August 1st, 2026
Program Begins: September 7, 2026
Accepted students who miss this start date will be placed on a waiting list for the next session.
WANT TO TALK IT OVER?
*All accelerator programs are not under the purview of the Board of Private Licensed Schools.
FAQS
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Fashion Business Accelerator is perfect for fashion entrepreneurs aiming to elevate their brand or creatives ready to leap into the next phase of their fashion business. You'll gain exclusive access to videos, templates, and resources that will guide you from zero to launch at your own speed.
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Made Institute stands out and operates differently from other fashion schools. Our Fashion Business Accelerator is a hybrid program with clear monthly goals and checklists, personalized mentorship, access to sustainable production resources, stylists, models, and photographers, along with 24/7 access to exclusive content.
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We recommend that participants have a tablet, laptop, or desktop computer, a smartphone, access to Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop. We offer a Fashion Startup Kit with everything you need to get started. Besides that, just bring your creative energy and ideas to the table!
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Absolutely! Although the Fashion Business Accelerator is comprehensive, we keep it manageable by offering a hybrid schedule.
How you organize your schedule is completely up to you! From the day you enroll, you have full access to every module, so you can choose where to start and what to focus on. You also receive one year of coaching and monthly live office hours with Made’s CEO to strategize about your business and get real-time feedback. We do not hold live sessions on U.S. holidays. A calendar link will be provided upon enrollment so you can review and sign up for available dates and times.
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Once you purchase the program, you’ll have one year or 365 days to use it. If you're buying this as a gift for a friend or family member, check out our gift certificate options in the online shop.
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This program has no grading or homework, but we recommend working on the provided templates and prompts to build your brand and get the right feedback to help structure your business for success.
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You can either pay for the course in full or sign up for a payment plan at the time of enrollment. Digital invoices will be issued once accepted into the Accelerator Program.
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Once you enroll, you will have 24 hours to decide if Made’s Fashion Business Accelerator is right for you. We do not issue refunds after that point, and we do not offer the option of partial enrollment.
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The Fashion Business Accelerator is a fully hybrid program–your online learning modules and monthly mentoring with Made’s CEO will be virtual, and in-person events and exclusive access to Made’s atelier and resources will be at our Center City location in Philadelphia.
All fashion, art, and design courses and programs are held at Made Rittenhouse, 1719 Chestnut Street, 2nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103.
Interested in youth offerings or workshops? These are available at our Made West location, 4719 Pine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19143.
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