École des Arts Décoratifs – PSL

Founded in 1766 by the painter Jean-Jacques Bachelier as the École royale gratuite de dessin, opened in 1767 by letters patent of Louis XV, the school was meant to raise the quality of craft and industrial production through drawing. It became the École nationale des arts décoratifs in 1877 and took its present name in 1925; it is a public establishment under the Ministry of Culture, awarding the grade of master since 2010, and a partner of PSL University.

Ten creation domains structure teaching: Design Architecture Milieux and Interior Architecture, Art-Espace, Cinéma d’Animation, Design Graphique, Design Objet, Design Textile et Matière, Design Vêtement, Image Imprimée, Photo/Vidéo and Scénographie, with a Master Mode & Matière and the post-masters Design des Territoires and AIMS. A doctorate in art SACRe has run since 2012 with the ENS, the CNSMDP, the CNSAD and the Beaux-Arts.

The school has held its rue d’Ulm site since 1928, modernised by Luc Arsène-Henry, Philippe Starck and Pascal Cribier in 2004, and now calls itself multi-située: Design des Territoires works in Nontron and an annex opened at Issy-les-Moulineaux in 2024. Research is carried out at EnsadLab and in chairs including VULCA, on design and care, and Écodesign et Création.

Former students include Auguste Rodin, Henri Matisse, Ronan Bouroullec, Annette Messager and Jean-Paul Goude.