Antonio Banderas, the successful Spanish actor, director, and producer, has announced his plans to enrol in the BA (Hons) Fashion course at Central Saint Martins.

Following in the footsteps of other celebrities-cum-designers (including Brad Pitt, Kanye West, the Olsen twins, Jessica Simpson, and, of course, Victoria Beckham), it seems Banderas, now 54, aims to conquer the fashion world as well as Hollywood. But will he make it?

By opting to become a student, Banderas is bucking the trend. His status alone would almost certainly be enough to kick-start a career as a designer. For this reason, the decision to study fashion formally is a good indication of the seriousness of his intentions and demonstrates a real interest in and respect for the fashion industry.

And when an A-list celebrity announces their intention to study at your institution, you can be sure that you’re doing something right.

Central Saint Martins, whose alumni include Stella McCartney, Zac Posen, and Alexander McQueen, to name but a few, is regularly listed as one of the best places to study fashion in the world. Indeed, in 1998 the school received a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for the massive contributions it has made to the British fashion industry.

Banderas’ decision to study in the UK, then, is testament to the strength of the British fashion industry. London Fashion Week, for example, has, over the last few years, used an increase in global attention to develop into a substantial fashion event, and several young British designers (including JW Anderson and Christopher Kane) have received serious investment from foreign conglomerates such as LVMH and Kering.

So he’s certainly in the right place. The only question for Banderas is whether he’s got the drive to make it to the top.

To date celebrities’ attempts to venture into the world of fashion have been at best mixed, and worst, pretty poor. But, success stories like those belonging to Victoria Beckham, the Olsen twins, and Jessica Simpson are what people remember. And what, according to Teri Agins, these people have in common is a good work ethic and single-mindedness.

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