Polimoda + MADE

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Ph. POLIMODA / Serena Gallorini

MADE has partnered with Polimoda, one of the world's leading fashion schools, to offer a one-of-a-kind semester study abroad program in Fashion Design, Business, and Communication. 

ABOUT POLIMODA:

Polimoda is an award-winning institution, located at the heart of one the most important areas of fashion production in the world. Polimoda courses are led by industry experts and experienced fashion professionals with extensive connections in the fashion landscape. Polimoda shapes the next generation of fashion leaders, empowering students to build career skills and strengthen their networks all while receiving an immersive interdisciplinary education. 

Program Overview

Fashion Business, Design & Communication is a multidisciplinary semester abroad program designed for students who want to gain a comprehensive understanding of today’s fashion industry, from product creation and innovation to consumer behaviour, branding, retail and communication.

Based in Florence, one of the world’s leading fashion capitals and an international hub for creativity, craftsmanship and fashion business, the program combines academic learning, practical projects and direct exposure to the industry.

Students explore fashion from different yet interconnected perspectives, developing an understanding of how products are conceived and developed, how brands build their identities and commercial strategies, how consumers interact with fashion, and how creative ideas are communicated across physical and digital channels.

The program brings together business, design, technology and communication, encouraging students to understand fashion not as a series of separate disciplines, but as an interconnected global system.

Through lectures, workshops, collaborative projects, research, company visits and experiential learning, students are encouraged to develop both specialist knowledge and the ability to connect creative thinking with commercial awareness.

By the end of the semester, students will be able to:

• Understand the structure and dynamics of the contemporary global fashion industry.
• Analyse consumer behaviour and identify the cultural, social and economic factors influencing fashion consumption.
• Understand retail merchandising, buying processes and commercial decision-making.
• Develop branding strategies and analyse how fashion brands create and maintain distinctive identities.
• Understand the principles of responsible supply chains and their role within the contemporary fashion industry.
• Explore product development from concept to execution.
• Apply digital illustration and 3D tools to fashion-related creative processes.
• Investigate textiles, surfaces, embellishment and material experimentation.
• Understand how technology and innovation are transforming fashion products, processes and business models.
• Develop communication concepts and translate brand identity into relevant narratives and content.
• Analyse contemporary fashion through its historical, cultural and social context.
• Connect academic learning with personal career interests and professional opportunities within the fashion industry.

Structure

The semester is organised around four interconnected areas: Fashion Business & Commercial Strategy, Fashion Design & Innovation, Fashion Media & Communication, and Career Development. 

Students choose 5 courses (15 US credits) from any of these areas: go deep in one field, or combine all four the way the creative industry does. That flexibility lets students from many majors find courses that count toward their degree, and their career. All students are required to take the 1 credit "Career Connections” course.

Fashion Business & Commercial Strategy

Retail Merchandising and Buying

Students explore the commercial processes behind fashion retail, from merchandising and assortment planning to buying decisions and product selection. The course develops an understanding of how brands and retailers translate market insights, consumer demand and brand positioning into effective commercial strategies.

Responsible Supply Chain

The course introduces students to the complexity of contemporary fashion supply chains, exploring sourcing, production, distribution and the increasing importance of environmental and social responsibility. Students investigate how responsible practices can be integrated into fashion business models and decision-making processes.

Consumer Behavior

Students analyse the psychological, cultural and social factors that influence consumers and their purchasing decisions. Particular attention is given to changing lifestyles, generational behaviours, emerging consumer expectations and their impact on fashion brands and markets.

Fashion Business and Branding

The course examines the principles of fashion business and brand management, exploring positioning, identity, competitive strategy and the relationship between creativity and commercial success. Students learn how successful fashion brands create value, differentiation and meaningful relationships with their audiences.

Fashion Design & Innovation

Digital Illustration and 3D Modeling

Students are introduced to digital tools and techniques for visualising fashion ideas and products. The course explores digital illustration and 3D modelling as increasingly important instruments within contemporary creative development, presentation and fashion design processes.

Product Development II

This course explores the development of a fashion product from initial concept to execution. Students examine the relationship between design, materials, technical requirements, production processes and market positioning, gaining a broader understanding of how creative ideas become viable fashion products.

Textures & Embellishment

Students investigate textiles through experimentation with surfaces, textures, decorative techniques and material manipulation. The course encourages a hands-on approach to materials and explores how embellishment can contribute to product identity, creativity and innovation.

Fashion Tech & Innovation

The course examines the impact of technology and innovation on the fashion industry, from product development and new materials to digital tools, production processes and emerging business models. Students are encouraged to consider how technological change can generate new creative and commercial opportunities.

Fashion Media & Communication

Fashion Communication

Students explore how fashion brands build and communicate their identities through different media and touchpoints. The course examines storytelling, visual communication, digital channels, campaigns and contemporary communication strategies, providing students with the tools to develop relevant and coherent brand narratives.

Contemporary Fashion: History & Culture

The course explores fashion through historical, cultural, aesthetic and social perspectives, giving students the context needed to understand the contemporary industry. By analysing key movements, designers and transformations in fashion, students develop a critical understanding of how the past continues to influence contemporary style, culture and business.

Italian Language and Culture

Italian Language 1 for Beginners

This beginner-level Italian course focuses on developing basic conversational, reading, listening, and writing skills. Students will acquire essential vocabulary and grammar for everyday situations like cafes, stations, and restaurants, and will be exposed first hand to the language and culture fashion industry. The course covers simple sentence structures, present tense, prepositions, past tense, and common expressions for social and professional interactions.

Career Connections

Fashion Career Connector

All Polimoda semester students will complete a 1 US semester credit (15 contact hours) Fashion Career Connector course. This dedicated co-curricular, credit-bearing course connects classroom learning with the professional fashion industry. Supported by a Polimoda lecturer, students reflect on their academic experience, identify areas of professional interest and explore the wide range of careers and industries connected to their studies. The course encourages students to understand how the knowledge and skills acquired during the semester can be transferred into their future academic and professional paths, while offering opportunities to engage with the realities and expectations of the fashion industry.

Sicily Workshop

As a part of the semester program, students will experience a weeklong hands-on workshop in Syracuse, Sicily, at MADE - a dynamic institution known for its focus on design for change as well as its emphasis on preserving the artistic traditions and creative cultures of the Mediterranean. Students will learn about artisanal craftsmanship, its value in contemporary fashion, and its role in sustainable and ethical design. The workshop explores traditional Sicilian textile techniques, from the harvesting of raw materials to yarn production and the development of finished fabrics. This workshop allows participants to learn directly from expert artisans as they reinterpret traditional craftsmanship through a modern design perspective. 

Learning Experience

Studying fashion in Florence provides students with an opportunity to experience the industry beyond the classroom.

Polimoda’s approach combines lectures, workshops, collaborative projects, independent research and experiential learning, supported by faculty members with strong connections to the international fashion industry.

The city itself becomes part of the educational experience. Company visits, exhibitions, museums, retail environments and encounters with the Tuscan fashion ecosystem allow students to observe the relationship between creativity, craftsmanship, innovation and business first-hand.

The multidisciplinary nature of the semester encourages students to connect different areas of the fashion value chain, developing a broader understanding of how creative ideas become products, brands and experiences.

Expectations

• Participate actively in lectures, workshops, discussions and collaborative projects.
• Conduct independent research and present findings in class.
• Engage with fashion, cultural and business publications and contemporary industry developments.
• Use Polimoda’s Library and its extensive collection of books, magazines, archives and research resources.
• Participate in company visits, field trips and experiential learning activities.
• Develop both individual and group projects.
• Present and communicate ideas using appropriate visual, written and verbal tools.
• Demonstrate curiosity, initiative, collaboration and critical thinking throughout the program.
• Complete the mandatory Health & Safety course, receiving an official certificate of attendance upon completion.

Requirements

• Minimum age of 18.
• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• Currently enrolled full-time or part-time at a college or university.
• Recommended for second and third-year university students (sophomore and junior).
• Particularly suitable for students studying Fashion Business, Fashion Design, Marketing, Communication, Media, Retail, Business, Art, Design or related disciplines.
• Sufficient English language proficiency to participate in lectures, discussions, presentations and project work.
• Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite or digital design tools is recommended but not mandatory.

Program details

• Location: Florence, Italy
• Host institution: Polimoda
• Terms: Fall / Spring semester
• Dates: Spring 2027: February 4 - May 1, 2027 
              Fall 2027: September 18 - December 12, 2027 
• Credits: 16 US semester credits
• Language of instruction: English
• Housing: Students are provided safe, clean, and comfortable shared apartments, within the Florence metropolitan area.  The Polimoda campus is accessible from all apartments by foot or a quick commute via public transportation. All apartments are equipped with WiFi and supplied with a washing machine, basic kitchen supplies, bed linens and towels. Apartments in Florence typically have shared occupancy bedrooms (double or triple) with an average of 2-8 students per unit.
• Eligibility: 2.5 GPA, Recommended for second and third-year university students (sophomore and junior) 
• Program fee: 17,700 euro 
• Application deadline: Spring 2027 Deadline: October 15, 2026 
                                        Fall 2027 Deadline: May 15, 2027 
• Student Services: enrollment and pre-departure advising, virtual pre-departure orientation, on-site orientation, support from and on-site staff throughout the semester, including international insurance, mental health support resources, and a 24/7 emergency line