Polimoda

Polimoda is a prestigious private fashion school located in Florence, Italy. Founded in 1986 through a collaboration between the cities of Florence and Prato and the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York, it was strongly supported by figures such as Shirley Goodman and Emilio Pucci. Today, it is led by President Ferruccio Ferragamo and Director Massimiliano Giornetti, with Linda Loppa as Advisor of Strategy and Vision.

The school operates mainly across two campuses. The historic Villa Favard, located in central Florence, houses administration offices, classrooms, amphitheatre, library, and student services. The modern Manifattura Campus, recently opened in 2024 within the former Manifattura Tabacchi industrial complex, is dedicated to design and production with more than 10,000 square meters of specialized laboratories for textile and knitwear, accessories, footwear, photography, pattern making, and digital design. Together with its library, archive and research spaces, these facilities offer students a direct experience of industry standards.

Polimoda offers a wide range of educational programmes. At the undergraduate level, students can choose 2–4 year courses in areas such as Fashion Design, Fashion Business, Art Direction, Marketing, Accessories Design and Product Management. Its postgraduate programmes are highly specialised and usually last around 9 months, covering fields such as Creative Direction, Collection Design, and Brand Management. In addition, the school provides short, seasonal, intensive, and online courses, ideal for professionals or companies seeking targeted training. Sustainability, inclusivity, and innovation are increasingly integrated into its curriculum, with Polimoda being part of the UN Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network.

Internationally recognised as one of the top fashion schools in the world, Polimoda is regularly featured in rankings by The Business of Fashion, Fashionista, and TopUniversities. It hosts around 2,000–2,300 students from more than 70 countries and holds ISO 9001:2015 certification for its quality management system. The school’s strengths include its location in Florence, a hub of Italian craftsmanship and design, its balance of creative, business, and technical training, its strong ties to the fashion industry, and its forward-looking approach to sustainability and fashion research.

However, there are also important considerations. As a private institution, its degrees may not carry the same recognition everywhere as those from public universities, so students should verify how qualifications are accepted in their home countries. Tuition and living costs in Florence can also be high, and the study programmes are known for their intensity and demanding workload.

Overall, Polimoda combines Italy’s rich heritage of craftsmanship with modern, industry-focused training, making it a global leader in fashion education and a strong choice for students aspiring to careers in design, business, and innovation in the fashion industry.