Polimoda opens the new Manifattura Campus

With the start of the Academic Year 2024/2025, Polimoda inaugurates the new Manifattura Campus at the Manifattura Tabacchi in Florence. This marks a significant milestone in the development of the fashion education project that the Florentine institute has been leading since 1986. Thus, a true creative ecosystem is born, designed to place fashion at the center of a synchronous dialogue with other disciplines, fostering an interaction that reflects the contemporary evolution of the fashion system. The project was presented by Polimoda’s president, Ferruccio Ferragamo, and Polimoda’s director, Massimiliano Giornetti, in the presence of Florence’s mayor, Sara Funaro, and with a special greeting from the Minister of University and Research, Anna Maria Bernini, and Senator Alessandra Gallone, who joined remotely from Rome. Testifying to the collaboration between the school and the industry were James Ferragamo, Chief Transformation & Sustainability Officer and member of the Board of Directors of the Ferragamo Group, Francesca Ragazzi, Head of Editorial Content at Vogue Italia, and Matteo Ward, CEO and co-founder of WRÅD.

In the new campus, students can explore every aspect of fashion: design, accessories design, pattern making, prototyping, fashion styling, art direction, fashion photography, communication, and much more. This integrated vision not only provides comprehensive student training but also encourages active collaboration between various disciplines and study programs, simulating the real-world dynamics of the labor market. Villa Favard remains a vibrant cultural hub for Florence, where fashion meets other disciplines. It regularly hosts events and meetings with international figures, enriching not only the students' path but also the city's cultural landscape. With the opening of the new campus, many innovations are on the way. “For the Academic Year 2024/2025, Polimoda will introduce many exciting initiatives. We welcome Walter Van Beirendonck as a mentor for the Master in Fashion Design and Peter Pilotto, who will teach in our renowned Undergraduate in Fashion Design. We are also developing new educational paths, including courses in Costume Design, Fashion Filming and Photography, Men’s Tailoring Techniques, Fashion Law, and Fashion Archive. These programs reflect our commitment to innovation and dedication to training future leaders in the fashion industry,” says Giornetti.

On the occasion of the opening, Giornetti announced the acquisition of the first pieces from the AN/ARCHIVE archive: two works by Rick Owens, selected in collaboration with the brand’s team to represent the aesthetic evolution of the brand in a dialogue between past and future. Looking to the future, a key element of the AN/ARCHIVE project will be the Polimoda Library, currently housed at the Villa Campus. Considered one of the most extensive fashion libraries in Europe, it boasts over 29,000 volumes ranging from monographs to photography books, specialized magazines, videos, and lookbooks. An invaluable resource not only for students but also for researchers and industry professionals. “The Polimoda library has the potential to evolve from an internal resource to an international fashion research center, paving the way for significant academic collaborations, as demonstrated by the recent Uzbek-Italian Educational Forum, where Polimoda represented Italy in the field of fashion education,” explains Giornetti. A preview that highlights Polimoda's ambition to establish itself as a leader in fashion education and its commitment to fostering international relationships that enrich the academic community.