By: Kiley Flynn
This month, a group of Miami students studying abroad with the “Italy and the Renaissance” program had the opportunity to tour Polimoda, one of the top fashion and design schools in Italy, with much international recognition.
Polimoda is one of the top fashion and design schools in Italy, with much international recognition. Here, undergraduate students can be trained in anything from footwear and accessories design, to fashion marketing management. Students can also go on to Polimoda to earn a Masters in Fashion Styling, Fashion Trend Forecasting, Digital Communication for Fashion 2.0, Fashion Brand Management, Fashion Merchandising and Buying, Luxury Management, or Visual Merchandising trends. Each student pursuing a masters from Polimoda takes nine months of classes, with three months of an internship—usually at one of the major Italian design houses, such as Prada, Gucci, or Ferragamo.
Linda Lopea, director of operations at Polimoda, gave the Miami students an idea of how Italians approach fashion. In Europe, fashion is very much an expression of self. An outfit or a garment should evoke some sort of emotion—and once you do feel an emotion, think about why you feel that way. When you can tap into how it makes you feel, fashion becomes an inspiration.
According to Lopea, blogs are vital to fashion in the 21st century. Blogs have not only made the audience for fashion larger, but have made fashion accessible to these masses. Bloggers and journalists are ultimately the bridge that connects the fashion world to the public.
For more information, check out www.polimoda.com and www.polimodamag.com
