Leadership

Guiding fashion education through vision, industry, and culture

Leadership

Guiding fashion education through vision, industry, and culture

Polimoda is guided by a leadership team that brings together strategic vision, creative direction, and a deep-rooted connection with the fashion industry. The institute’s governance reflects a clear commitment to aligning education with the real dynamics of luxury, production, and international markets.

Supported by the Members’ Assembly and the Board of Directors, Polimoda operates in close dialogue with institutions, companies, and cultural actors, ensuring a forward-looking approach to fashion education grounded in excellence, responsibility, and innovation.

Management

Niccolò Ricci

President

Niccolò RicciPresident of Polimoda, Niccolò Ricci is CEO of Stefano Ricci S.p.A. and a leading figure in the international luxury and fashion system.

Born in Florence in 1977, he holds a degree in Business Administration and developed early professional experience in the United States, working within the executive office of a major luxury department store. In 2003, he joined Stefano Ricci S.p.A., where he played a key role in defining the company’s strategic development, focusing on new markets and retail operations. Since 2007, he has served as Chief Executive Officer, guiding the brand’s global growth and positioning.

Alongside his executive role, Niccolò Ricci has held and continues to hold several institutional and advisory positions, including membership on the Board of Directors of Pitti Immagine and Polimoda. He has also contributed to national and international initiatives supporting Italian excellence, internationalization, and the preservation of historic craftsmanship.

His presidency reflects a vision of fashion education deeply connected to industry, culture, and long-term value creation, reinforcing Polimoda’s role as a strategic hub for the next generation of fashion professionals.

Massimiliano Giornetti

Director

Massimiliano GiornettiDirector of Polimoda since 2021, Massimiliano Giornetti brings over two decades of experience at the highest level of the fashion industry. A former Polimoda student, he served for more than 16 years as Creative Director of Salvatore Ferragamo, shaping the brand’s contemporary identity through internationally acclaimed collections and runway shows.

His career also includes contributing to the relaunch of Shanghai Tang, where he helped redefine the brand’s aesthetic and values. In 2025, he was appointed Creative Director of Drumohr, marking a new chapter for the historic brand founded in 1770. 

At Polimoda, he leads the institute with a vision rooted in design culture, authorship, and professional rigor, ensuring a strong and constant alignment between education and the real dynamics of the global fashion system.

Faculty

The Polimoda lecturers are well-respected professionals from the fashion industry who are dedicated to passionately transmitting their knowledge and experience in order to provide students with relevant training in keeping with the latest trends in the sector and study programmes that help them to fulfill their creative and professional potential.