Overview
Fashion Capitals: Craft, Culture & Couture is an intensive 4-week short course that divides its immersive experience between two of the world’s most storied fashion cities: Florence and Paris. Developed in partnership between Polimoda and IFA Paris, this program offers a uniquely dual perspective on fashion creation, from the conceptual and creative to the technical and artisanal.Â
In Florence, students engage with Italy’s rich design tradition and will explore fashion research, illustration, and concept development, concentrating on developing a concrete collection proposal in the world’s most important centre for fashion production. In Paris, they enter the world of haute couture, mastering refined techniques like patternmaking, draping, and sewing, and taking part in specialized craft workshops to complete one look from their collection.Â
With 82 total instructional hours across two world-class institutions and direct access to industry landmarks including the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum, CHANEL’s 19M Métiers d’Art center, and Marché Saint-Pierre, students emerge with a professional design portfolio and a depth of creative and technical knowledge that transcends the classroom.
Highlights
- Two iconic fashion cities in one transformative program: move from the worldwide centre of fashion production in Florence to the home of haute couture in Paris
- Lessons at Polimoda’s Villa and Manifattura campuses and IFA Paris’s Campus Scipion
- Hands-on craftsmanship workshops in plumasserie (feather artistry) and leather atelier, taught by specialist artisans
- Exclusive field trips to important fashion archives, and Salvatore Ferragamo Museum in Florence, and Marché Saint-Pierre fabric market, and CHANEL’s 19M Métiers d’Art center, in Paris.
- Project-Based Learning culminating in a design portfolio that showcases collection design, illustration, and a fully realized garment look
- Taught entirely by fashion industry professionals at both institutions
- The two city-based modules form a complete arc of fashion creation, from concept to construction, while offering students an authentic window into how the industry operates and why these two fashion capitals remain at its heart
Who it's for
This course is designed for aspiring fashion designers and current fashion students who are eager to deepen their creative and technical skillset in an international, multicultural context.
Perfect for:
- Aspiring fashion designers seeking a foundation in professional design processes and haute couture craftsmanship
- Fashion students looking to accelerate their skills through cultural immersion in both Italian and French design traditions
- Creative individuals who possess strong visual instincts and want to translate ideas into tangible, refined garments
- Anyone seeking intensive, portfolio-building experience across two global fashion capitals in a single summer program
Skills
- Fashion design, illustration, and technical drawing through studio practice in Florence
- Collection development and concept-driven design ideation guided by trend research in Florence
- Pattern making, draping, and sewing techniques essential to haute couture construction in Paris
- Specialized artisan skills in leather craftsmanship and plumasserie (feather artistry) in Paris
- Trend research and analysis to inform and support design development
- Understanding of cross-cultural design philosophies between Italian and French fashion traditions
- Cross-cultural design competency and global fashion industry awareness
- Portfolio development combining design illustration, collection planning, and technical garment production
- Individual creative initiative and adaptability in fast-paced, internationally diverse studio environments
Course Structure
The program unfolds across two parts, each rooted in the unique creative culture of its host city.
Part 1: Design Development in Florence (June 29 – July 10)
Based at Polimoda’s Villa Campus and Manifattura Campus in Florence, the first two weeks immerse students in the Italian approach to fashion design. Working from a predetermined theme, students develop original design concepts and build toward a cohesive collection proposal. At the close of the Florence module, one complete look per student is co-selected by both partner institutions for development in Paris.
Modules include:
- Fashion Design (12 hours): Core design methodology, creative development, and collection planning
- Trend Research (8 hours): Identifying and analyzing contemporary trends to support concept development
- Fashion Illustration (3 hours): Visual communication of design ideas through professional illustration techniques
- Technical Drawing (3 hours): Technical flats and specifications for garment construction
- Craftsmanship Workshop (4 hours): Hands-on exploration of Florentine artisan techniques
- Field Trips: Visit to a Florentine fashion archive and the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum
Part 2: Production & Craftsmanship in Paris (July 13 – July 24)
Based at IFA Paris’s Campus Scipion, the second two weeks shift into the realm of haute couture production. Students bring the look from Florence to life through training in the foundational and specialist techniques of French couture.
Modules include:
- Introduction to Haute Couture Techniques (6 hours): The philosophy, history, and principles of haute couture construction
- Pattern Making (6 hours): Creating precise, bespoke patterns for the selected look
- Draping (6 hours): Three-dimensional garment development using toile and fabric on the stand
- Sewing Techniques (12 hours): Advanced construction and finishing methods for couture-quality garments
- Plumassier Workshop (3 hours): Specialist feather artistry with expert plumassiers
- Leather Atelier Workshop (3 hours): Introduction to luxury leather techniques with specialist artisans
Field Trips: Marché Saint-Pierre fabric market and CHANEL’s 19M Métiers d’Art center.
Learning Approach
This program is structured around Project-Based Learning (PBL), placing the student’s creative work at the center of every instructional moment. From the first day in Florence to the final atelier session in Paris, all theoretical and practical learning feeds directly into the development of a real design project, from initial concept to completed garment.
Teaching methodologies include individual studio practice, theory lectures, practical hands-on lessons, specialist workshops, and guided field trips at landmark fashion institutions in both cities. Classes are delivered entirely by professionals from the fashion industry, ensuring that every session is grounded in real-world practice and current industry standards.
Deliverables are built progressively across the four weeks: trend research boards, design sketches, collection planning documents, and technical drawings in Florence; completed patternmaking, draping work, and a fully sewn garment look in Paris.
Outcomes
By the end of the program, students will have created:
- A Design Portfolio: a portfolio showcasing the full design development process, trend research, concept sketches, collection illustrations, and technical drawings developed in Florence
- A Completed Garment Look: a fully realized look constructed through patternmaking, draping, and advanced sewing in Paris, demonstrating practises common in haute couture production
Together, these outcomes demonstrate a student’s ability to move fluidly from creative concept to physical craft, a rare and highly valued capability in the fashion world.
Career opportunities
Students who complete this program are equipped with both the creativity and technical skills to move on to their next step into the fashion world, going on to study:
- Fashion Design
- Atelier Design
- Pattern Making
- Styling
- Trend Forecasting
Certificates
Students will receive Polimoda’s Official Certificate of Attendance, validating their specialized training across both the Florence and Paris components of the program and strengthening their credentials for entry into the fashion design field
Requirements
Application requirements are:
- Curriculum Vitae (CV) with motivation letter
- Portfolio
- English language proficiency
- Secondary school (high school) diploma or equivalent
This course description and indication of fieldtrips is representative but not exhaustive of the full program. Course content can be updated throughout the program to maintain a future-oriented perspective, ensuring all courses taught are current and applicable to the evolving fashion landscape.
