Polimoda and Fondazione Sozzani announce a new partnership to launch the Undergraduate in Fashion Film & Photography, a two-year program starting in October, dedicated to training visual storytellers in fashion film and photography.
Developed in collaboration with one of the most authoritative cultural institutions at the intersection of photography, fashion, and the visual arts, the program aims to nurture a new generation of image-makers, creative voices who can merge vision, cultural awareness, and technical mastery.
For its inaugural edition, two scholarships are available, each valued at €14,000, awarded to the most deserving candidates. Applications are open through April 17; full details are available on the Polimoda website.
A program built to read and lead the evolution of fashion image-making
The Undergraduate in Fashion Film & Photography in partnership with Fondazione Sozzani, launches at a moment of profound transformation in visual communication. Images move faster and more fluidly than ever; artificial intelligence is generating entirely new visual languages; models are developing autonomous digital identities; and the line between author and tool grows thinner by the day. In this landscape, the role of fashion photography, and of those who practice it, is being radically redefined. The industry now demands professionals who can not only produce images and content, but interpret them critically and assign them cultural meaning.
The program addresses this need with a holistic approach that combines technical skills with cultural vision. Students will build competencies in photography, filmmaking, narrative writing, production, and post-production, alongside a solid grounding in visual culture and contemporary aesthetics, equipping them to understand and anticipate the shifts reshaping the fashion system. Central to the program is the idea that fashion photographers and filmmakers are creative voices: interpreters of the dialogue between image and design that gives fashion its visual identity. The goal is to develop professionals who can navigate freely between art and commerce, building a personal visual language within the industry.
The course runs 600 hours per academic year, is taught entirely in English, and prepares students for careers as fashion photographers, fashion filmmakers, cinematographers, digital image specialists, video editors, production managers, and digital content creators.
“Fashion photography is about far more than aesthetics: it is a cultural act, a way of reading the present. Today, in the age of AI-generated imagery, that awareness matters more than ever. Fashion photographers and filmmakers are tastemakers, and their dialogue with designers is what gives fashion its visual language. Through this program, and through our partnership with Fondazione Sozzani, Polimoda offers students not just the skills to enter the industry, but the vision to help shape its future.” – Massimiliano Giornetti, Director of Polimoda.
Fondazione Sozzani's Contribution
The partnership with Fondazione Sozzani brings a culturally authoritative perspective on the role of the image in fashion. Founded in Milan in 2016 by Carla Sozzani to promote photography, culture, fashion, and the arts, the Foundation assumed patronage of the Galleria Carla Sozzani, continuing the gallery’s public mission active since 1990.
Within the program, Fondazione Sozzani will contribute directly through guest lectures, workshops, and project-based assignments, as well as visits to the Foundation with access to its exhibition archive and collections. Students will also have the opportunity to engage with industry professionals and curators. Sara Sozzani Maino, Creative Director of the Foundation and a leading figure in the international fashion world, will help shape the curriculum and participate in portfolio reviews, drawing on her extensive experience supporting emerging talent.
This collaboration gives students direct access to an international cultural institution where fashion image-making, publishing, research, and practice converge, pushing the educational experience well beyond the academic and opening a genuine dialogue with the contemporary creative world.
“Nurturing the future of fashion image-making means holding innovation and tradition in the same frame, learning from historical archives and the cultural roots that have shaped taste and style across generations. It demands a deep sense of responsibility: the ability to turn creative vision into something thoughtful, ethical, and lasting. Technology, from AI to the most advanced digital tools, is a powerful ally, a way to amplify ideas and explore new aesthetics. But it should never replace human creativity or critical thought. In that balance between memory, innovation, and responsibility, the fashion image becomes what it’s always been at its best: a way to tell authentic stories and make sense of the world we live in.” – Sara Sozzani Maino, Creative Director of Fondazione Sozzani.
A Creative Ecosystem Dedicated to the Image
At Polimoda, photography runs through the entire curriculum, from design to styling, art direction to communication. The six professional photography studios at the Manifattura Campus, a one-of-a-kind facility in European fashion education, are available to students for coursework and independent projects alike, from editorial shoots to portfolio development, and are equipped with professional-grade photography and video equipment covering production through post.
Completing the picture, the Polimoda Library, one of the largest fashion libraries in Europe, provides an essential reference collection for visual and cultural research.
The new Undergraduate in Fashion Film & Photography marks the latest step in Polimoda’s ongoing expansion of its academic offering, reinforcing its position in visual communication and the creative disciplines. The partnership with Fondazione Sozzani anchors an approach that integrates education, research, and professional practice, preparing a new generation of image-makers to contribute meaningfully to the evolving visual landscape of fashion.
The program will be presented at Polimoda’s Open Day on May 7 and 8, where attendees can tour the campuses and experience a live shoot in the photography studios.
Polimoda photo studio
Polimoda photo studio, ph. Serena Gallorini
Polimoda photo studio, ph. Serena Gallorini
Polimoda photo studio, ph. Marco Gualtieri
Polimoda photo studio, ph. Marco Gualtieri
About
Polimoda
Founded in Florence in 1986, Polimoda is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading fashion schools. Located at the heart of Made in Italy, with a community of approximately 2,000 students from 107 countries, the school trains the industry’s top professionals through more than 70 undergraduate, master’s, and specialized programs. A network of over 2,000 partner companies, a faculty of more than 200 industry professionals, and two campuses spanning over 15,000 square meters ensure an experiential, continuously updated education, with a 90% placement rate within six months of graduation.
Fondazione Sozzani
Fondazione Sozzani was established in 2016 by Carla Sozzani and is dedicated to the promotion of culture through photography, fashion, the fine arts, and applied arts. The Foundation has assumed the patronage of Galleria Carla Sozzani and continues all relevant public functions that the Gallery has supported since 1990. Sara Sozzani Maino curates and coordinates projects dedicated to education, responsibility and the next generation of creatives.
