Polimoda, one of Italy’s leading fashion schools, today announced a partnership with South by Southwest (SXSW®), one of the foremost global gatherings for cultural and creative innovation. Polimoda will bring unmatched fashion education expertise to SXSW 2027 (March 15-21) in Austin, Texas, and, together, Polimoda and SXSW will develop an Event Management program for Polimoda students beginning in 2027.
The partnership arrives as the events industry sees growing convergence between fashion, entertainment, technology, and cultural production, with the goal of combining the strengths of these industries to create a new approach to live entertainment and event production.
“SXSW is a global hub for cultural and creative innovation, a place of real significance for building connections between higher education, industry, technology, and the new languages of our time. It’s the ideal partner for our Event Management program and for developing our expertise in entertainment and live events. Its ecosystem, truly one of a kind, will give our students the chance to engage with a platform of global standing, where creativity, innovation, entrepreneurship, communication, and cultural production intertwine. At the same time, we’re confident Polimoda can help strengthen SXSW’s connection to fashion, creativity, sustainability, and contemporary sociology,” said Massimiliano Giornetti, Director of Polimoda.
“We are thrilled to partner with Polimoda, an institution globally revered for its forward-thinking approach to fashion and design education. SXSW was built at the intersection of diverse creative industries, and establishing this relationship with Polimoda creates more opportunity for attendees and students to learn about fashion, culture, education and live experiences,” said Greg Rosenbaum, SVP of Programming at SXSW. “We are excited to welcome them to Austin for SXSW 2027 and co-develop their new Event Management undergraduate program, and to build a bridge between Austin’s globally recognized innovation and creative scenes and Florence’s unmatched artistic legacy.”
The partnership’s first milestone will be SXSW 2027. The annual conferences and festivals bring together leaders from technology, music, film, design, education and other creative industries in Austin each March, with keynote and featured sessions, exhibitions, screenings, music showcases and networking opportunities, held across multiple venues throughout the city. As a key partner, Polimoda will take part in the 2027 SXSW and SXSW EDU Conferences & Festivals, contributing its fashion and education expertise through conference sessions, activations, networking events, and more.
For Polimoda, the partnership marks its entry into the world of entertainment, expanding its academic offering with direct access to the skills, language, and methods of one of the most influential creative platforms internationally. For SXSW, working with Polimoda expands its connection to fashion through the contribution of an international school specializing in fashion education. The result is a new approach to education, and to entertainment itself, at the intersection of creativity, culture, and industry.
Another key pillar of the partnership is Polimoda’s Undergraduate program in Event Management, which will feature SXSW’s contributions starting with the October 2027 intake. The three-year program combines creative experience design, technical production skills, and management training, preparing graduates to plan and produce events across the fashion and entertainment industries. The collaboration will take the form of guest lectures, workshops, project work, and both in-person and online activities, giving students, the industry’s next generation, specialized skills, insight from entertainment insiders, and a behind-the-scenes look at one of the world’s most influential events.
Those interested in learning more about the partnership and the Undergraduate program in Event Management can join a free webinar hosted by Polimoda and SXSW on September 15 at 4 p.m. CEST. Registration is required; details are available at polimoda.com.
This partnership marks a first step toward a broader collaboration between Polimoda and SXSW, laid out as the foundation for a strategic relationship that can grow in the years ahead. The goal is to explore further areas of collaboration over time, including fashion, sustainability, innovation, cultural programming, industry relations, and student engagement, paving the way for new projects, events, talks, and joint initiatives within the SXSW ecosystem.
More information: Undergraduate program in Event Management.
