As the birthplaces of modern fashion, Florence and Paris represent the world’s most influential centers of haute couture and luxury craftsmanship, with Italy’s fashion industry contributing €90 billion annually to the European economy and France’s luxury sector employing over 600,000 skilled artisans. This immersive program offers students an unprecedented opportunity to engage with both cities’ unique approaches to fashion design through intensive coursework at two prestigious institutions: Polimoda in Florence and IFA Paris, combining traditional Italian craftsmanship with French haute couture techniques across 82 total instructional hours. Students will develop hands-on expertise in fashion design, pattern making, draping, sewing, and specialized workshops in leather craftsmanship and plumasserie (feather artistry).

Additionally, students will immerse themselves in the rich cultural heritage of both fashion capitals. In Florence, they will explore the Renaissance city’s artisanal legacy through visits to a fashion archive, the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum, and Prato’s textile district, while experiencing traditional Florentine craftsmanship. In Paris, students will discover the epicenter of haute couture through field trips to the iconic Marché Saint-Pierre fabric market and CHANEL’s 19M Métiers d’Art center, complemented by cultural activities like Bateaux Mouches and optional visits to Fashion exhibitions. These experiences provide students with invaluable skills in design innovation, cultural competency, and global fashion industry understanding while contributing meaningfully to their professional development as future fashion leaders.