What Polimoda does

Polimoda is a private fashion education institution founded in 1986 and headquartered in Florence, Italy. It delivers a portfolio of undergraduate (3-year), master (32-week), short (1-month), online, orientation, and study-abroad programs across design (Fashion Design, Accessories Design, Jewelry Design, Art Direction), business (Fashion Marketing Management, Fashion Business, International Fashion Business, Brand Management), and specialized verticals (Merchandising & Buying, Luxury Retail, Sustainable Fashion, Bag Design, Shoe Design, Fashion Film & Photography). The institution serves approximately 2,000 students drawn from 107 countries, with a 90% graduate placement rate within six months and a network of over 2,000 partner companies.

The school operates from two Florence campuses: the historic Villa Campus (Villa Favard) and the new Manifattura Campus, opened in October 2024, which spans over 10,000 square meters of workshops and labs covering apparel design, footwear, accessories, leatherworking, knitwear, textile research, and six photography studios. Programs are anchored by working-industry mentors and faculty (Walter Van Beirendonck, Peter Pilotto, Bruce Pask of Neiman Marcus, Felipe Oliveira Baptista) and by brand partnerships with Gucci, Ferragamo, Tod's, Etro, Vogue Italia, and Fondazione Sozzani. In April 2026, Polimoda received accreditation from the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) as an AFAM institution, conferring legally recognized first-level academic diplomas for the Fashion Marketing Management program.

Polimoda's revenue is generated primarily through tuition fees, which range from €4,500 (one-month short courses) to €18,000/year for three-year undergraduate programs and up to €28,000 for one-year master's programs, supplemented by corporate training services, applied projects, and study-abroad fees. The institution is led by Presidents Ferruccio Ferragamo and Niccolò Ricci, with Massimiliano Giornetti as Director, and operates as a privately held company with no disclosed parent entity or public funding rounds.

Name

Polimoda

Legal name

Polimoda

Website

https://polimoda.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Polimoda is a private fashion education institution founded in 1986 in Florence, Italy, serving approximately 2,000 students from 107 countries through undergraduate, master, short, and online programs in design, business, and luxury retail, anchored by brand partnerships with Gucci, Ferragamo, Tod's, and Vogue Italia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fashion Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Marketing, Sales & Brand Management Schools (EDAHAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hybrid, Multi-Location & Multi-Country Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAE), Faculty-Led Study Tours & Embedded Short Programs (Home Institution-Led) (EDAIAIAJ)

Keywords

• Fashion education
• Fashion design training
• Fashion business programs
• Undergraduate fashion degrees
• Master fashion programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Florence

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Undergraduate Tuition: Three-year undergraduate programs charging €18,000 per year, totaling €54,000 for the full program. Programs include Fashion Marketing Management (now accredited by Italian Ministry of University and Research), Fashion Design, Fashion Accessories Design, and Fashion Art Direction.
2. Master's Tuition: One-year master programs charging up to €28,000. Programs include Fashion Merchandising & Buying, Fashion Design, Luxury Retail & Business Management (in partnership with Gucci), and Sustainable Fashion.
3. Short Course Tuition: One-month intensive short courses priced at €4,500 per course. Offerings include Fashion Marketing & Merchandising, Costume Design, and Sportswear Design, with multiple editions throughout the year.
4. Specialized Program Tuition: Two-year fashion film and photography course costing €14,000 per year, offered in partnership with Fondazione Sozzani. Two scholarships worth €14,000 each are offered for the inaugural edition.
5. Industry Services: Professional training services for business clients including corporate training programs, workshops, and industry partnerships. The school offers Services for Business through its careers division.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Polimoda is a Florence-based private fashion education institution delivering undergraduate (3-year), master (32 weeks), short (1-month), online, orientation, and study abroad programs covering fashion design, accessories design, fashion business, marketing management, merchandising and buying, luxury retail, sustainable fashion, creative direction, bag design, shoe design, and fashion film & photography. Programs are taught in English by industry-experienced faculty and include applied projects, internships, and mentorship with brands such as Gucci, Ferragamo, Tod's, Etro, Fondazione Sozzani, and Vogue Italia. The institution operates two Florence campuses including the new 10,000+ sqm Manifattura Campus opened in October 2024.

Product overview

Polimoda is a fashion education institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of programs across multiple levels: Undergraduate (3-year), Master (32 weeks), Short (1 month), Online, Orientation, and Study Abroad courses. The core offerings include design programs (Fashion Design, Fashion Accessories Design, Jewelry Design, Fashion Art Direction), business programs (Fashion Marketing Management, Fashion Business, International Fashion Business), and specialized programs (Fashion Merchandising & Buying, Fashion Brand Management, Luxury Retail & Business Management, Sustainable Fashion). Many programs feature industry mentorships (Walter Van Beirendonck for Fashion Design, Bruce Pask for Fashion Merchandising & Buying, Felipe Oliveira Baptista for Creative Direction) and brand partnerships (Gucci for Luxury Retail, Etro for Collection Design, Tod's for Bag Design, Ferragamo for Shoe Design, Fondazione Sozzani for Fashion Film & Photography). The institution operates two campuses in Florence including the new Manifattura Campus spanning over 10,000 square meters of workshops and labs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fashion Marketing Management (Undergraduate) Three-year accredited undergraduate program training managers in digital transformation, developing, merchandising, and distributing fashion products for specific markets. Covers production, operations, merchandising, buying, retail, marketing, and leadership. Priced at €18,000 per year.
• Fashion Design (Undergraduate) Three-year undergraduate program focused on creative design, garment construction, and fashion industry skills development.
• Fashion Accessories Design (Undergraduate) Three-year undergraduate program specializing in bags, shoes, watches, jewelry, and small leather goods design with hands-on experience in bag and shoe construction. Industry recognition for high graduate demand.
• Jewelry Design (Undergraduate) Undergraduate program focused on jewelry design principles and techniques.
• Fashion Art Direction (Undergraduate) Three-year undergraduate program combining fashion design with art direction, styling, and creative communication.
• Fashion Business (Undergraduate) Three-year undergraduate program focused on business aspects of the fashion industry including retail, operations, and management.
• Fashion Film & Photography (Undergraduate) Two-year fashion film and photography course taught in English, covering photography, filmmaking, narrative writing, production, and visual culture. Offered in partnership with Fondazione Sozzani (Milan). Priced at €14,000 per year.
• Fashion Design (Master) Master program focused on advanced fashion design techniques, with mentorship from Walter Van Beirendonck (Antwerp Six).
• Collection Design (Master) Master program in partnership with Etro focusing on collection development and design strategy.
• Fashion Art Direction (Master) Master program combining fashion art direction with editorial, photography, and visual communication, with projects in collaboration with Vogue Italia.
• Fashion Merchandising & Buying (Master) 32-week master program focused on fashion buying and merchandising techniques, with mentorship by Bruce Pask, Senior Editorial Director of Neiman Marcus. Includes re-merchandising strategy and buying plan projects. Priced at €28,000.
• Fashion Brand Management (Master) Master program with mentorship by Stefano Filippelli focusing on brand strategy and management in the fashion industry.
• Luxury Retail & Business Management (Master) Master program in partnership with Gucci focused on omnichannel retail management, luxury fashion business, and customer experience across digital and physical touchpoints. Runs October 2026 to June 2027.
• International Fashion Business (Master) Master program focused on international brand expansion strategies, market analysis, and global fashion business development.
• Sustainable Fashion Systems, Strategy & Finance (Master) Master program focusing on sustainability in fashion, circular business models, supply chain management, and environmental policy in the fashion industry.
• Creative Direction (Master) Master program with mentorship by Felipe Oliveira Baptista focused on creative direction for fashion brands.
• Bag Design (Master) Master program in collaboration with Tod's focused on luxury bag and accessories design.
• Shoe Design (Master) Master program in collaboration with Ferragamo focused on luxury footwear design.
• Costume Design (Short) Short course providing foundational costume design skills for theater, film, and television with industry mentorship.
• Fashion Marketing & Merchandising (Short) One-month intensive course covering fashion marketing management, merchandising techniques, and contemporary fashion industry analysis including visits to Gucci Garden and Salvatore Ferragamo Museum. Priced at €4,500. Multiple editions per year.
• Sportswear Design (Short) Short course in sportswear design with mentorship by Torsten Hochstetter.
• Online Courses Polimoda offers online courses through a dedicated online course section, including orientation and distance learning options for international students unable to attend in-person.
• Study Abroad Programs Exchange and study abroad program options for visiting students to experience Italian fashion education, with school trips to Copenhagen Fashion Week, Paris, Milan, and other fashion capitals.
• Orientation Courses Orientation and preparatory courses for prospective students.
• Services for Business (Corporate Training) Professional training services for business clients including corporate training programs, workshops, and industry partnerships offered through Polimoda's careers division.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of graduates find employment within six months of graduation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Fondazione SozzanicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 March 2026Polimoda partnered with Fondazione Sozzani (Milan-based cultural institution) to launch a two-year fashion film and photography undergraduate course starting in October. The course is taught entirely in English, covering photography, filmmaking, narrative writing, production, and visual culture. Fondazione Sozzani contributes through guest lectures, workshops, and access to its exhibition archive in Milan. Polimoda offers two scholarships worth €14,000 each for the inaugural edition.
• FurlaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 September 2025Six emerging fashion talents from Polimoda styled the shoot for Furla's new Moonlight bag with distinct vision and personal style. Project connected students directly with luxury brand creative campaigns.
• WRÅDminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 October 2024WRÅD CEO and co-founder Matteo Ward participated in Manifattura Campus opening ceremony. WRÅD is a fashion sustainability organization that contributes to the school's sustainability initiatives and educational programs. Collaboration highlights Polimoda's commitment to integrating sustainability into fashion education.
• Walter Van BeirendonckcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Walter Van Beirendonck, pivotal member of the Antwerp Six and renowned fashion designer, joined as Mentor for Master in Fashion Design program. Van Beirendonck brings extensive industry experience from his collections since 1985 and his work challenging gender norms in menswear. His mentorship includes Q&A sessions, personal presentations, and guiding students through their design processes.
• Peter PilottocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Peter Pilotto joined Undergraduate in Fashion Design program as a teacher. With expertise in fashion industry and signature aesthetic, Pilotto offers students unique opportunity to deepen their understanding of fashion design practices through his distinctive design approach.
• Leather & Luxury MagazineminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 July 2024Think Bag 2024 applied project organized in partnership with Leather & Luxury Magazine. Undergraduate Accessories Design and Fashion Marketing Management students designed and marketed an iconic bag with maximum production cost of €300 and retail price of approximately €500. Winners Chiara Cherici and Gadkari Riya for brand 'CHICCHI' had their bag produced by Loipell and sold in Italian retail outlets.
• LoipellminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 July 2024Loipell participated in Think Bag 2024 project as production partner. The winning bag design by Chiara Cherici and Gadkari Riya for brand 'CHICCHI' will be produced by Loipell and sold in Italian retail outlets. Profits from sales donated to charity. Project promoted by MGA and MIPEL/Lineapelle.
• Francesco Risso (Marni Creative Director)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2024Francesco Risso, Creative Director of Marni and Polimoda alumnus, delivered guest lecture to students during Pitti Uomo at Villa Campus. Presented Paul Smith's SS 25 collection and spoke on theme of 'Creativity & Inspiration' to packed lecture hall, sharing his ingenious and original approach to creative direction.
• GucciflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaster in Luxury Retail & Business Management offered in partnership with Gucci. Founded in Florence in 1921, Gucci is one of the world's leading luxury brands and part of Kering group. The partnership includes guest lectures, workshops, industry projects, and exclusive access to Gucci's retail expertise and brand heritage. The program teaches omnichannel retail strategies, luxury fashion business, and client relationship management.
• Bruce Pask (Neiman Marcus)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBruce Pask, Senior Editorial Director of Neiman Marcus and former Men's Fashion Director at Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus, serves as program mentor for Master in Fashion Merchandising & Buying. With over 20 years of fashion editorial experience including positions at T – The New York Times Style Magazine, GQ Magazine, and Cargo Magazine, Pask provides mentorship, industry insights, and networking opportunities for students.
• Silhouette EyewearminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSilhouette Eyewear collaborated with Polimoda for 2024 graduation show SHO-KA. Final year Undergraduate Fashion Design students (Gabriela Blake, Ian Morris McDonald, and Luca Polonio) designed eyewear accessories to complete their fashion looks for the runway show.
• House of Silhouette ViennaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinal year Undergraduate in Fashion Business students helped open House of Silhouette flagship store in Vienna, Austria. Students provided designs for retail space inspired by contemporary art and city architecture, while others worked on new designs for pop-up retail spaces in Milan and Paris.
• Vogue ItaliaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple collaborations with Vogue Italia including Master in Fashion Art Direction student editorial projects. 'Unwritten Bonds' project gave voice to queer identity and influence. 'Anatomy of Memory' project explored memory as matter. Francesca Ragazzi, Head of Editorial Content at Vogue Italia, participated in Manifattura Campus opening.
• Tod'scoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaster in Bag Design offered in collaboration with Tod's luxury leather goods brand. Program provides specialized training in bag design with industry mentorship and access to Tod's expertise and heritage in leather craftsmanship.
• FerragamocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaster in Shoe Design offered in collaboration with Ferragamo. Ferruccio Ferragamo serves as President of Polimoda. The partnership leverages Ferragamo's shoemaking heritage and expertise. Ferragamo Group's Chief Transformation & Sustainability Officer James Ferragamo participated in Manifattura Campus opening.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Istituto Marangoni: Italy-based private fashion school offering undergraduate, master, and short courses across design, business, and styling in Milan, Florence, Paris, London, and other cities. Closest direct competitor with overlapping programs, similar tuition tiers, and rival brand partnerships.
• Central Saint Martins (UAL): London-based public fashion and design school renowned for producing top designers (Alexander McQueen, John Galliano alumni). Competes for high-end international fashion students at the apex of the prestige pyramid.
• ESMOD Paris: Historic French private fashion school founded 1841 with international locations. Direct competitor in design-focused fashion education with similar tuition structure and brand partnerships.
• Domus Academy: Milan-based private postgraduate design and fashion school offering master programs with strong luxury industry ties. Closest Italian peer at the master level with overlapping program catalog.
• IED - Istituto Europeo di Design: Italian private design school with extensive fashion, design, and visual arts programs across multiple Italian and international campuses. Competes directly for fashion design and business students at comparable tuition levels.
• London College of Fashion (UAL): Public London-based fashion school within UAL offering undergraduate and postgraduate programs across fashion design, business, media, and technology. Comparable in international student reach and program breadth.
• Parsons School of Design (The New School): US-based globally recognized fashion school offering BFA and AAS degrees with strong industry connections to NYC fashion houses. Comparable in scale and prestige, though with a US-centric brand positioning versus Polimoda's European luxury focus.
• Royal College of Art: UK public postgraduate-only institution offering MA programs in fashion and design with strong industry reputation. Competes at the master level for top-tier international students seeking credentials.
• Accademia di Costume e di Moda: Rome-based private fashion and costume design school offering undergraduate and master programs with strong industry ties in Italian cinema and high fashion. Closest Italian peer for design-focused curriculum.
• Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT): Public SUNY-affiliated NYC fashion school with large enrollment (~8,000 students) offering two-year and four-year programs. Comparable curriculum breadth but lower tuition and different geographic positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/polimoda
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/polimodatube
• Facebookfacebook.com/Polimoda
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/polimoda
• Instagraminstagram.com/polimodafirenze
• TikToktiktok.com/@polimoda

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Polimoda