3 semester credits. Italian destination cities immediately conjure up images of the art, food, fashion, wine, and culture in which their fame lies: fashion shows and La Scala in Milan, Renaissance art in Florence, Brunello wine in Montalcino, the Biennale and Carnevale in Venice. This course will explore how creative advertising strategies have been produced and implemented, their effect on city branding, and the proliferation of creative areas in destination cities. Additionally, students will gain an understanding of media planning and buying, including target audience identification, media strategy development, and evaluation of media options. Case studies of both well-established metropolises and developing destinations will be examined to provide practical insights into successful advertising campaigns.
3 semester credits. This course addresses the new professional shopper profile by examining both the customer-oriented features of the industry as well as the general business principles of the fashion industry. Topics analyze the profession of the personal shopper, understanding the nature of services provided, as well as the strategies advised to clients from wardrobe analysis and purchasing. During the course, students will discuss fashion both in relationship to fashion history and international trends as well as communication and protocol for special occasions such as events. The final part of the class will include career guidance and marketing and promotion principles to build a customer base.
3 semester credits. This course teaches students how to create and develop fashion collections for diverse markets by using appropriate research techniques, project development methods, sketching and rendering techniques. Collections will be structured and organized in a professional manner from customer research and trend forecasting to the creation of mood boards and the selection of materials and colors. Throughout the course students will be invited to develop and test communication skills in order to learn how to assertively communicate collections values. The ultimate goal of the course is to design, create, and prototype a final collection. Studies of fashion designers and design studios will stimulate the student’s creativity and are an essential part of the course. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI. Prerequisites: Fashion Design Major Junior Standing or equivalent skills in sketching, sewing, and patternmaking.
3 semester credits. This course addresses the procedures involved in managing a fashion retail enterprise and the decision-making inherent in successful merchandising for smaller-scale stores. Knowledge will be acquired through lab practice gained by running a real enterprise in which students and professionals exchange their knowledge and propose successful solutions to be applied. Coursework includes site visits to well-known Italian luxury brands in Florence such as Ferragamo, Gucci, and Cavalli (companies may change according to availability), and special guest lectures from local prominent emerging designers.
3 semester credits. This course is dedicated to accessory design. Students will be exposed to a variety of design materials. Emphasis will be placed on three-dimensional sketching and on creative detail design for footwear, handbags, small leather goods, gloves, and belts. The course includes an historical overview of personal accessories from ancient Egypt to the present, allowing the evaluation of different materials and styles. During this course students will also receive basic guidelines on hand sewing techniques, on the use of patterns for simple leather accessories, and an overview of materials. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.
3 semester credits. This course is an introduction to marketing and merchandising concepts in the fashion industry. Emphasis is placed on the apparel and accessory industry in Italy. Students learn terminologies specific to the field. Topics include the meaning of the ‘brand’ in today’s consumer market, how to forecast trends, the product supply chain, the vertical business model and outsourcing, visual merchandising, advertising, different forms of in store and non-store retail, consumer behavior and profiles, and store location and design. On-site visits to fashion retailers in Florence are an integral part of this course with suggested field trips to local designers as well as to fashion museums such as the Gucci Museum. Other topics include: Product development cycle of the fashion industry: the initial forecast, consumer analysis, marketing plans, sourcing and presenting the product. The importance of retail marketing and ‘experience shopping’ – visual merchandising through analysis of store layout. The course will also cover market research and target customer identification, visual merchandising, direct marketing, internet and social media, and traditional advertising, and will focus on how to generate media attention through public relations (press relations, press kit releases, sponsorships, events, etc.).
3 semester credits. Through a series of walks and visits through art and design this course intends to show famous and hidden fashion paths in Florence. A journey through time and space to discover the place that marked the birth of Italian fashion and opened the doors to Made in Italy. Back in 1954 Florence was the star of the fashion system, anticipating trends and steeling the exclusive scene from Paris. Italy embraced the “new” in fashion through the talent and genius of Giovanni Battista Giorgini, who staged the first ever Italian fashion shows in Florence. Students will discover a city of exquisite taste, tradition and artistic craftsmanship. Starting from the location of the first Italian cat walk held in the Sala Bianca of Palazzo Pitti, they will learn how to map the fashion environment of the city. From Renaissance to modern day inspiration, fashion is kept alive in the products that were designed here and that grace the beautiful city today. Designers, such as Gucci, Salvatore Ferragamo, Emilio Pucci, Stefano Ricci, Ermanno Scervino, and Roberto Cavalli, have all developed and changed through the years and they have all surely blossomed here in Florence. The course is intended to provide academic knowledge through guided field learning activities that include research, on-site involvement, and topic assessment for each fashion themed walk in Florence. The classroom approach of this course is based on experiencing the city of Florence as the academic space for learning and engagement. Classes are not held in a traditional, frontal-style setting; each lesson is carefully mapped for curricular content and featured locations: lectures, observations, exercises, analysis, and reflections on presented topics are held in relevant sites that are accounted for in the academic planning, syllabus, and related course material. Coursework and submissions will be regularly assessed on the MyFUA platform through daily assignments in addition to exams, papers, and projects. Learning through the on-site classroom approach fosters a deeper understanding of the cultural environment of Florence and how it is related to the subject of study represented by the course, and allows the overall experience to contribute to the students’ academic and personal enrichment.
3 semester credits. This course offers a solid foundation in the fundamentals of basic construction, draping, alterations, and fitting techniques for apparel. The emphasis of the course is on the importance of proper fit and craftsmanship for the overall quality of garments. Students develop and construct design concepts in muslin and soft fabric in the dress form.
3 semester credits. Italian destination cities immediately conjure up images of the art, food, fashion, wine, and culture in which their fame lies: fashion shows and La Scala in Milan, Renaissance art in Florence, Brunello wine in Montalcino, the Biennale and Carnevale in Venice. This course will explore how creative advertising strategies have been produced and implemented, their effect on city branding, and the proliferation of creative areas in destination cities. Additionally, students will gain an understanding of media planning and buying, including target audience identification, media strategy development, and evaluation of media options. Case studies of both well-established metropolises and developing destinations will be examined to provide practical insights into successful advertising campaigns.
3 semester credits. The object of this course is the encounter between fashion – one of the oldest but ever-changing mode of communication – and contemporary tools for influencing other people’s decisions – digital social networks. The two are strictly intertwined: fashion needs social media influencers as much as social media influencers need fashion. Digital media has completely reconfigured the fashion world: bloggers have usurped famous magazine editors at fashion shows, the retail industry is shifting to online shopping, platforms such as Instagram create new forms of social status and power. Yet, while digital media creates new jobs, it brings forth also unexpected negative consequences and issues. This course examines how interconnected fashion and influencers are, and guides students to master the potential of social networks regarding the fashion world. Topics will range from an overview of the evolution of fashion trends to the digital tools needed to succeed as a social media influencer. Students will be able to understand the evolution of fashion, its intrinsic relation with the notion of influence, as well as new trends of digital marketing through social networks. To provide students with a hands-on approach, there will be visits to local museums and/or shops as well as an encounter with a Florentine-based influencer. This course encourages independent explorations in Florence, including those for research and content collection for course projects. Students will also analyze high-impact Case Studies related to the course topic. Successful completion of the course requires regular visits and interaction with the FLY CEMI: students will interact with an Instagram Fashion Account for applying concepts related to merchandising and promotion.
3 semester credits. This course addresses the procedures involved in managing a fashion retail enterprise and the decision-making inherent in successful merchandising for smaller-scale stores. Knowledge will be acquired through lab practice gained by running a real enterprise in which students and professionals exchange their knowledge and propose successful solutions to be applied. Coursework includes site visits to well-known Italian luxury brands in Florence such as Ferragamo, Gucci, and Cavalli (companies may change according to availability), and special guest lectures from local prominent emerging designers.
3 semester credits. This course examines the context in which the Italian fashion system was born. Topics begin from the evolution of fashion from the post-WWII period to the present and address the role and influence of media and culture on factors such as economic and social status, the arts, and other issues that influenced fashion. Students explore fashion’s connection to identity, body, politics, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, class, and how fashion and media are interrelated with these aspects of culture. Course projects and activities will contribute with the journalism activities of Blending, the magazine of AUF’s campus press Ingorda.
3 semester credits. This is an introductory course on the planning and furnishing of interiors. Students will be introduced to the basic vocabulary, skills /techniques, practices and context of interior design through the vehicle of a series of small abstract projects. The course introduces students to basic interior design principles, theory and conceptual processes. The emphasis is on creating small-scale environments based on the interaction of the individual with the environment. Human scale, movement, circulation and fundamental form making will be explored.
3 semester credits. This hands-on course will develop the fundamental skills and techniques of sewing and garment construction. Course topics feature the approach to mechanized and manually-processed techniques involved in the creation of simple cotton garments. An understanding of the use of basic patterns, cutting techniques, seams and finishings will allow students to approach simple prototyping projects. This class includes experiential learning with CEMI.
3 semester credits. The fundamental aspects of accessory design allow students to learn drawing and rendering techniques, which illustrate materials and textures for handbags, belts, gloves, shoes, and hats. Starting from sketches and basic technical drawing techniques, students develop skills that enable them to apply diverse drawing methodologies.
3 semester credits. Through a series of walks and visits through art and design this course intends to show famous and hidden fashion paths in Florence. A journey through time and space to discover the place that marked the birth of Italian fashion and opened the doors to Made in Italy. Back in 1954 Florence was the star of the fashion system, anticipating trends and steeling the exclusive scene from Paris. Italy embraced the “new” in fashion through the talent and genius of Giovanni Battista Giorgini, who staged the first ever Italian fashion shows in Florence. Students will discover a city of exquisite taste, tradition and artistic craftsmanship. Starting from the location of the first Italian cat walk held in the Sala Bianca of Palazzo Pitti, they will learn how to map the fashion environment of the city. From Renaissance to modern day inspiration, fashion is kept alive in the products that were designed here and that grace the beautiful city today. Designers, such as Gucci, Salvatore Ferragamo, Emilio Pucci, Stefano Ricci, Ermanno Scervino, and Roberto Cavalli, have all developed and changed through the years and they have all surely blossomed here in Florence. The course is intended to provide academic knowledge through guided field learning activities that include research, on-site involvement, and topic assessment for each fashion themed walk in Florence. The classroom approach of this course is based on experiencing the city of Florence as the academic space for learning and engagement. Classes are not held in a traditional, frontal-style setting; each lesson is carefully mapped for curricular content and featured locations: lectures, observations, exercises, analysis, and reflections on presented topics are held in relevant sites that are accounted for in the academic planning, syllabus, and related course material. Coursework and submissions will be regularly assessed on the MyFUA platform through daily assignments in addition to exams, papers, and projects. Learning through the on-site classroom approach fosters a deeper understanding of the cultural environment of Florence and how it is related to the subject of study represented by the course, and allows the overall experience to contribute to the students’ academic and personal enrichment.
