Polimoda: Student Life On Campus

At Polimoda, student life is part of a larger vision that combines academic excellence with refined living for an international community. Set in Florence, the school offers more than an education—it provides a curated experience where creativity, culture, and personal growth converge. Every aspect of campus life is shaped with intent, ensuring that students feel welcomed and empowered to pursue their ambitions.

As part of its commitment to combining traditional academic work with professional experience, Polimoda represents a meeting point for students and the working world, providing cutting-edge teaching methods, collaboration opportunities and dedicated career guidance and talent development services.

With its students from all over the world, Polimoda has developed into an exceptional melting pot of cultures, expertise, traditions, languages and styles that promotes personal growth through the sharing of ideas. Across the Villa Favard and the Manifattura Tabacchi campuses, spaces are tailored to both individual work and collaborative creation.

“Polimoda is an inspiring place, set on a spacious campus, yet it has an intimate feel to it. It’s also filled with people from all over the world. While all the students’ different personalities and backgrounds make for a diverse student body, the professors also come from all sorts of different places and work backgrounds. It means that everyone feels free to express themselves in an environment that revolves around opportunities,” Elisa van Barneveld, Fashion Retail Management Scholar, tells BoF.

Manifattura has twelve workshops, tailoring and knitwear studios, and cutting-edge equipment. From flatbed sewing machines and linking looms to digital design tools, every resource is available to transform concepts into reality. The campus also features six professional photo studios designed for styling, communication, and design projects. Complementing these creative zones are two shops offering quality materials and tools at student rates.

Polimoda’s commitment to technological innovation is evident in its ten computer labs, housing more than 400 state-of-the-art workstations equipped with industry-standard software. From Lectra for 2D and 3D garment design, to Rhino and 3DS Max for modeling, and the full Adobe Creative Suite, students are immersed in a digital environment that supports modern fashion education.

At the historic Villa Favard campus, students benefit from one of Europe’s largest fashion libraries, a cultural and academic sanctuary housing rare publications, archival look-books, and complete collections of fashion periodicals. This intellectual resource is open to students, professionals and researchers, reinforcing Polimoda’s role as a global center of fashion thought.

A personalised support system enhances the student experience, from orientation through to career placement. Offices for academic advising, industry relations, and administration are readily accessible, reflecting the institute’s hands-on, human approach. Career services maintain strong ties with leading fashion houses, offering privileged access to internships and professional opportunities.

Health and wellness are equally prioritised. Polimoda maintains agreements with top healthcare providers and offers psychological support through a dedicated partnership, ensuring that students receive discreet, high-quality care when needed. The campus café, located within the former greenhouse of Villa Favard and run by Florence’s historic Gamberini patisserie, offers Italian and international cuisine—in a tranquil setting overlooking the Arno.

Student life at Polimoda reflects the elegance, depth, and precision of the fashion world itself. It is a lifestyle defined by quality, creativity, and purpose—one where each student’s potential is nurtured in an environment as inspiring as the city of Florence itself.