First Level Academic Diploma in Fashion Marketing and Communication - IED Milano

Language

Italian, English

Start date

October 2026

Frequency

Full time

Fruition

On campus

Duration

3 Years

Credits

180 CFA / ECTS

Course Coordination

Federico Poletti

Course also available in:

Florence
Rome

The Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Marketing and Communication at IED Milano trains professionals ready to develop marketing and communication strategies that combine design, culture, and digital languages.

The teaching method is strongly project-based and relies on constant collaboration with fashion companies, offering a concrete vision of different business models. A distinctive feature of the course is its integration with disciplines such as textile studies and visual culture, which broaden students’ understanding of the visual and material tools of communication.

Studying in Milan – the capital of the fashion system – means living at the heart of the fashion business: showrooms, events, companies, creative start-ups, and institutions. Students experience not only theory, but also direct practice, networking, and real projects with brands and professionals.

Course structure and contents:

The programme spans three years, during which design is integrated with cultural knowledge, dialogue with professionals, technical skill development, and the use of innovative tools.

Year One: Focuses on building theoretical and methodological foundations, learning to critically analyse the fashion system and its players through cultural, historical, and social approaches. At the same time, students deepen project methodology for marketing and communication, working on market segment analysis, brand positioning, and the development of strategies aligned with company values and objectives. Using graphic software such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, they begin to translate strategies into visual tools and presentations, learning to structure layouts and marketing content.

Year Two: Moves towards more complex projects, integrating analytical and creative components with the economic dimension. Students draft business plans, assess project sustainability, and design branding strategies consistent with the fashion system’s supply chain – from collection to distribution, through to promotion via events and digital channels. Project activities are enriched by case studies and best practices, helping students understand how to build and grow a brand through strategic choices oriented towards innovation, ethics, and sustainability. Theoretical studies continue with contemporary art, cultural evolution, and fashion history, refining critical perspectives and the ability to interpret the present.

Year Three: Consolidates project autonomy, mastery of tools, and strategic vision. Students manage complex projects, integrating creative, economic, and legal aspects. Advanced visual communication is expanded through editorial languages, digital content production, and audiovisual creation using professional software such as Adobe Premiere Pro. The course also explores fashion buying, visual merchandising, and retail experience, with particular attention to the integration of physical and digital channels.

At a theoretical level, students analyse key business models in the fashion sector, addressing legal aspects, organisational processes, and brand management dynamics. The study of contemporary designers and new digital scenarios provides updated tools to interpret and anticipate industry transformations.

The programme culminates in the thesis project, which may take different forms: individual or group work, collaborations with companies or other courses, aimed at developing a start-up, a new service, or an omnichannel strategy. The thesis represents a professional simulation, integrating all acquired skills, enabling students to develop complex projects, experiment with interdisciplinary approaches, and prepare concretely for the world of work.

Faculty

Course Coordinator

Federico Poletti

Art Director and communication consultant

Manuela Colombini

Co-founder Strategist & Client Manager of M2 Consultancy Srl

Marco Basta

Visual Artist

Viviana Musumeci

Journalist and lecturer

Emanuela Franzese

Visual Merchandising Consultant

Letizia Buoso

Filmmaker

Fabio Foschi

Professional Consultant in Business Management and University Lecturer in Management Economics

Simona Bertoli

Communication consultant and lecturer

Davide Tran

CEO AdKaora

Salvatore Limblici

Strategy, Marketing and Communication Consultant

Marco Martello

Editor, Copywriter, Communication Specialist

News

IED Ranked Among the World's Best Fashion Schools in 2025

10 July 2026

IED Ranked Top 20 Fashion School Worldwide 2026

IED has once again been ranked among the world’s best fashion schools in 2026: 18th place in the CEOWORLD ranking

03 July 2026

July: Exhibitions, Installations and New Horizons for IED.60 Public Program

With the arrival of July, IED Graduation Days enter their busiest phase across IED’s Italian campuses, bringing with them a series of public events designed to showcase the ideas, projects and research developed by students.

01 July 2026

Three IED Designers Win at the 2026 Spanish Fashion Academy Awards

Alumni Ernesto Naranjo, together with faculty members Miguel Becer (ManéMané) and Juan Vidal, have been recognised at the third edition of the Academia de la Moda Española Awards for their outstanding creative work.

30 June 2026

This Was IED Madrid's Graduation Shows 2026: Two Days of Designing the Future

Under the concept Times New, IED Madrid's campuses hosted the final project exhibitions for Graphic Design, Product Design, Interior Design and Fashion Design, culminating in the traditional Avant-défilé.

26 June 2026

Eight IED Designers Nominated for the 2026 Spanish Fashion Academy Awards Across Five Categories

Six designers trained at IED Madrid, together with an IED Barcelona lecturer and an alumnus, are among the nominees for the 2026 Spanish Fashion Academy Awards.

23 June 2026

Best Thesis Awards 2026 – IED Barcelona

Fashion that evokes nostalgia through layered fabrics; a reinterpretation of retail as a living biological interface; an exploration of how Korean Wave (Hallyu) cultural products generate value within the luxury fashion sector; and an interactive digital experience that makes a previously hidden financial language visible.

12 June 2026

Issue 3: Future Memories - Plural Intelligences

What will we choose to remember from the present we are living through? This is the starting point of the third issue of Notes on Plural Intelligences – Future Memories.

09 June 2026

Creativity in motion: the IED.60 Public Programme gets underway

June marks a special moment for IED: the Public Program IED.60 is in full swing, with a rich calendar of events spanning fashion, design, illustration and visual arts, bringing talks, exhibitions and open events to Milan, Rome, Florence and New York for the IED community and the wider public.

08 June 2026

IED among the Top Design Schools 2026 according to Calibre Careers: european Network, industry connections and educational excellence

The international careers observatory analyses the Institute’s educational model, combining global recognition with the historic pillars of hands-on, laboratory-based teaching.

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22 July 2026 - 22 July 2026

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What happens when a stranger becomes the starting point for a fashion project? Join IED at Feeric Fashion Week for a creative challenge that turns unexpected stories into original fashion outcomes.

28 July 2026 - 31 July 2026

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IED at Colombia Fashion Week 2026

The most important colombian event in the fashion sector will host more than 500 exhibitors and many themed spaces.