IED: Global Recognition and local visions. A September of fashion, research, and experimentation
From Global Rankings to the European Stage: September tells the story of IED’s identity through fashion, performance, and experimentation across Madrid, Turin, Milan and Lisbon
The recent recognition of the Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) among the top 20 fashion schools in the world, ranking 16th in the 2025 CeoWorld Magazine list, is not just a prestigious achievement: it’s a confirmation of an educational approach that blends academic excellence, industry connection, and international vision.
But excellence is not something to be celebrated—it’s something to be practiced. And September proves it.
Across Europe, IED campuses are hosting a series of events that embody the values that have made the Institute stand out on the global stage: experimentation, multidisciplinarity, cultural openness, and the exploration of new languages.
In Madrid, the fashion show closing Madrid es Moda showcases the collections of 12 young designers, the result of a training journey exploring the theme “Nuevos escenarios: Saberes Conectados”. An invitation to design with a broad, conscious, and interconnected perspective.
In Turin, the fashion film The Perfect Match merges fashion and sport in an intense visual narrative, where the tennis court becomes both runway and creative space. A moment to reflect—together with director Ivan Cazzola and other industry voices—on the aesthetic and design transformations of fashion in the digital age.
In Milan, UNSTAGE deconstructs the runway to transform it into an artistic and political gesture. A collective performance involving 13 recent graduates and artist Scarlett Rouge, in a dialogue between fashion, art, and spirituality, where body and space become tools of storytelling and liberation.
UNSTAGE is part of the official program of Milano Fashion Week.
Finally, in Lisbon, REPEAT THE ACTION brings fashion into the Italian Embassy, in a performative runway that explores repetition as a transformative practice. An event that blends diplomacy, creativity, and cultural exchange, involving talents from the IED network and local artistic communities.
These events don’t celebrate a ranking—they embody it. They are tangible proof of an IED that doesn’t just train professionals, but generates visions, builds bridges, and redefines the future of fashion.
IED Milano Lights Up September Fashion Week
Discover all the events featuring our students and alumni.