Studying in Florence
A city where every day you can breathe beauty, history, and creativity
Walking in the city centre means crossing an open-air museum: Ponte Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria, the Duomo, the Uffizi, and the Boboli Gardens are just some of the wonders that form the backdrop to daily life.
IED Firenze is located in the heart of the city in a Historic Palace, a masterpiece of 20th-century architecture, easily reached on foot. The main campus, on Via Bufalini, is just steps from the Duomo. Other sites include Palazzo Pucci N6, historic home of the Pucci family and now the Fashion Department, and Via dell’Oriuolo in a former theatre, home to the Visual Arts and Applied Arts department.
Florence is one of the world’s fashion capitals. Brands like Gucci, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Emilio Pucci were born here. The city is also a hub for contemporary culture, with international events exploring new trends in fashion, design, art, architecture, cinema, and literature.
Tuscany is a powerhouse of Italian design, thanks to its network of production districts in furniture, marble, ceramics, and textiles.
Studying at IED Firenze means joining a creative, multidisciplinary environment in constant dialogue with its surroundings. The school nurtures a project-oriented mindset, combining tradition with contemporary visions, and encourages practical, experimental learning.
Intergalactic
Intergalactic is a project presented within Pitti Uomo 108 that brings together fashion, sound and visual arts into a single multidisciplinary experience. A creative laboratory developed in collaboration with C2C Festival and Mirror Digital Agency, with the participation of Bill Kouligas, where students transform the space into a performative environment between art, design and contemporary culture.
Bones of Tomorrow
Bones of Tomorrow is a project by Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi and IED Firenze featuring the first Italian institutional solo exhibition of artist Andro Eradze. Through video and installation, the project explores the relationship between natural and artificial worlds in an immersive visual experience.
From three-year degrees, to Master's Programs and Master of Arts as well as Continuing Study Programs: with IED you can choose the perfect path for you.
Find out about the education departments in Florence.
· Visual Arts – Skills, methods, and technologies for visual communication projects.
· Communication – Critical and multidisciplinary skills for innovative communication projects.
· Design – Practical tools and knowledge for meeting the challenges of the design industry.
· Fashion – Up-to-date, specialised training in line with industry developments.
· Art and Restoration – Technical and artistic skills for conservation and restoration of cultural heritage.
Numbers of IED Firenze
+700
students
+300
lecturers
34%
international students
2
Master of Arts
11
Master
3
exclusive sites
5
career events per year
+12
events during Pitti
A school made of people
Benedetta Lenzi
Ester Stefanelli
Martina Lazzerini
Daria Filardo
Andrea Nardi
Our spaces
Entrance
Bufalini
Entrance
Bufalini
Courtyard
Bufalini
Gallery and labs entrance
Palazzo Pucci N6
Gallery and labs entrance
Palazzo Pucci N6
Classroom
Palazzo Pucci N6
Entrance
Oriuolo
Garden
Oriuolo
Exhibition area
Oriuolo
Lounge Area
Oriuolo
Classroom
Oriuolo
Our labs
+10
PATTERN-MAKING AND TAILORING WORKSHOP
+6
DESIGN LABS
+2
LEATHER WORKSHOP AND TEXTILE LAB
+5
COMPUTER LABS
+4
WORKSHOPS PHOTO
At the service of our students
Services, facilities, customised desks and dedicated teams: living well to train better.
IED Firenzee, through a network of affiliated residential accommodation, supports you in finding well-connected accommodation with the location of your course of study.
Access Accomodation services page
IED cares about the all-round well-being of its students, and with this in mind, in recent years it has activated didactic and extra-educational support services to help make the study experience integrated, participatory and mindful.
Access the services offered by the Florence office
Discover the services available to you to get in touch and learn more about IED, find your way through your admission process and the important steps you will need to take to successfully start your IED journey.
Discover all the general services of the IED
“My time at IED was honestly wonderful. It was a year of learning, listening, and then doing! IED helped me grow my management skills, as well as give me a strong foundation in Italian cultural events.
Senior Marketing Coordinator, EMEA Kids at Warner Bros | Alumna Master in Arts Management
"I’d describe my experience as improving, empowering and inspiring. Our teachers are professionals in the sector, so you actually see how you can work with real clients to create projects. The thing I learned in this Master that can make a change in my career is the different point of view that the teachers gave us and the different tools in brand strategy they taught us."
Brand Strategist at Krein | Alumna Master in Brand Design for Hospitality
"It has been much more than just an academic journey; it has been an extraordinary journey of educational and personal growth. Above all, the connection with extraordinary people that made this experience truly unforgettable.”
Creative and Institutional Content at Bulgari | Alumnus Master in Arts Management
"In IED you get to meet a lot of professionals in this field that have extensive background in what they study"
Alumnus - Master in Curatorial Practice
Where to find us
IED Firenze
IED Firenze c/o Palazzo Pucci
IED Firenze c/o ex Teatro dell'Oriuolo
How to reach us
Walking
The historic center of Florence is easily walkable: monuments, squares, and services are concentrated in a few kilometers. An ideal city to experience by walking, even in the daily commute for study or leisure.
Tramway
The tram network connects the center with strategic areas of the city quickly and efficiently. It's a practical and punctual solution to cross Florence avoiding urban traffic.
Urban buses
The bus network allows easy movement throughout the city and in the more peripheral neighborhoods. A useful service to reach areas not served by the tram network and to move flexibly throughout the day.
Bike sharing
For those who prefer sustainable mobility, Florence offers a widespread bike-sharing service with traditional and electric bicycles. Ideal for short urban trips, they integrate perfectly with other public transport and allow autonomous management of movements.
Trains and intercity connections
The city is well connected to the rest of Italy thanks to numerous railway routes, high-speed and regional, departing from the central station of Santa Maria Novella, easily reachable by public transport.
Accessibility
Access to the Institute's premises is also guaranteed for people with reduced mobility, thanks to street-level entry and the absence of architectural barriers. Internal routes are accessible independently, with the possibility of support from staff if necessary.
Stories
IED Firenze Events
News
The Searchlights
Photography as a tool for reading the present and giving voice to a new generation.
Annual appointments with
Taste (Food & Wine)
In February, the Fortezza da Basso transforms into a gourmet stage, with dozens of gastronomic excellences to discover through tastings and talks curated by Pitti Immagine.
International Handicrafts Exhibition (MIDA)
This exhibition at the Fortezza da Basso celebrates Tuscan and beyond artisanal tradition, offering a dialogue between ancient crafts and modern innovation.
Artigianato e Palazzo
In the suggestive setting of the gardens of Palazzo Corsini, art artisans present refined creations in an elegant and refined context.
Exhibitions at Palazzo Strozzi
The Palazzo Strozzi Foundation hosts high-profile contemporary and international art exhibitions from spring to summer, in the cultural heart of Florence.
Luigi Pecci Center for Contemporary Art
A few kilometers from Florence, the Pecci Center in Prato offers a reference point for contemporary art, with exhibitions for all enthusiasts.
Bright Festival
The Festival on innovation and new technologies aimed at experts and enthusiasts of Digital Art, Lighting Design, and Electronic Music.
WHY Festival
An event dedicated to contemporary illustration, bringing exhibitions, workshops, and meetings between creatives and the public to the city.
Lucca Comics & Games
A short distance from Florence, one of the largest European festivals dedicated to comics, animation, and games, with international guests and previews.
Pitti Immagine Uomo, Filati e Bimbo
Twice a year, Florence becomes the international center of fashion with Pitti Immagine events, hosted at the Fortezza da Basso.
Pitti Uomo is one of the most important salons in the world dedicated to men's fashion and contemporary lifestyle, while Pitti Filati is the reference point for the textile supply chain and innovation in yarns. Pitti Bimbo, on the other hand, explores fashion trends for children.
Map your interests
Discover IED locations and all the places of creativity, fashion and culture
- Uffizi Gallery
- Galleria dell’Accademia
- Palazzo Strozzi
- Museo del Novecento
- Museo degli Innocenti
- Murate Art District
- Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze
- Biblioteca delle Oblate