Master of Arts in Responsible Fashion Design - IED Milano

Language

English, Italian

Start date

October 2026
October 2027

Frequency

Full time

Fruition

On campus

Duration

2 Years

Credits

120 CFA / ECTS

Course Coordination

Marina Spadafora

How to develop sustainable garments and responsible fashion collections?

With the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles introduced by the European Parliament, the fashion industry will be required to take bold steps towards sustainable design, production, distribution and communication processes.

The Master of Arts in Fashion Design. Circular Practices for the Fashion System provides insight into the whole fashion system, from resources involved in production to the ways products are shared and used by communities, with a view to restricting overproduction and overconsumption patterns. This approach fits into the vision of DesignXCommons, where design is regarded to integrate the commons and regenerate the planet.

With the aim to promote responsible and sustainable fashion, this course explores project design skills involved in the creation of fashion collections, based on a critical approach to the concepts of design, production, distribution, communication and disposal methods. Special attention will also be given to understanding such factors as circularity, ecodesign, product longevity, with inclusion and innovation being a key part of all projects. Building on the study of the new EU regulations around the circular textile strategy, this course provides an interdisciplinary approach to develop sustainable projects that can address such regulations by creating zero-waste models and experimenting with new materials. All this will contribute to the transformation of the fashion industry towards new project practices based on full awareness of ethical and social implications.

Career roles that can be pursued with the degree programme in Fashion Design. Circular Practices for the Fashion System will have the opportunity to contribute to sustainable fashion development for a variety of companies in the fashion industry - but also to get involved in developing their own brands - taking on such roles as eco textile experts and consultants, CSR* consultants (*Corporate Social Responsibility), heads of innovation, and sustainability managers. Continuing in Ph.D. trajectories at Italian and foreign universities will also be an option.

 

Faculty

Course Leader

Marina Spadafora

Sustainability and style consultant

Francesco Ballestrazzi

Milliner

Nuala Goodman

Artist and Textile Designer

Fulvio Alvisi

Textile Designer

Renato Stasi

Designer

Cora Bellotto

Fashion Designer

Laura Lisi

Translator and Interpreter

Lika Kubaneishvili

Fashion designer

Marco Bagalini

Pattern Maker and Tailor

What people say

Fashion Design. Circular Practices for the Fashion System

Course Coordinator describes the goal, the methodology and the professional opportunities of the Master of Arts in Fashion Design.

Marina Spadafora

DesignXCommons

The world could be otherwise: making by making strange

"The world has become so flattened by routine that we no longer fully see the objects around us; we merely recognize them."

The workshop took place at Rifugio Amprimo (Val di Susa- Italy) and has been inspired by the statement of Russian theorist Viktor Shklovsky.

News

Professional fashion catwalk with models parading

17 September 2026

IED fashion takes centre stage at 080 Barcelona Fashion

Acceptance Letter (by IED Barcelona lecturer Jeakyong Sim), Compte Spain and L’AMAR (brands founded respectively by IED Madrid alumni Santi Mozas and Nacho Lamar) will take to the catwalk at Spain’s most international fashion event in October.

Crowded stalls of an auditorium

15 September 2026

More than 200 students from 52 nationalities open the 2026-2027 academic year of the IED Barcelona

On 14 September, the Welcome Event welcomed a new generation of creatives and designers joining the undergraduate programmes.

14 September 2026

Chimera – Hybrid Artifacts: Design Connects Turin and São Paulo

Seven bags, two cities and one shared project. A collaboration between Italy and Brazil has evolved into an international design journey, bringing together different cultures, materials and design languages.

11 September 2026

Issue 4: Material World - Plural Intelligences

What happens when we recognize the intelligence of materials and learn to work with it responsibly, collectively, and collaboratively?

11 September 2026

IED Kunsthal Bilbao temporarily transforms Doña Casilda Park with ‘Sareak’

A cross-disciplinary project bringing together nearly 200 members of the community to reflect on contemporary communication through design.

11 September 2026

Peio Santisteban’s “Flores para un monstruo” Wins the IED Madrid Fashion Talent Award 2026

Twelve students from the Fashion Design Bachelor’s Degree at Istituto Europeo di Design Madrid presented their collections for the second consecutive year as part of the OModa Madrid Es Moda programme.

07 September 2026

Fashion show and festival: the IED Public Programme is back

In September, IED's Public Program returns with a calendar of events across its campuses in Italy and Spain, offering opportunities for dialogue, exchange and discovery open to the community and the wider public.

07 September 2026

From Turin to Tokyo: IED and Pioneer Denim bring new visions of denim to the international runway

Projects by students on IED Torino’s Undergraduate Programme in Fashion Design, developed using materials supplied by the company, are heading to Tranoï Tokyo and Denim Première Vision as part of the collaboration with Pioneer Denim, bringing together research, experimentation and product culture.

07 September 2026

IED Madrid Alumni Talent at OMODA Madrid es Moda 2026

Designers and IED Madrid alumni Luis Berrendero and Carlota Barrera have taken part in this edition’s programme, alongside other IED Madrid initiatives such as its Fashion Show 2026 and the event with Roberto Verino.

Don't miss it

14 September 2026 - 18 September 2026

Barcelona

IED Barcelona 2026 Undergraduate Welcome Week

The welcome event for undergraduate students, teachers and staff to mark the official opening of the new academic year will take place on Monday 14 September.

Exhibitions and Festival

02 October 2026 - 08 October 2026

Madrid

Sepiia’s 10th Anniversary Exhibition

IED Madrid alumni and designer Federico Sáinz de Robles celebrates the 10th anniversary of his brand, Sepiia, with an exhibition.

An open notebook showing two pencil sketches, one of a lamp and the other of designer handbags
Exhibitions and Festival

17 October 2026 - 17 October 2026

Barcelona

Barcelona Dibuixa 2026: “The Power of Hand Drawing”

IED Barcelona is offering this workshop, where participants will discover, guided by architect and lecturer Gianfranco La Cognata – Laco 2, how design takes shape through illustration.