First Level Academic Diploma in Fashion Stylist - IED Milano

Language

Italian, English

Start date

October 2027

Frequency

Full time

Fruition

On campus

Duration

3 Years

Credits

180 CFA / ECTS

Course Coordination

Simona Dell'Unto

Course also available in:

Florence
Rome

The Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Styling and Art Direction at IED Milano trains professionals capable of creating images and visual narratives that engage with the languages of contemporary culture. The programme addresses key themes such as aesthetics, the role of new visual communication media and digitalisation, ongoing social changes, and how fashion, photography and visual languages intertwine with these dynamics. The interdisciplinary teaching approach at IED combines theory and practice through hands-on workshops and hybrid design methodologies.

Milan, Italy’s fashion capital and a strategic hub for fashion houses, editorial offices and agencies, offers students direct access to the fashion system: events, fashion weeks, networking and professional opportunities. The city provides a rich cultural landscape essential for developing a critical and distinctive perspective, including exhibitions, art and design events, publishing fairs, concerts, festivals and music-related showcases.

Course structure and contents:

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

In the first year, students acquire the theoretical and practical foundations of visual design within the scope of fashion styling, developing moodboards based on cultural sources applied to photographic shoots. They gain proficiency in technical tools such as Photoshop, InDesign and design and communication methodologies. Cultural education is complemented by courses in fashion history, art history, photography and new media, analysing the aesthetic and social evolution of fashion.

The second year builds on these foundations through more complex projects: starting from a macro theme of social and cultural relevance, each student creates an independent editorial project in the form of a fanzine, featuring photographic projects where they act as art director and stylist. This process further develops visual storytelling skills, through the interplay of fashion, photography and graphic design – with advanced use of Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator – and the definition of a narrative aesthetic language. Students also engage in video production, beginning with the study of film history, leading to the creation of a fashion film. Theoretical subjects deepen knowledge of fashion history, photography history, and explore the aesthetics and semiotics of clothing and fashion.

In the third year, students refine their stylistic identity and analyse contemporary aesthetic and cultural phenomena through courses in sociology of cultural processes and phenomenology of contemporary arts. They develop artistic and creative direction skills, shaping an increasingly sophisticated visual storytelling approach. The major project of the third year focuses on digital innovation, with the creation of an aesthetic, narrative and innovative platform, where students independently apply all theoretical and practical skills acquired during the programme. This experimentation leads to full autonomy in creative planning and execution, culminating in the thesis project, which may be individual or group-based. The thesis simulates real professional dynamics, involving shooting production and video trailers, and delivering final outputs such as magazines, audiovisuals, performances or installations.

Faculty

Course Coordinator

Simona Dell'Unto

Fashion and Music features Contributor and Creative Consultant

Tommaso Basilio

Stylist, Artdirector, Journalist

Guia Rossi

Professional Journalist and Fashion & Design Editor

Riccardo Slavik

Stylist freelance

Nicola Garzetti

Director and Videomaker in fashion, TV and music

Maela Basso

Digital and PR Consultant

Loredana Parmesani

Art Critic

Valentina Carrubba

Communication & Concept Designer

Elisa Andreini

Photographer

Marco Martello

Editor, Copywriter, Communication Specialist

Alex Vaccani

Co-founder TOH

Valeria Palieri

Journalist

Giulia Smith

Casting Director

Giangi Giordano

Fashion Stylist

Carlotta Crosera

Curator and Art Consultant

Michela Bonafoni

Cultural Advisor for companies in the fashion and beauty sectors

Giulio Vescovi

Art director, Graphic designer

Anna Frabotta

Founder Frab's srl - Founder and Director of Mag to Mag festival

Katherine Kennedy

Graphic Designer

Albert Hofer

Founder & Event Organizer of Le Cannibale

Ilaria Renoldi

Art Director

Margherita Caspani

Illustrator

Projects

Fashion Design and Styling

Milan

Didactic projects
AVVERSIONE

Fashion Design and Styling

Milan

Didactic projects
GOLDEN YEARS

Fashion Design and Styling

Milan

Didactic projects
Surface Creatures

Fashion Design and Styling

Milan

Didactic projects
THE END

Fashion Design and Styling

Milan

Didactic projects
CHIMERA

Fashion Design and Styling

Milan

Didactic projects
Fashion Shooting

Fashion Design and Styling

Milan

Didactic projects
Fashion Shooting

Fashion Design and Styling

Milan

Didactic projects
Fautographie

Fashion Design and Styling

Milan

Il primo bagliore

News

28 October 2026

National Portfolio Day Milan 2026

In its 60th anniversary year, IED hosts the Milan edition of National Portfolio Day, the international event for anyone who wants to study or specialize in art, design, fashion and visual communication.

Collage with three vertical photos of three models walking the catwalk at 080 Barcelona Fashion

27 October 2026

Collections from the IED creative community bring creativity and talent to 080 Barcelona Fashion

Acceptance Letter, Compte Spain and L’Amar took to the runway at the international fashion event’s most diverse and original edition yet, presenting three collections that celebrated humour, experimented with exaggerated volumes and paid tribute to resistance.

26 October 2026

Architetture mutevoli del corpo: IED at FGI 2026

A fashion show exploring the ever-changing architectures of the body

Art and design exhibition featuring two central rocks sewn with printed fabrics

23 October 2026

“Valor Ancestral: Latam Creative Talent 2026” makes a stop at IED Barcelona

Following its presentation at IED Madrid and ahead of its move to IED Kunsthal Bilbao, the latest edition of the international exhibition, an initiative promoted by IED since 2022, was on display to coincide with the Barcelona campus’s activities as part of Barcelona Design Week.

23 October 2026

Forbes Next Leaders: Alumna Chiara Filiasi creates the September cover

The collaboration between IED and Forbes Next Leaders continues: for the month of September, the cover has been created by Chiara Filiasi, an Alumna of the BA in Illustration and Animation at IED Roma.

Carousel of models on the catwalk of a fashion show

23 October 2026

Acceptance Letter, the label founded by IED Barcelona lecturer Jeakyong Sim, wins the 080 Barcelona Fashion / Rec.0 competition

The label has been recognised as the best emerging local fashion proposal in the 15th edition of the initiative, which has previously awarded IED alumni such as Guillermo Justicia and Elna Solans.

22 October 2026

One student and four alumni from IED Kunsthal Bilbao, alongside two alumni from IED Madrid, awarded scholarships to study at Central Saint Martins

The selected designers have taken part in an intensive two-week programme in London, linked to the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum's Transmissions project.

Female model posing on a rock wearing a white wool wide-sleeved sweater

22 October 2026

IED Barcelona Alumni Andrea Trescolí showcases two looks that put circularity into practice in fashion at Rec.0

From 4 to 7 November, she will showcase her creations entered in a competition for emerging designers who use materials and processes aimed at reducing waste, as part of the festival’s Fashion Design Schools Exhibition at the Igualada Leather Museum (Barcelona).

21 October 2026

IED Torino at Torino Art Week 2026

IED Torino at Torino Art Week with a series of collaborations and projects involving students from different courses, from Photography to Communication Design.

Don't miss it

Two reusable bottles, one green and one yellow respectively.
Exhibitions and Festival

06 October 2026 - 01 September 2027

Barcelona

“The Beetle Bottle” and “Mis queridos Ascos” at “Matter Matters. Designing with the World”

The projects created by IED Barcelona alumni Abdelaziz Moustafa (Product Design) and Violeta Mata (Fashion Design) have been selected to be part of this exhibition at the Museu del Disseny-DHub.