Appears in Wall Street International

A recent article published on-line by Wall Street International illustrates the latest activities of the Accademia Italiana that have interested the public and international press.

In the August 2, 2014 article, journalist Lucia Evangelisti reports "Accademia Italiana is an extraordinary School of Fashion and Design, one of the most prestigious international university-level institutions in Italy.

Now, in its thirtieth year of existence, it has been granted permission to give a double degree, one Italian, recognized by MIUR and the other English by Nottingham Trent University. Operating both in Firenze and Rome, it succeeds in giving Italian creativity some of the most important roles in the fashion world."

Commenting on the history of the Accademia, the article explains that after founding the school in 1984, Vincenzo Giubba, an architect with close ties to fashion and design, was able to assemble a team of expert instructors before moving the school to its present headquarters in Piazza Pitti 15, just across from the Pitti Palace where "students were able to admire the collection of portraits and paintings gathered over the centuries. Afterwards, a second school was set up in Rome, at Piazza della Radio, 46"

Further excerpts from the article discuss the special events proposed to promote the work of the students: "Every year, the final fashion show of the Florentine school is set for mid-April, and in July for that of Rome. Both events are extremely important for showcasing the craftsmanship of the students. The resulting outfits show that the young stylists have been strongly concerned with research, innovation and ethical choices in reusing and recycling. Technological skills like laser cuts and special prints have also been widely used."

Regarding the contacts with design industries Ms. Evangelisti notes: "An irreverent, provocative collection of working uniforms was also displayed . . . for firemen, flight attendants, chefs, beekeepers, mailmen, police officers . . . made out of technical fabrics produced by the multinational company Klopman. "Fashion on the Job" collection is an important link between the students in search of their first job and the Technical clothing market."

The Rome school's participation in the AltaRoma fashion shows was also praised: " . . . built around ethical and recycling themes. Fantastically unusual and astonishing results have been obtained in the dresses by re-use of paper in sisal, polystyrene, crushed cds, and so on".

The article further details the Accademia Italiana Pyramid of Excellence, which is awarded by the students of the school each year to masters in the various design fields. "The Pyramid of Excellence 2013 has been awarded to Sudhitham Chirathivat, President of La Rinascente's Board of Directors and Franca Sozzani, main contributor to F4D (Fashion for Development). During the Ceremony, a project called AIFA (Accademia Italiana for Africa) was launched to give the Accademia Italiana's top graduates the opportunity to create a small collection of women's wear for Summer 2014. Produced by one hundred African women employed by an Ethiopian company in Addis Ababa, the clothes are being sold by la Rinascente department stores in Florence and Milan. This project shows the commitment of the School to the education of young designers entering the world of fashion. With an excellent cultural and practical training, students learn to project their outfits being also aware of ethical practices, without forgetting the importance of the environment. It is a winning formula to guarantee the graduates apprenticeships in the most important fashion and design companies and a high percentage of employment after graduation."