Accademia Costume & Moda: Rome and Milan, top-tier programs
Accademia Costume & Moda, in Rome since 1964, ranks among the world's top three fashion schools according to The Business of Fashion. The only Italian school to have won three editions of the LVMH Graduate Prize, with an employability rate above 85%.
About Accademia Costume & Moda
Accademia Costume & Moda is a private university institution with campuses in Rome and Milan, ranking among the world's top three fashion schools according to The Business of Fashion. The historic campus is located on Via della Rondinella in Rome, in a 1925 building designed by architect Vincenzo Fasolo, joined in 2024 by a second Rome location on Via Pellegrino Rossi, in the former Magazzini MAS building. Since 2020 the Academy has also had a presence in Milan, on Via Antonio Fogazzaro.
The school offers courses legally recognized by the Ministry of University and Research in the fields of Fashion Design, Theatrical and Film Costume, Jewelry Design, Pattern Making, Tailoring, Styling, Fashion Communication and Journalism, and Management. The Academy is the only Italian fashion school to have won three editions of the prestigious LVMH Graduate Prize, in 2016, 2018 and 2019.
Main academic areas
Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Fashion Design, Theatrical and Film Costume, Jewelry Design, Pattern Making, Tailoring, Styling, Communication and Management
Accademia Costume & Moda statistics and indicators
Courses available in both Italian and English depending on the program and level.
Accademia Costume & Moda's history
Accademia Costume & Moda was founded in Rome in 1964 by Rosana Pistolese, a costume and fashion historian as well as a costume designer for theater, television and film, together with Ottavio Spadaro, Dario Cecchi and Nello Ponente, established under the Ministry of Labor and Social Security and with the patronage of the City of Rome. The celebrated illustrator René Gruau designed the academy's logo specifically for its founder. The historic campus was established on Via della Rondinella, within a 1925 building designed by architect Vincenzo Fasolo.
Over more than sixty years of history the academy has established itself as one of the most prestigious fashion schools in the world, distinguished in particular for its bachelor's and Master's courses in Fashion Design, recognized by The Business of Fashion report among the best globally. Since 2020 the academy has opened a campus in Milan, on Via Fogazzaro, expanding its territorial presence, and in 2024 inaugurated a second Rome location in the former Magazzini MAS spaces, a historic commercial building in the capital, confirming a phase of growth and consolidation for the institution.
What people say online about Accademia Costume & Moda
Reviews on portals like Studentville.it and Eduniversal are generally very positive.
Ranking among the world's top three fashion schools according to "The Best Fashion Schools in the World" report, a rare international recognition for a relatively small Italian institution.
A dedicated Careers Office follows students from portfolio development through to job interview preparation, supporting an employability rate above 85%.
- Ranked among the top three fashion schools worldwide by Business of Fashion (2019)
- Only Italian school to have won three editions of the LVMH Graduate Prize (2016, 2018, 2019)
- Employability rate above 85%, supported by a dedicated Careers Office
- Family management now in its third generation, seen as a guarantee of continuity in Rosana Pistolese's original vision
- Historic campus in a 1925 building overlooking Castel Sant'Angelo, described as an environment of great charm and creative inspiration
- Relatively small scale compared to larger competitors like Istituto Marangoni or Parsons
- No serious systematic criticism in the public sources reviewed
FAQ — Accademia Costume & Moda
Accademia Costume & Moda demonstrates how a relatively small Italian institution can compete with major international education groups: family management now in its third generation ensures continuity of vision, while its three LVMH Graduate Prizes confirm educational excellence in fashion and costume.
