The unveiling of the strategic partnership between Istituto Marangoni and the Saudi Fashion Commission took place at a press conference in Riyadh, organized by Istituto Marangoni. Stefania Valenti, Global Managing Director of Istituto Marangoni, and Burak Çakmak, Chief Executive Officer of the Fashion Commission of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture, made the announcement following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, in the presence of His Excellency Vice Minister of Culture Hamed bin Mohammed Fayez.

Following its global vision to be present in the most relevant countries for enhancing the development of the local fashion and luxury marketplaces, Istituto Marangoni will be the first international Higher Education Group in the creative fields, with a focus on fashion and luxury, to open in Riyadh. Its mission in Saudi Arabia is to catalyze fresh avenues for local talent development, women empowerment, and employment in a country undergoing rapid transformation into one of the world’s most dynamic markets for young, digitalized consumers, and creatives.

Aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, thanks to the active collaboration with the Saudi Fashion Commission, Istituto Marangoni has the goal to provide its high-level educational support, enabling both international and local brands to develop new creative and managerial skills in fashion and luxury, fragrances and cosmetics, visual merchandising, to support the further development of the fashion and luxury system in Saudi Arabia.

The new institute in Riyadh, to be accredited by TVTC (Technical and Vocational Training Corporation), is set to open its doors in 2025 to provide an innovative and dynamic academic offer of courses that will be designed to propel careers in fashion, business, and luxury management. The main academic program will be a 3-year Advanced Diploma available in specific core areas, such as Fashion Design, Fashion Management, Fashion Product, Fashion Styling & Creative Direction, but also in the management of Fragrances & Cosmetics and Interior Design. Students will also have the opportunity to choose whether to complete the Advanced Diploma in Riyadh and step into the fashion industry through a 6-month internship during the last year of study or complete studies for a Bachelor Degree at any international Istituto Marangoni campus.

The academic offer will also include a range of courses catering to both aspiring and established professionals that are looking to enhance their skills in the areas of fashion business, digital marketing, product management and emerging technologies.. The resounding success of the distance learning course on Digital Fashion and CLO3D, offered to Saudi designers in partnership with the Fashion Commission over the past two years, serves as a testament to the market's readiness for this type of educational opportunity.