PONTOGLIO 1883 INDUSTRY PROJECT | MASTER MENSWEAR DESIGN

It did not begin in the classroom, but among looms and lengths of velvet. The new Industry Project of the Master in Menswear Design at Accademia Costume & Moda took shape directly within the production spaces of Pontoglio 1883, where students received the 2026 brief immersed in the very raw material of the project: fabric.

Entering the company for the official launch was not merely a symbolic gesture. It was a statement of method. Even before sketching, before building moodboards and defining silhouettes, students observed the production cycle at close range, listened to the story of a company that since 1883 has combined artisanal tradition with innovation, and experienced first-hand the quality of a textile heritage that continues to evolve.

From 12 February to 16 March 2026, the design pathway entitled “Menswear Then, Menswear Now”, led by Ernesto Pigni, invites students to engage with two decisive ruptures in Western history: the French Revolution and the Second World War.

The focus is the evolution of menswear as an expression of social classes, between civilian dress and military uniform, between function and symbol, between belonging and rebellion. Each student selects a specific historical period and geographical context, undertaking in-depth historical and iconographic research before translating it into a contemporary capsule collection capable of balancing creative vision with commercial potential.

The brief requires the development of a capsule comprising at least ten total looks, spanning formal and lifestyle outerwear, shirts, trousers, jersey pieces, knitwear and textile accessories. Yet what truly matters is not simply the number of garments, but the coherence of the system that binds them together.

Throughout these intensive weeks, research ceases to be a purely theoretical exercise and becomes a creative engine. Students learn to question their sources, to build a rigorous methodology, and to transform analysis into coherent design decisions. They experiment, make mistakes, refine, and articulate their ideas. They train their critical eye as much as their hand.

Projects such as the collaboration with Pontoglio embody the essence of the Master in Menswear Design at Accademia Costume & Moda: a programme that brings culture, industry and contemporary vision into dialogue.

Each student is called upon to construct a strong, self-aware personal language, ready to enter the international fashion system with competence and character.

Because menswear is not merely a product category. It is a cultural territory in constant transformation, requiring designers capable of reading the past, interpreting the present and imagining new possibilities.