Master's in Fashion & Textile Design in Europe

This master's program combines creative design, sustainability, and technology in the context of fashion and textile industries. Core subjects include smart product development, strategic marketing, design management, and product life cycle analysis. Students can choose from field-specific electives such as textile innovation, functional garment development, and branding strategy. The program also covers logistics, smart materials, and 2D/3D clothing design. It includes practical placements and concludes with a master's thesis, preparing students for advanced roles in design and product development.

To enter this master's program, candidates need a professional bachelor's degree in textile production technologies, material production, engineering, or natural sciences. Depending on the background, admission may also require an entrance exam, work experience in related fields, or completed coursework in textile and clothing production. For the design specialization, applicants must go through a portfolio review. For the clothing and textile technologies track, education and professional qualifications are evaluated to ensure a suitable match.

This two-year master's degree prepares students to manage communication, marketing, and consumer behavior within the fashion industry, with a strong emphasis on how sustainability is reshaping the fashion landscape and consumer purchasing behavior. It examines fashion as a complex, multidisciplinary phenomenon, encompassing the fashion cycle and fashion system, branding, consumer behavior, and consumption, while considering the sector's broader economic, social, and environmental impacts.

The program begins with a foundational first year in textile management, following a problem-based learning approach in which students independently search for, analyze, and present current research on the themes covered in each course. Coursework in this first year covers business and management within the textile and fashion industry, sustainability-oriented business models, the theoretical foundations of supply chain management and fashion studies, research methodology and the philosophy of science in textile management, and business strategy and strategic management. The first year concludes with a field study course, giving students the opportunity to complete an internship, lay the groundwork for their own business venture, or work as a research assistant within one of the program's research groups; students who choose to conclude their studies at this point can earn a one-year master's degree with a major in textile management.

The second year deepens this foundation with a focus on fashion management and marketing, centering on the structure, dynamics, and processes of change within the fashion system. Coursework addresses digital marketing communication in textile and fashion, fashion consumer behavior, trend analysis in fashion markets and systems, and cultural perspectives on consumption and branding in fashion markets, alongside continued attention to ethics and sustainability as themes running throughout the program. The program concludes with an independent research project resulting in a master's thesis, in which students demonstrate a critical approach and strong grounding in social science research methodology.

Students benefit from a learning environment that brings together design, technology, and management, with strong ties to industry collaboration, internships, and degree projects, particularly given the concentration of textile companies in the surrounding region. Graduates go on to advanced roles such as sustainability manager, corporate social responsibility manager, fashion editor, marketing and promotion specialist, buyer, social media specialist, sales manager, content creator, business developer, managing director, design coordinator, or visual merchandiser, while others establish their own businesses or continue on to doctoral study.

Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree comprising at least 180 credits in a field such as social sciences, business administration, fashion studies, industrial engineering and management, textile design, or fashion design. Applicants must also demonstrate English proficiency equivalent to English 6 (English level 2) in the Swedish upper secondary school system.

Because the program accepts applicants from academic backgrounds outside textiles and fashion, admission places particular weight on demonstrated analytical reasoning about sustainability issues in the field, rather than requiring a specific prior specialization. Alongside the formal application, applicants must submit a motivation letter, written in English and evaluated in two parts, along with a resume, which are read and scored anonymously by an admissions committee based on content and communicative quality. Applicants whose motivation letters are approved are then invited to a digital interview conducted in English, and the admissions committee's final recommendation for admission is based on the combined outcome of this process.

This program in Fashion Studies offers two specialization tracks: Communication Strategies for Fashion Design and Strategic Management for the Fashion System. The communication track focuses on fashion media, visual culture, and fashion photography, with optional courses in ethics, fashion curation, and immersive technologies. The management track emphasizes data science, global marketing, corporate finance, and cultural industries, with a practical approach to the fashion business environment. Both tracks include internships, interdisciplinary electives, and flexible final examination paths that may integrate internships or study abroad opportunities.

Admission requires a degree in fields such as cultural heritage, visual arts, humanities, business, communication, economics, sociology, design, architecture, or computer science. Candidates must have earned at least 50 credits across at least two of five disciplinary areas, including literary studies, arts, performing arts and design, communication and social sciences, and economics. English language proficiency at B2 level is mandatory, and non-native Italian speakers must demonstrate or acquire adequate Italian language skills during the program. Students yet to graduate may apply if they complete their degree by the end of the calendar year. EU students typically pay around €1,200/year based on family income. Non-EU students usually pay a fixed fee of about €1,400/year. Check with the university for your exact fee.

This master's degree brings together a wide range of craft disciplines under a shared, material-oriented philosophy, fostering an environment where makers develop individual studio practices while contributing to broader theoretical discussions in the craft field. Students position themselves within contemporary craft discourse through research-based, hands-on study, working to challenge traditional ways of thinking about making and to promote a caring, attentive relationship with materials and environment.

The two-year, 120-credit program is built around four main studios spread across four semesters, each focused on core principles, formats, processes, and methods of artistic research and their application to an evolving individual creative practice. Each semester, students work with a dedicated studio advisor and their own workspace, developing both technical skill and the ability to contextualize their work through relevant references and argumentation. Alongside individual studio work, students take part in collective experiences, including a multi-week fieldwork trip abroad in the first year and shorter field trips throughout the program, exploring vernacular contexts, gathering materials firsthand, and engaging with low-tech processes and tools; students also take part in group exhibitions and public interventions throughout their studies.

Craft theory coursework runs alongside the studio work, introducing students to contemporary concepts and debates in craft, design, and material research, such as material agency, new materialism, phenomenology, tactile knowledge, post-colonial perspectives, and environmental approaches, while training students to integrate theoretical thinking with practice through reading, writing, and proper research documentation. Students also gain direct professional experience, whether by assisting research projects or doctoral investigations, teaching alongside faculty or proposing an elective course, or completing an external studio-based internship, and can shape part of their studies through elective coursework in areas such as philosophy, cultural theory, academic writing, visual literacy, or other topics that vary from year to year.

The program concludes with a substantial independent creative project combining practice-led work with a written component, through which students demonstrate their ability to position, contextualize, and critically reflect on their artistic research and professional development; the first year concludes with a published volume of student writing, and the program as a whole culminates in a public exhibition, intervention, design solution, or other presentation as part of a formal thesis defense.

Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree and demonstrate English language proficiency at the B2 level. The application requires a copy of the applicant's bachelor's degree certificate and academic transcript, a passport or ID copy, a CV, and a digital portfolio containing up to ten projects with short descriptions.

Applicants must also submit a completed questionnaire addressing their creative practice, critical and reflective thinking, prior experience in design or craft, thesis research interests, and motivations for applying. The portfolio is assessed for clarity of presentation, the quality of previous work, and the applicant's ability to position their work within the field and carry out independent research; passing this stage is required to advance to an interview, conducted online, which evaluates the applicant's ability to present and argue for their ideas, their knowledge across disciplinary boundaries, and the overall fit between their goals and the program's study environment and methods. Final admission decisions are based on the combined results of the questionnaire, portfolio, and interview.

This master’s program offers in-depth training in textile design, fiber physics, special fibers, clothing construction, and production technologies. Students develop expertise in smart and technical textiles, computer-aided design, and sustainable practices. The curriculum includes hands-on lab work, modeling, and management courses, with elective options in nanotechnology, biodegradable fibers, and textile biomaterials. The final semester focuses on a diploma thesis, industry practice, and preparation for careers in textile innovation, design, and manufacturing.

To apply for English-taught programs, applicants must hold a Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, or an equivalent degree. They must demonstrate English proficiency at a minimum B2 level through accepted exams such as FCE, CAE, CPE, IELTS (6+), TOEFL (iBT 87+), TOEIC (700+), or equivalent certifications. Alternatively, proof that English was the medium of instruction at a previous institution is also accepted. These requirements ensure students are prepared to engage fully with academic content delivered in English.

This one-year master's degree builds multidisciplinary management competencies at an advanced level, aimed at developing leaders equipped to address sustainability challenges in the textile and fashion industry. It introduces students who may have no prior background in textiles or fashion to the fundamentals of textile management, combining research insight with professional preparation and offering the chance to build an international network within an interdisciplinary, multicultural learning environment.

The program spans two terms of full-time study, following a problem-based learning approach in which students independently search for, analyze, and present current research on the themes covered in each course. The first term broadens and deepens students' existing bachelor's-level knowledge through coursework in business and management within the textile and fashion industry, sustainability-oriented business models, the theoretical foundations of supply chain management and fashion studies, and business strategy and strategic management, alongside a dedicated course in research methodology and the philosophy of science as applied to textile management. An introductory course in the program's textile laboratories, covering areas such as weaving, knitting, and sewing, also gives students practical insight into textile materials and production.

In the second term, students take two parallel courses forming the basis of two specializations within the field: fashion retail marketing, and the governance and sustainability of textile value chains through sustainable supply chain management in the apparel and textile industry. The term concludes with an independent research project resulting in a master's thesis, in which students demonstrate a critical approach and strong awareness of social science research methodology.

Because the program draws students from a wide range of academic backgrounds, including business administration, industrial engineering, fashion studies, and textile or fashion design, career outcomes vary depending on each student's prior education, but the program is designed to add specialized competencies in management and sustainability applicable across roles in the textile and fashion industry and trade.

Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree comprising at least 180 credits in a field such as social sciences, business administration, fashion studies, industrial engineering and management, engineering and technology, textile design, or fashion design. Applicants must also demonstrate English proficiency equivalent to English 6 (English level 2) in the Swedish upper secondary school system.

Because the program accepts applicants from academic backgrounds outside textiles and fashion, admission places particular weight on demonstrated analytical reasoning about sustainability issues in the field, rather than requiring a specific prior specialization. Alongside the formal application, applicants must submit a motivation letter, written in English and evaluated in two parts, along with a resume, which are read and scored anonymously by an admissions committee based on content and communicative quality. Applicants whose motivation letters are approved are then invited to a digital interview conducted in English, and the admissions committee's final recommendation for admission is based on the combined outcome of this process.

This master's degree specializes in performance wear, exploring and developing apparel that can actively perform, respond, protect, or support people during outdoor, sports, work, or artistic activities and interactions with their environment. Students investigate how clothing and body-related objects can play a central role in human performance and activity, considering perspectives spanning environmental, ethical, technical, and cultural factors, while building on undergraduate design knowledge to deepen their artistic, technical, theoretical, and reflective skills.

The program is organized around a series of major design projects, supported by shared coursework in design methodology and artistic development, along with design seminars that run alongside other courses throughout the two years. Each student's individual study plan grows out of the project proposed in their application, and a dedicated supervisor follows each student through all of their design projects, ensuring continuity across the program. Teaching takes place in a multidisciplinary environment, drawing on instructors from various backgrounds together with guest lecturers and external supervisors, which gives students the chance to build a professional network during their studies; mentoring, seminars, and workshop activities form the core teaching approach, and documented reflection on both process and results is embedded in every design project.

In the first year, students deepen their theoretical understanding of design methodology while developing their individual artistic practice in relation to current trends in art and design. They also develop their initial application project into a fuller design program and further advance that work either through a project that may involve collaboration with a textile or fashion company or organization, or through a practical placement within one, both with attention to sustainability in the fashion and textile industries. Students can also take elective courses in specific textile techniques, such as dyeing, textile printing, weaving, knitting, or construction, to deepen their technical skills.

The second year continues this trajectory through further study of design history and critical reflection, a research project exploring materials, design, and function in relation to fashion and textiles, and the concluding master's degree project, in which students bring together a final collection for exhibition. Throughout the program, students gain practical experience through internships, and take part in workshops, seminars, and guest lectures led by researchers and industry professionals, along with opportunities to present their work on national and international platforms.

Graduates go on to a range of career paths, including working as performance wear designers for companies producing sportswear, outdoor apparel, and performance costumes for dance and theater, launching their own textile or fashion-related businesses or design studios, collaborating with organizations focused on sustainable and socially responsible practices in the fashion industry, or pursuing doctoral studies and further research.

Applicants must hold an undergraduate degree comprising at least 180 credits in design, or an equivalent qualification, along with a demonstrated ability to conduct experimental, investigative work and engage in critical reflection. Applicants must also demonstrate English proficiency equivalent to English 6 (English level 2) in the Swedish upper secondary school system. Students with a bachelor's degree specifically in textile and fashion design are eligible to apply, as are those from other design-related disciplines or with equivalent skills to a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design, provided they meet the program's admission criteria.

Applicants apply for the performance wear specialization specifically and must submit a portfolio containing work samples and a CV, along with an application project describing their intended focus during the master's program. Eligibility and selection are assessed on artistic grounds in stages: the portfolio is first evaluated for artistic interpretive ability, experimental work, technical skill, and reflective capacity, after which selected applicants are invited to an interview, followed by a final ranking of eligible candidates for admission.

This master's degree centers on the integration of creative practice and critical thinking to address real-world challenges in fashion and textiles, preparing students to develop environmentally and culturally sustainable solutions while building the leadership skills needed in an industry undergoing significant change. Students are encouraged to explore multidisciplinary collaboration, new technologies, and new materialities, expanding their creative thinking and innovating design methods and solutions at a high artistic and professional level.

The two-year program comprises 120 ECTS credits in total, including a 30-ECTS master's thesis completed in the second year alongside supporting elective courses. The first year begins with an introductory course examining different approaches to sustainability in textile and fashion design, paired with a practice-based course focused on experimentation in material or shape, and continues with further compulsory coursework alongside a range of alternative and elective studio- and project-based courses. Students also take part in joint studies with the wider design department, broadening their exposure to related design disciplines.

Within the major, students can orient their work toward either material-led or shape-led design practices, applied within either a commercial or a more experimental context, allowing them to tailor their studies to their specific creative interests. Students build their personal study plan in consultation with an academic advisor, with the option to incorporate a minor or an internship, and are encouraged to pursue international exchange, competitions, exhibitions, and conferences to further enrich their learning.

Graduates are prepared for professional careers in the fashion and textile design industries, related media, and education, with many alumni working as designers and creative directors or establishing their own businesses; the program also equips graduates with the foundation needed to pursue doctoral studies or a career in academic and corporate research.

Applicants must hold a Bachelor of Arts degree in art and design, or have completed equivalent studies in fashion, clothing, or textile design. Admission is evaluated in two phases. In the first phase, applicants submit a portfolio containing a maximum of five samples of their artistic, professional, or scientific work, assessed for artistic and design skills, creative and conceptual thinking, and technical competence; a motivation letter addressing their interest in the program and professional goals; academic transcripts, with particular attention given to grades in artistic and design coursework, theoretical competence, and the bachelor's thesis; and a CV documenting work experience, internships, competitions, exhibitions, and other relevant achievements.

Applicants who rank highest in this first phase are invited to a second phase, which includes a further review of the submitted portfolio, focusing on originality and creative vision, along with an online interview assessing the applicant's communication skills, motivation, commitment, and suitability for the program. Final admission decisions are based on the combined evaluation from both phases.

This master's degree specializes in textile design, providing a forward-looking environment for rethinking and creating textiles within an expanded field encompassing textile craft, new materiality, innovation, and digital approaches to design. Students build on undergraduate design knowledge to deepen their artistic, technical, theoretical, and reflective skills, working with textiles across a range of contexts while placing sustainable design practice at the center of their studies.

The program is organized around a series of major design projects, supported by shared coursework in design methodology and artistic development, along with design seminars that run alongside other courses throughout the two years. Each student's individual study plan grows out of the project proposed in their application, and a dedicated supervisor follows each student through all of their design projects, ensuring continuity across the program. Teaching takes place in a multidisciplinary environment, drawing on instructors from various backgrounds together with guest lecturers and external supervisors, which gives students the chance to build a professional network during their studies; mentoring, seminars, and workshop activities form the core teaching approach, and documented reflection on both process and results is embedded in every design project.

In the first year, students deepen their theoretical understanding of design methodology while developing their individual artistic practice in relation to current trends in art and design. They also develop their initial application project into a fuller design program and further advance that work either through a project that may involve collaboration with a textile or fashion company or organization, or through a practical placement within one, both with attention to sustainability in the textile industry. Students can also take elective courses in specific textile techniques, such as dyeing, textile printing, weaving, knitting, or construction, to deepen their technical skills.

The second year continues this trajectory through further study of design history and critical reflection, a research project exploring materials, design, and function in relation to fashion and textiles, and the concluding master's degree project, in which students bring together a final collection for exhibition. Throughout the program, students gain practical experience through internships, and take part in workshops, seminars, and guest lectures led by researchers and industry professionals, along with opportunities to present their work on national and international platforms.

Graduates go on to a range of career paths, including working as textile designers for companies across sectors such as furniture, automotive, and interiors, launching their own textile or fashion-related businesses or design studios, collaborating with organizations focused on sustainable and socially responsible practices in the textile industry, or pursuing doctoral studies and further research.

Applicants must hold an undergraduate degree comprising at least 180 credits in design, or an equivalent qualification, along with a demonstrated ability to conduct experimental, investigative work and engage in critical reflection. Applicants must also demonstrate English proficiency equivalent to English 6 (English level 2) in the Swedish upper secondary school system. Students with a bachelor's degree specifically in textile and fashion design are eligible to apply, as are those from other design-related disciplines or with equivalent skills to a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design, provided they meet the program's admission criteria.

Applicants apply for the textile design specialization specifically and must submit a portfolio containing work samples and a CV, along with an application project describing their intended focus during the master's program. Eligibility and selection are assessed on artistic grounds in stages: the portfolio is first evaluated for artistic interpretive ability, experimental work, technical skill, and reflective capacity, after which selected applicants are invited to an interview, followed by a final ranking of eligible candidates for admission.

At its core, this master's degree treats fashion design in its broadest sense, as a practice that explores, expresses, and shapes individuals, communities, bodies, and human-cultural interactions. Students specializing in fashion design investigate expressions centered on the human body from environmental, technical, economic, and political perspectives, all situated within a cultural context, building on an undergraduate foundation in design to develop artistic, technical, theoretical, and reflective skills at an advanced level.

The program is organized around a series of major design projects, supported by shared coursework in design methodology and artistic development, along with design seminars that run alongside other courses throughout the two years. Each student's individual study plan grows out of the project proposed in their application, and a dedicated supervisor follows each student through all of their design projects, ensuring continuity across the program. Teaching takes place in a multidisciplinary environment, drawing on instructors from various backgrounds together with guest lecturers and external supervisors, which gives students the chance to build a professional network during their studies; mentoring, seminars, and workshop activities form the core teaching approach, and documented reflection on both process and results is embedded in every design project.

In the first year, students deepen their theoretical understanding of design methodology while developing their individual artistic practice in relation to current trends in art and design. They also develop their initial application project into a fuller design program and further advance that work either through a project that may involve collaboration with a company or organization, or through a practical placement within one, both with attention to sustainability in the fashion and textile industries. Students can also take elective courses in specific textile techniques, such as dyeing, textile printing, weaving, knitting, or construction, to deepen their technical skills.

The second year continues this trajectory through further study of design history and critical reflection, a research project exploring materials, design, and function in relation to fashion and textiles, and the concluding master's degree project, in which students bring together a final collection for exhibition. Throughout the program, students gain practical experience through internships, and take part in workshops, seminars, and guest lectures led by researchers and industry professionals, along with opportunities to present their work on national and international platforms.

Graduates go on to a range of career paths, including working as fashion designers for established companies, launching their own textile or fashion-related businesses or design studios, collaborating with organizations focused on sustainable and socially responsible practices in the fashion industry, or pursuing doctoral studies and further research.

Applicants must hold an undergraduate degree comprising at least 180 credits in design, or an equivalent qualification, along with a demonstrated ability to conduct experimental, investigative work and engage in critical reflection. Applicants must also demonstrate English proficiency equivalent to English 6 (English level 2) in the Swedish upper secondary school system. Students with a bachelor's degree specifically in textile and fashion design are eligible to apply, as are those from other design-related disciplines or with equivalent skills to a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design, provided they meet the program's admission criteria.

Applicants apply for the fashion design specialization specifically and must submit a portfolio containing work samples and a CV, along with an application project describing their intended focus during the master's program. Eligibility and selection are assessed on artistic grounds in stages: the portfolio is first evaluated for artistic interpretive ability, experimental work, technical skill, and reflective capacity, after which selected applicants are invited to an interview, followed by a final ranking of eligible candidates for admission.