Overview

The Master of Arts in Fashion and Costume Design at the NABA Rome campus explores the expressive possibilities of clothing, from haute couture collections to theatre and cinema costumes. Taught in Italian or English, this two-year programme combines cultural research with practical experimentation, developing the skills needed to turn a design vision into garments.

At the heart of the course is the relationship between clothing and storytelling. Students investigate how garments are designed for particular bodies and occasions, considering how they are presented and brought to life in performance. Historical collections and sartorial archives provide both a cultural foundation and a starting point for new work.

The programme connects this research with the techniques needed to develop fashion and costume projects. Key areas of study include:

• Costume design for theatre and cinema
• Material culture and textile design
• History of art and costume
• Pattern cutting and historical pattern cutting
• Styling for performance
• Fashion heritage and research into historical and sartorial archives
• Moulage, shaping fabric directly on a mannequin
• Haute couture design
• Conservation and curatorship for fashion and costume

Through experimental projects and laboratory work, students develop their ability to interpret research and apply it to creating clothing collections. The course also builds the independence and communication skills needed for professional practice, alongside an understanding of entrepreneurship.

The programme prepares students for professional paths including:

• Costume designer
• Fashion designer
• Independent designer
• Creative director
• Celebrity stylist
• Fashion stylist
• Trend forecaster
• Archive curator
• Haute couture designer

The course awards a Second Level Academic Degree in Fashion and Textile Design and carries 120 CFA credits.

Accreditation

NABA’s Master of Arts programmes award Second Level Academic Degrees recognised by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR). These qualifications have full legal status and are equivalent to the corresponding university degrees. The academic credits awarded can support progression to further study at academies and universities in Italy and abroad.