Which Milan programmes guarantee hands-on experience with top-tier industry brands?
Read how at Domus Academy you can collaborate with top-tier companies in a workshop-based education: Google, Samsung, Technogym, MAX&Co and many more!
Today, choosing a design school isn’t just about evaluating a programme’s academic reputation. For many international students, the question is more concrete: where can you actually work on real projects, alongside real companies?
In Milan – a global capital of fashion, design and innovation – Domus Academy has built its educational model around one clear principle: learning by designing, in close contact with the creative industry.
Domus Academy workshops don’t simulate the creative industry – they are part of it. Students work on real briefs commissioned by international brands, receive direct feedback from the professionals involved and present their projects in final reviews that mirror the dynamics of a creative studio or agency.
Over the years, the school has collaborated with companies such as Google, Bulgari, Samsung, Moncler, Ducati and Versace – tackling themes ranging from product innovation and sustainability to branding and experience design. As Dennis de Munck, Head of Employer Branding and University Relations at Ferrari, put it: “Collaboration with Domus Academy allows us to work on new ideas, on innovation — and to see if that could be interesting for our business in the future.”
In the upcoming academic intakes, this approach continues to evolve. September 2026 will see new workshops in collaboration with Belmond (LVMH Group), Sun68 and Sirivannavari. November will bring partnerships with Foscarini – the iconic Italian lighting design brand – and Ann Demeulemeester.
Studying in Milan means immersing yourself in one of the most dynamic and interconnected creative environments in the world. Fashion Week, Salone del Mobile, design studios, showrooms and cultural institutions turn the city into a permanent laboratory – one where the distance between education and industry nearly disappears.
In this context, contact with companies isn’t an added bonus: it’s at the core of the learning experience. Workshops allow students to build portfolios, develop professional networks and acquire real industry language — all before graduation.
The impact can be measured in the paths taken by alumni. Vardhui Torozyan, a fashion designer and Domus Academy alumna, collaborated with Sa Su Phi – the luxury brand behind some of the looks created for The Devil Wears Prada 2. A story that speaks clearly to the connection between creative experimentation and the contemporary fashion industry.
On the product design side, during Milan Design Week 2026, alumna Ruya Akyol – based between Milan and Istanbul – presented new work developed through her multidisciplinary studio, operating across furniture, product and spatial design.
Different stories, same thread: a training that prepares you to move across disciplines, markets and cultures with confidence and a strong design identity.
In a constantly evolving job market, the ability to build real connections between education and industry makes all the difference. This is precisely the vision that drives the school’s partnerships — including its collaboration with Samsung, where the goal was, in the words of Anastasia Buda, Head of ESG & Corporate Citizenship at Samsung Electronics Italia, to “stimulate reflection on the conscious use of AI, promoting a culture of innovation that always puts human beings at the centre.”
According to the school’s most recent employment surveys, 91% of Domus Academy graduates find work within one year of completing their degree – often in international contexts across fashion, design, luxury and communication. A result that reflects an educational model built around learning by designing, cross-disciplinary thinking and direct engagement with the industry.
FAQ – Frequent questions
1.What makes Domus Academy’s workshops different from traditional academic projects?
Students work on real briefs commissioned by international brands, receive feedback directly from industry professionals and present their work in final reviews that reflect the actual dynamics of a creative studio or agency.
2.Which companies have collaborated with Domus Academy on workshops?
Over the years, the school has partnered with brands such as Google, Bulgari, Samsung, Moncler, Ducati and Versace – with upcoming collaborations including Belmond, Sun68, Sirivannavari, Foscarini and Ann Demeulemeester.
3.Why is Milan an important part of the learning experience?
Milan is home to Fashion Week, Salone del Mobile, leading design studios and major cultural institutions, making it a permanent creative laboratory where the boundary between education and industry almost disappears.
4.What can students build during their time at Domus Academy?
Through hands-on workshops and direct contact with companies, students develop their portfolio, professional network and real industry knowledge — all before graduating.
5.What are the employment outcomes for Domus Academy graduates?
According to the school’s most recent surveys, 91% of graduates find work within one year of completing their degree, often in international roles across fashion, design, luxury and communication.