What Is a Fashion Open Day and Why You Should Attend One
Published by IIFM – Italian Institute of Fashion Management
12 July 2025
Intro: More Than Just a School Visit
If you're considering a Master’s program in fashion, attending an Open Day might be one of the smartest steps you can take. It’s not just a guided tour, whatever it could, on campus or virtual —it’s a window into your future. When you are in the process of evaluating different institutions, but also when exploring different post-graduate options, Open Days offers clarity, connections, and inspiration. Let’s discover why
1. What Is a Fashion Open Day, Exactly?
At its core, an Open Day is a live, curated experience that gives you access to an institution's educational offering, faculty, and environment.
But in the world of fashion and luxury, it’s much more than that. You step inside the culture of a school, discover its values, understand its network, and begin to imagine yourself within it. And these are the most important intangibles that you must discover before applying to an Institute: who will be in front of you? Why are they doing what they are currently doing? And most of all, do you think they are the right fit for you and your professional expectations?
2. What You’ll Experience During an Open Day
A high-quality Fashion Open Day—such as those organized by IIFM -Italian Institute of Fashion Management – Milano—typically includes:
Institutional Presentation: Meet the leadership and understand the school’s positioning in the fashion ecosystem.
Master’s Program Overview: Discover the academic offer, teaching methods, structure, and areas of specialization.
Faculty & Alumni Talk: Engage with tutors, director of academics and interact with other students like you to get real-world insights and career stories.
Q&A Session: Ask your most pressing questions about admissions, scholarships, career services, and life in Milan.
Optional Workshops or Guest Talks: Sometimes, Open Days include short lectures or talks by industry professionals.
3. Why Attending Makes a Real Difference
Here’s what many students say after attending:
“I thought I was still unsure, but the Open Day made everything clear. I saw myself there.” And “The Open Day gave me a real sense of what it means to study fashion management”
Attending in person gives you the emotional and intellectual input to:
Evaluate the quality of the teaching environment
Understand the professional mindset of the institution
See how students are supported into careers
Assess if the values match your ambitions
4. How to Prepare and Make the Most of It
Attending is great—but attending well-prepared is even better. Here’s how:
List your goals: Are you looking for international exposure, career opportunities, sustainability-focused programs?
Bring questions: About internships, company partnerships, housing, workload, language.
Observe carefully: How the team interacts with students, the facilities, the way the school presents itself.
Network: Introduce yourself to staff or other participants—you may already be forming your future network.
5. Inside the IIFM Open Day Experience
At IIFM – Milano, Open Days are designed to reflect the true essence of Italian fashion management: excellence, creativity, and strategic vision.
You’ll meet people with global teaching experience, industry experts in direct contact with luxury brands, and passionate students from all over the world.
Most importantly, you’ll understand what sets IIFM apart: a human, high-impact, globally connected approach to fashion education.
“Attending the Open Day was not just helpful—it was decisive.” – this is the most commonly heard statement.
6. Ready to Experience It Yourself?
We invite you to join the next IIFM Open Day—whether in person in Milan or through a live virtual session. You’ll see more than a school.
You’ll see your future.
Sign up for the next Open Day here
