- FAST sustains the local Florentine traditions of Straw, Leather, and Knit production.
- FAST sustains our local economy, using only local materials and resources.
- FAST is our present and our sustainable future.
- FAST in an integration project with the local culture.
- FAST is supported by local green-mapped small businesses that interact and share their expertise, cultural lore, and craftsmanship with our international students.
- FAST’s vision does NOT seek to evoke nor cling to a glorious past but unites tradition with technology for the following purpose: preserve local traditions and trade techniques while constructing a contemporary, forward-looking future for the present and coming generations who will continue to create in Florence.
MISSION
- FAST was founded in order to bridge the widening gap between design and manual skills in fashion and accessories.
- FAST has the objective of integrating the current cultures in Florence.
- To offer students a hands-on experience that allows them to acquire a real knowledge of the materials and how to create fashion and
- explore the concept of beauty based on local resources.
- To provide a laboratory experience where the fresh eyes of students and seasoned expertise of instructors who come from the artisanal,
- professional, and academic fields will result in exciting proposals in the fields of fashion and accessories.
- To add a new perspective to Florence’s longstanding position in fashion design and accessories.
- To explore and implement environmentally intelligent practices in the areas of fashion and accessories in two ways: preserving
- the local microcosm of traditional techniques and the search for alternative approaches to the production process that produces less environmental waste and damage.
VALUES
- Cultural and technical support from local green-mapped small businesses, which support our international students by sharing their expertise and cultural lore.
- An international teaching staff whose backgrounds include professional and academic experiences in the fashion industry and currently practicing artisans.
- Cutting edge and equipped lab facilities in the completely renovated historical palace Palazzo Guicciardini Strozzi where students will create hands on assignments, including a Renaissance Ballroom for fashion shows and projects.
- A challenging and varied academic curriculum composed of lectures, workshops, and laboratories.
- Structured programs for students who aim towards professional development and future careers in the industry.
- Opportunities for exposure and integration in the local community through fashion projects, shows, and events.