Submitted by Hannah Wilson on the 2017 winter session study abroad program in Italy sponsored by the Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies…
My third and final week in Milan is over and I learned a lot. Milan was extremely different from Florence and Volterra, as this city was much more modern. Milan holds the financial district of Italy and has many skyscrapers and buildings similar to cities in the United States. We visited two fashion companies this week and I was able to apply my in-class learning to the real-world. We traveled up to Switzerland in order to visit VF Corporation, a global leader in branded lifestyle apparel, footwear and accessories. VF Corporation owns over 30 brands, including Vans, Timberland and The North Face. This company visit was amazing. We had a tour of their European headquarters, which was an outstanding facility with very interesting and unique decorations for each branded area. The company executives that were in charge of the day were kind, accommodating and informative. They planned a full day of presentations for us fashion students and we were able to hear from all areas of the business. We learned about VF Corp’s supply chain, merchandising, distribution, marketing and more. It was a great day. I was able to take my in-class experience and see how it actually works in a company I could one day be employed by. On the way back, we stopped at the beautiful Lake Como and took in the views.
Another one of my favorite days in Milan was visiting Missoni, a luxury Italian brand known for its knitwear. We drove up to the headquarters and were given a personal tour of the factory and offices by the grandson of the founders. It was quite an experience as we were given an intimate look at the company workings. The sneak peek at Missoni fabrics being created and the details being sewn into scarfs, dresses and more was incredible. I was lucky to see the design labs, where we met the head designer and to see the exclusive showroom in Milan. After this day, I gained a deeper appreciation for luxury brands, as I saw the craftsmanship and care that goes into these products. I am sad to see this journey in Italy end. I learned so much about myself, the Italian culture and fashion. I can’t wait to come back to Italy one day, I absolutely loved it.