One of the most significant differences between my home university and NABA Milano is the learning style. Back in the U.S, we tend to employ a lecture style of learning, so the majority of our classes take place in the classroom, learning predominately from our professor’s knowledge and textbook examples. Here in Milano, though, the professors seem to favor a more hands-on approach, and a fair amount of the class sessions I’ve attended here have been devoted to field trips. Since I consider myself tactile learner, I actually prefer this approach, as I feel it provides me with more field experience to help me truly understand the lesson. For this reason, I am ecstatic that I have been able to go on at least one field trip in every class this semester. Here are some of my highlights!

The designer of my favorite brand I encountered at the Fashion Hub Market, Les Incompétents

Armani Silos
For my History of Fashion and Costume class, we recently took a trip to Armani Silos, located only about a 10 minute walk from NABA. “Silos” is the Greek word for a unit that can store a large volume of matter, so it is the perfect description for this massive archive of some of Giorgio Armani’s most notable creations. The museum is divided into three floors: the top floor contains one-of-a-kind, haute couture pieces, and contains a small theatre room with some of Armani’s most iconic fashion films on loop. The second floor contains rooms of beautifully curated collections dating all the way back to the company’s beginning. Finally, the first floor contains an extensive collection of menswear, which is the core of the brand, as well as an array of beautiful accessories from throughout the years. Armani Silos is free, and it’s a great way to get in touch with Milan’s fashionable roots.

Accessories from Armani Silos

10 Corso Como
In my Fashion Trends and Forecasting class, our first meeting was dedicated to visiting 10 Corso Como. This place is legendary not only in Milan, but worldwide, because it is credited as being the original “concept store”. This means they not only sell extremely fashionable and trendy clothing, shoes, and handbags, but they also sell a lifestyle. Apart from the store itself, 10 Corso Como boasts a café with a beautiful courtyard, an art gallery that rotates exhibits every few months, a bookstore that sells fashion magazines and publications from all around the world, and my personal favorite, a rooftop garden.

My personal favorite look from Armani Silos was this Indian-inspired outfit

Fashion Hub Market
To kick off my Milan Fashion Week, I went with my Fashion Styling Class to the Fashion Hub Market. This event only takes place during fashion week, so the visit felt a bit more exclusive than the previous two I described. Essentially, it is a gallery of newer designers presenting their collections for the new season. This experience feels more intimate than a fashion show, because you can hold and look at the garments for as long as you want to, and the designers are always present to answer any questions you may have or further explain the concepts behind their new collections. It’s a great way to get into the spirit of fashion week without all the fuss of attending a fashion show, and since there are so many different designers present, you’re almost guaranteed to find something that inspires you.

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Jocelyn is a Fall 2017 SAI Milan student from Lasell College.