Circular Fashion Design

Circular Fashion Design is the RUFA Summer Academy course that invites participants to capture the atmosphere of Ancient Rome through contemporary moulage, in collaboration with Tangoli. A research workshop dedicated to sustainable fashion design, designed to decode the archetype and reinvent fashion through the aesthetics of Classical Rome.

DURATION > 1 WEEK

LANGUAGE > ENGLISH

WHEN > 13 – 17 JULY 2026

CAMPUS > ROME

Drape the past. Wear the future

The programme offers a journey through forms, materials and imagery: from the practice of moulage to experimentation with positive-impact solutions. Participants will explore the inspiration offered by the remains of Ancient Rome, such as the mosaics and paintings of Palazzo Massimo and the sculptures of Centrale Montemartini, reinterpreting them through the lens of contemporary fashion.

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Fashion inspired by history

The course brings classical heritage into dialogue with the work of designers and maisons that have drawn inspiration from antiquity, from Fortuny, Grès, Alaïa and Schiaparelli to Versace and many others. The ideas gathered will be reworked into free-form creations made with zero-impact materials and shaped directly on the mannequin using the moulage technique, which draws on the principle of draping used by the ancient Romans.

The programme is open to university and Fine Arts Academy students, Fashion Design, Design and Art History students, and anyone who wants to explore fashion design with particular attention to the moulage technique and a critical approach to its impact.

At the end of the course, participants who have attended at least 4 of the 5 scheduled lessons will receive a certificate of attendance, which may be used for the possible recognition of 2 CFA academic credits.

**The founder of TANGOLI at RUFA: upcycling and inclusion for Circular Fashion Design.**

Course type: group – in person
Participants: Min. 8, max. 15. The programme is open to university and Fine Arts Academy students, Fashion Design, Design and Art History students, and anyone who wants to explore fashion design with particular attention to the moulage technique and a critical approach to its impact.
Attendance: Monday to Friday, from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm
Duration: 6-10 July 2026
Cost: €850
Requirements/materials: fabric scissors, pins, measuring tape, tailor’s chalk, leftover fabric or old garments for upcycling, other fabrics (tbc).
Language: English
Lecturers: Guenda Cermel, Alessandra Donato
Campus: RUFA, via Giuseppe Libetta, 7 + several visits around the city
Certificate: At the end of the course, participants who have attended at least 4 of the 5 scheduled lessons will receive a certificate of attendance, which may be used for the possible recognition of 2 CFU

The workshop begins with guided visits to museums and sites related to the Classical world, not only to discover antiquity but also to capture its interaction with metropolitan Rome, transforming personal impressions into inspiration for the choice of colours and materials that participants will record in their travel journals or mood boards under the guidance of the lecturers. After a brief but comprehensive introduction to the moulage technique, participants will move on to creating their own designs directly on the mannequin, assisted by the lecturers. At the end of the course, the entire class will reflect collectively on how to create a coherent styling and presentation for their creations, following an eco-design approach that trains creatives to work both individually and collectively while reflecting on the multiple relationships and impacts involved in fashion-making.

GUENDA CERMEL
Head of Fashion who, throughout her career, has developed a comprehensive professional profile combining design and strategy, gradually taking on roles of increasing responsibility within leading Italian and international companies: Stefanel, OVS, Coin, HSE. After entering the fashion world following studies in Art History and a period in New York working in the contemporary art market, she began as a junior designer and gradually learned to manage the entire fashion process, from creative aspects (inspiration, design and collection production) to strategic aspects (budgeting, purchasing and sales), negotiation (worldwide sourcing and brand relations), operations (merchandising and visual) and communication (marketing).
She recently returned to studying, completing a Master’s in Philosophy and a second specialist degree in Integral Ecology. This gave her a completely new perspective on how to approach the fashion supply chain, encouraging her to implement, at every stage and as far as currently possible, a new conscious approach focused on impact. Since 2021, she has been Coordinator and Lecturer of RUFA’s Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Sustainable Fashion Design.

ALESSANDRA DONATO
Raised in Rome in a creative family, Alessandra began making clothes for her friends at the age of sixteen.
At eighteen, she moved to Paris to learn the art of haute couture, beginning a ten-year career in fashion between London, Paris and Stockholm and working for brands such as Chanel, Balmain, Maison Margiela and Acne Studios. After returning to Rome, she chose to bring her own artistic vision to life and founded the fashion brand TANGOLI, a company that makes sustainability its strength through recycled materials and haute couture dead-stock, made-to-order production and locally sourced work.

TANGOLI
“Tangoli” derives from the surname originally from Southern Italy given to the grandmothers of the brand’s founder, Alessandra Donato: seamstresses and weavers, wives with a passion for life and independence.
The choice of this name therefore celebrates their talent and legacy by creating lasting dreams translated into unique pieces.
Tangoli is a brand that makes sustainability its strength through recycled materials and haute couture dead-stock, made-to-order production and locally sourced work. Femininity and softness are the defining lines of the garments, which are also made to measure. Those who wear Tangoli have a strong personality, embracing life fully without sacrificing seduction.

https://www.tangoli.com/

RUFA Winter-Summer Course Students and Alumni: 10% RUFA Students and Alumni: 50% Very early bird: by 31 December 2025 – 15% Early bird: by 31 March 2026 – 10% Course/group/family package: contact [corsibrevi@unirufa.it](mailto:corsibrevi@unirufa.it) Participants who, after completing the course, enrol in a First- or Second-Level Academic Diploma Programme will receive a 10% reduction on the annual tuition fee for the first year of attendance.

RUFA has established several agreements with facilities providing housing services. For further information, please contact [corsibrevi@unirufa.it](mailto:corsibrevi@unirufa.it)