The scholarship admissions page says AZ Academy is open to designers with an existing brand or clearly defined brand concept, recent graduates specializing in garment design, accessories, artifacts or jewelry, and creative entrepreneurs with fashion or creative-industry experience. The scholarship covers tuition, though recipients remain responsible for the registration fee, travel and living expenses while in Milan.
Alber Elbaz legacy guides a business-first fashion academy
The AZ Academy executive program is scheduled to begin Jan. 12, 2027, and will be taught in English in Milan. The program positions itself not as a traditional design course but as an accelerator for designers who already have a creative identity and need support building a sustainable business structure.
That distinction is central to the academy’s pitch. According to the program structure and milestones, participants move through business fundamentals, individual mentorship and final business acceleration, with work focused on brand definition, merchandising, pricing, circularity, sourcing, production, finance, communication, art direction and investor readiness.
The format reflects a continuing effort to translate Elbaz’s human-centered fashion philosophy into practical support for a new generation. Before the academy, Elbaz spent 14 years shaping Lanvin, a run that ended when he left Lanvin after 14 years as creative director in 2015. His later return through AZ Factory brought a more direct, inclusive and technology-minded approach to fashion.
From AZ Factory to AZ Academy
Elbaz’s comeback began publicly when AZ Factory arrived in January 2021 with practical, solutions-driven pieces intended to bring ease and joy to everyday dressing. Vogue reported at the time that the line emphasized streamlined basics, technical knitwear and size inclusivity, carrying forward Elbaz’s belief that fashion should help rather than hinder.
Just months later, Elbaz died in Paris at 59, leaving AZ Factory to evolve without the designer whose warmth and optimism had defined it. Richemont and AZ Factory later extended that spirit through collaborations with outside designers before making a deeper structural shift.
In a May 2024 announcement, Richemont said AZ Factory would evolve into AZ Academy: Business for Designers in partnership with Creative Academy and Accademia Costume & Moda. Philippe Fortunato, CEO of Fashion & Accessories Maisons at Richemont, called the academy “a unique offer to help independent fashion designers turn their creative visions into successful businesses.” Mauro Grimaldi, strategic adviser to the CEO of Richemont’s fashion division, framed the move as a tribute, asking, “What better way to pay tribute to Alber Elbaz?”
What applicants should know before the deadline
AZ Academy is designed for applicants who can present a defined creative point of view and are ready to develop the business side of their brand. The program FAQ says in-person attendance in Milan is required for the first intensive modules, and the only participant cost listed for the education program is a registration fee of 2,500 euros plus 22% VAT, with travel and living expenses not included.
The academy’s leadership and mentor network are also part of its appeal. The faculty and guest lecturer roster includes Mauro Grimaldi as strategic adviser for Richemont and Barbara Trebitsch as director of AZ Academy, along with industry figures working across sustainability, merchandising, finance, legal affairs, production, retail and brand strategy.
For emerging designers, the timing adds urgency. With applications closing May 20, the scholarship offers more than access to classes; it extends a lineage from Elbaz’s Lanvin years to AZ Factory’s experiment in caring, accessible fashion and now to a business academy built around mentorship, structure and long-term creative independence.
