History

30s and 40s: the very beginning

•  1934; founded in Treviso by Carlo Secoli who perceived the need to spread tailoring culture and tradition and at the same time give tailors a constant reference point for material and services attainment.
•  1945: Istituto Secoli moves from Treviso to Milan because Carlo Secoli forecasts its future importance within the great social and cultural movements concerning industrial fashion and Milan. The school in those years of great economical expansion and cultural ferment shows its capability in understanding the needs of its interlocutors and in anticipating future requests of the sector, becoming in a few years a focal point for the apparel industry. Initial courses were pattern making courses: innovations made to teaching material (geometric, anthropometric, and creative profiles) made possible constructing, altering and grading any kind of pattern precisely. This great study permanently linked the history of Istituto Secoli to that of the industrial pattern making history and its evolution.  
  
• The passage of patternmaking from “made to measure” to set sizing, processing the very first scientific methods of size grading, constant technical upgrading, collaborating with companies that produced CAD systems are some of the chapters of tradition and innovative learning that have made Istituto Secoli indisputably one of the most renowned schools of Fashion (with more than 50,000 ex alumni)

50s and 60s : growth

•  1962: Istituto Secoli, collaborates with well known companies that produce apparel machinery and various American institutes of Fashion, and creates a “Time and Method Analysis and Industrial Organization” course. Primary objective: favouring professional growth in organizational skills at an industrial level.                                               
•  1965: Istituto Secoli welcomes high school and degree graduates other than professional operators sent by companies and launches Design and Figure Sketching courses destined to form creative personalities within the Fashion Industry.
• 1967: Due to demand Istituto Secoli organizes  courses in other  important cities that produce apparel in different regions of Italy like Empoli, Padova, Bologna, Ancona, Bari, and Lecce 
•   1968: “Planning and Production Control” course is created. Profit growth is directly proportional to better planning, hence valuing and improving control and planning in the company is fundamental.

70s and 80s:

•  1972: Secoli goes under the patronage of the Associazione Italiana Tecnici Della Confezione (A.I.T.C.), and is the only Italian school recognized by the “Federation Apparel Industry” as a “Technical School”.
• 1975: establishment of a system of regional governments in Italy permits Istituto Secoli’s courses to be recognized by the “Regione Lombardia” (Lombardy Region).
• 1982: first academic courses inaugurated. (initially Fashion Operator, then becomes Product and Process Assistant and finally Patten Maker/ Designer.
• June 1984: first Fashion Show at the Hilton Hotel in Milan. In 2008 “Secoli Fashion Show” celebrated its 25^th edition.
• February 1985: Inauguration of the Bologna branch, all academic and specialized courses available.
• 1986: Initial collaboration with Lectra and the purchase of one of the first CAD systems for size grading.

• 1990: first organization consult coordinated by Danilo Migliorini: at present more than 100 companies have chosen Istituto Secoli as their consultant gaining advice on organizational improvements. 
  
• January 1992: Demise of Comm. Carlo Secoli, president and founder of Istituto Secoli. In his place Mr. Stefano Secoli continues to guide the Istituto.
•  Dicember1992: a new programme of short term courses called “Formazione Continua” is initiated. In response to the rising need of continual growth of professionals in the sector, due to innovative ideas and fashion evolution.
•  1995: collaboration with Japanese journal "Apparel Times" and with AGIC (Associazione Giappone Italia Confezioni) (Italian-Japanese Tailoring Association) and the institution of some training modules in Japan.
•  2000: Graphic Design courses begin.
• 2004: Istituto Secoli becomes a registered training structure and is recognized by the Regione Lombardia. Next renewal: July 2008.
• 2007: 62 years later Istituto Secoli moves from via Prina to viale Vittorio Veneto 18/a in an all brand new building.
• 2008: l’Istituto Secoli is one of the founding partners of the "Piattaforma Sistema Formativo Moda" (Fashion training platform that includes Fashion schools, Council, Province and Region)