Milan to Launch Certosa District Hub: A New Era for Fashion Education and Student Life
Milan, June 28, 2026 – The city of Milan is preparing for the grand opening of the Certosa District Hub, an innovative new ecosystem dedicated to fashion education, student services, and community living. This ambitious project, a collaboration between Istituto Secoli and Arsutoria School, alongside RealStep and WAO – We Are Open, is set to open its doors in autumn 2026.
A Synergistic Partnership in Fashion Education
The Certosa District Hub is the result of a strategic partnership between two prominent Italian institutions with over 90 years of experience in fashion education: Istituto Secoli, specializing in apparel, and Arsutoria School, focusing on footwear, leather goods, and accessories. Their combined expertise aims to create a comprehensive educational pathway, rooted in a shared commitment to technical training, strong industry connections, product orientation, laboratory activities, and innovation.
Matteo Secoli, President of Istituto Secoli, highlighted the strategic importance of the new campus: “Hub Certosa District is the ideal choice for Istituto Secoli’s new campus because it connects what already works: our Milan headquarters in the Porta Venezia District and our Novara school, and above all, the expertise of Istituto Secoli and Arsutoria School, which interact with the same supply chain and the same brands.” He added, “It is also a choice of trust: we believe in Milan and continue to invest in Milan, and we are doing so through an area undergoing strong transformation.”
Matteo Pasca, Director of Arsutoria School, emphasized the project’s broad educational scope: “The project behind the new Campus aims to cover the entire training chain: from secondary school – in a future perspective – up to a university diploma, building a coherent and integrated educational path step by step.”
Beyond the Classroom: Integrated Student Living and Community
The new Hub Certosa District is designed to be more than just classrooms and laboratories. It will integrate student accommodation, services, and common areas, fostering a vibrant student life within a rapidly developing neighborhood. This integrated urban development model is facilitated by RealStep, a specialist in sustainable urban regeneration of former industrial sites.
The WAO Certosa project, part of the WAO – We Are Open network, will feature a 12,000 sqm structure with 187 residential units, a 600 sqm event area, and a 5,000 sqm park. A portion of the rooms will be dedicated to students from the academies, promoting an environment where study, daily life, and networking seamlessly coexist.
Massimiliano Zampini, founder and CEO of WAO – We Are Open, stated, “With WAO Certosa, we are taking a further step: we are creating a place to live 24 hours a day, where study, work, and daily life intertwine naturally. Welcoming two educational excellences like Istituto Secoli and Arsutoria School into our ecosystem means strengthening the link between community, training, and Milan’s productive fabric, helping to build a truly active and open neighborhood.”
Milan’s Commitment to Fashion and Talent
Alessia Cappello, Milan’s Councillor for Economic Development and Labor Policies, underscored the city’s support for the initiative: “Made in Italy and Italian fashion are two fundamental levers of our economy, and Milan is its cradle. This is why it is important to create a complete training chain here, like the one Istituto Secoli and Arsutoria School are about to launch, in connection with companies in the sector.” She believes this collaboration will attract talent from around the world, reinforcing Milan’s role as a global capital of fashion and creativity.
Stefano Sirolli, CEO & Co-founder of RealStep, added: “As RealStep, we believe that urban regeneration generates real value even when it creates connections. Uniting these three entities represents the completion of an ecosystem capable of strengthening the identity and attractiveness of the Milano Certosa District, increasingly meeting the needs of our tenants and the inhabitants of the neighborhood, supporting its development over time.”
The Certosa District Hub aims to be a dynamic and contemporary reality, contributing to Milan’s ongoing evolution as a hub for innovation and creativity in the fashion industry.
Source: MilanoToday, Istituto Secoli, Arsutoria School, RealStep, WAO – We Are Open
