Accademia Costume & Moda to Open Second Campus in Historic MAS Store in Rome

The Accademia Costume & Moda (ACM) in Rome is converting the former Magazzini allo Statuto (MAS) department store in Piazza Vittorio into its second campus. The historic shop, founded in the early 1900s and featured in the short film The Show Mas Go On at the 71st Venice Film Festival, closed in 2017 after a decline. ACM, founded in 1964 by costume historian Rosana Pistolese, has produced talents like Frida Giannini and Alessandro Michele, former creative directors of Gucci. The new site, designed by Studio Kami Architecture & Engineering, spans six floors (one basement, five above ground) with about 5,000 square meters of interior space, including 1,100 square meters of fully digitalized classrooms, 1,000 square meters of labs for accessories, costume, haute couture, photography, and styling, plus a library and fabric archive. There are also 250 square meters of terraces and a rooftop for recreational and learning use. The architectural design preserves original details from the late 19th-century Umbertine era. The project involves an investment of around €20 million and is expected to be completed in about 15 months, opening in 2024. The new campus will complement ACM's existing historic headquarters on Via della Rondinella.