Istituto Marangoni and Baralan partner on cosmetics packaging curriculum

Istituto Marangoni Milano has established a strategic partnership with primary packaging manufacturer Baralan to integrate commercial packaging design directly into its beauty and fragrance curricula, according to a press release shared by the institution. The initiative marks the design academy’s first exclusive alliance with a dedicated cosmetic packaging supplier, aiming to connect students with manufacturing parameters, brand identity strategies, and commercial execution in the beauty sector.

Originally initiated during the 2025–2026 academic year within the Master in Marketing & Communication for Fragrances & Cosmetics, the collaboration is now expanding to third-year undergraduate students in the Bachelor in Fragrances & Cosmetics Product & Communication program as part of their dedicated Packaging Design coursework.

Under the framework of the agreement, Baralan’s technical and development teams will lead lectures, industry case analyses, and structured mentoring sessions. Students will work directly against a client brief formulated by the packaging manufacturer, requiring them to design viable primary packaging solutions that balance design aesthetics with manufacturing feasibility, sustainability criteria, and commercial cost factors.

The project will culminate in 2027, coinciding with Baralan’s 65th anniversary, when select student concepts will be recognized with professional development and training opportunities supported by the manufacturer.

The tie-up reflects a broader shift across fashion and design academies to align product design curricula with industrial realities, addressing persistent industry critiques that design graduates often enter the workforce lacking knowledge of production constraints and material viability.

For Istituto Marangoni—which operates 10 global sites and reports a 91 percent graduate employability rate—the partnership strengthens its specialized beauty vertical at a time when packaging sustainability regulations and technical agility are redefining hiring criteria across global luxury beauty conglomerates. By formalizing industry partnerships that integrate corporate supply-chain expertise into the classroom, academic institutions are increasingly positioning their vocational training as a direct bridge between design theory and technical execution.