About Scuola del Cuoio

Scuola del Cuoio is the leading academy in Italy for bag making and leather working. More than 2000 students from over 40 countries have attended the long-term programs. From 2020, the programs will merge into a larger training experience in the realm of Arts & Crafts, a project that will develop into a comprehensive academy for modern artisans: Schola.

Heritage Family

Scuola del Cuoio was founded in 1950 by the artisan Marcello Gori and his brother-in- law and best friend Silvano Casini. When they past away in 2003, Marcello’s daughters, Laura, Francesca and Barbara took over the company along with their children Tommaso, Filippo and Beatrice. The Gori family continues to be committed to the great tradition of quality products and personal customer service which has allowed Scuola del Cuoio to establish a refined clientele worldwide. Laura Gori has been member of Santa Croce Advisory Council for four years allowing Scuola del Cuoio to assist with the plans to restore and promote cultural programs at the monumental complex. Francesca Gori has started a new line of hand-stitched one-of- a-kind handbags. Her collection is made from soft deerskin or exotic pelts such as crocodile, ostrich and python. Francesca Gori Designer bags often feature bright color combinations and have decorative closures with bobbles of silver, gold, semi-precious stones and other rare materials such as fossils, quartz, amber all from antique jewelry and the like found during Francesca’s travels throughout fairs, markets and shows throughout Europe.


Campuses

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Offered Courses

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Handmade Trainnig Programs - Leather Bags and Accessories | leather bags apprentice

  • 10 Weeks |  Full-time | Apprentice | Monday – Friday from 10.30 AM to 1.30 PM and from 2.00 to 5.00 PM | 740 academic hours | 12 students only

The 10-week long program is an introduction to the world of leather bags and accessories. Potential students are not required to have any experience; they will learn through the guidance of skilled artisans. Classes meet Monday through Friday with both morning and afternoon sessions. In addition, students will be working outside of class time on their projects. Homework includes individual and group work.

This program is a hands-on, practical, old-master approach to learning the artisan craft of leather-making. Instructors are all professionals in the field who will share both their theoretical and practical abilities as well as their real-world experience as bags makers.

Firenze Campus

Next intake: August

Language:   Italian & English


Handmade Trainnig Programs - Leather Bags and Accessories | Leathermaking_Artigiano

  • 20 Weeks |  Full-time | Apprentice + Leathermaking_Artigiano | Monday – Friday from 10.30 AM to 1.30 PM and from 2.00 to 5.00 PM | 740 academic hours | 12 students only | 20 weeks / 700 hours

This is a semester-long program that includes the apprentice level and is designed for students who want to attend a full path that will enable them to turn their skills into a profession. Students will be able to create their own bags and accessories collection. After having successfully completed the Apprentice level, students are welcome to continue to the Artigiano level where they will improve and practice the skills acquired in the first module.

The “Artigiano” level enhances the knowledge acquired in the first trimester. It consists of three months of intensive study and work. The “Artigiano” program is only open to students who have completed the previous level of study with the Scuola del Cuoio or to applicants in the field who have a solid foundation and experience. Instructors are all professionals in the field who will impart both their theoretical and practical abilities as well as their real-world experience as bags makers.

Firenze Campus

Next intake: August

Language:   Italian & English


Handmade Trainnig Programs - Custom Sneakers

  • 4 Weeks |  Full-time | Monday – Friday from 10.00 AM to 1.00 PM and from 2.00 to 5.00 PM | 120 hours over 4 weeks | 15 students only

This is an intensive four-week summer course where students will learn how to design and make a pair of handmade sneakers from scratch and how to deconstruct, regenerate and customize an existing one. Main topics and keywords of the course will be modern artisanal skills, customization, sustainability, recycling, and reuse.

Instructors will teach students how to create a customized pair of sneakers by using traditional and modern techniques and will encourage them to find innovative solutions to create, upcycle and repair existing branded sneakers. During the first week students will be introduced to shoemaking techniques and tools and will work on a basic sneaker model.

The second and third weeks will be focused on the development of a pair of customized sneakers, totally thought and created by the students. The last module is fully dedicated to a “second life” experience, where students will learn and practice how to deconstruct sneakers and then create a whole new customized pair.

Within the program, students will be exposed to the manufacturing methods of three Italian leather and textile districts that specialize in circular economy: Prato (regenerated textile), Santa Croce sull’Arno (vegetable-tanned leather) and Scandicci (recovered leather waste and redundancies).

Firenze Campus

Next intake: January, July

Language:   Italian & English


Handmade Trainnig Programs - Sustainable Leather Experience

  • 4 Weeks |  Full-time | Monday to Friday from 10.00 to 13.30 (10 AM to 1.30 PM) and an afternoon session from 14.00 to 17.30 (4 PM to 5.30 PM). |35 hours per week | 15 students only

Sustainable Leather Experience by Scuola del Cuoio gives the opportunity to go through the full process of bag making in an intensive short time and from a new sustainable point of view.

Starting from the concepts of sustainable fashion and circular economy, students will be introduced to several kinds of sustainable materials that are available for the handbag production.

They will be provided with basic skills and techniques needed for the creation of a bag, always using cuts and recovered waste of leather for their projects. All leather will be provided by AS.P.R.I., a Tuscan association created with the aim of recovering waste and redundancies from the leather accessories manufacturing process and reintroducing them into the economic and social circuit. The program is conducted in a historic leather-working laboratory under the supervision of professional artisan instructors. The course is based on a hands-on, practical, old-master approach to learning the artisanal craft of making handbags. Instructors are all professionals in the field and will impart both their theoretical and practical abilities as well as their experience as handbag artisans.

The program is a fully immersive and highly structured 4-week course, centered on the completion of three pre-elected models. All items will be manufactured in sustainable leather; one of the models will be realized by using the techniques of patch-working, which will allow students to use also very small cuts and waste.

Firenze Campus

Next intake: July

Language:   English


Handmade Trainnig Programs-Hatsmaking

  • 24 Weeks |  Full-time | Monday to Friday |12 students only

Hats have always had an iconic presence in the fashion system as a timeless lifestyle icon.

With functional and aesthetic purpose, they have become a must-have accessory. SUPERDUPER and SCHOLA launch the ‘Hat Factory’ a unique place where a new, contemporary generation of hat makers will be able to grow their skills and dive into this world with a new conception of the modern artisan job. Students will live a unique and inspirational learning experience with one of the most renowned contemporary hat brands. They will learn how to hand-make and design several and different kinds of hats, with different shapes, styles and workmanships, will study how to manage different materials and trims, following both tradition and current trends, always combining love and care for the detail with a modern, creative and sustainable approach.

Firenze Campus

Next intake: August

Language:   Italian & English


Handmade Trainnig Programs-Men's shoes

  • 10 Weeks |  Full-time | Monday – Friday from 10.00 AM to 1.00 PM and from 2.00 to 5.00 PM |740 academic | hours 12 students only

The bespoke shoemaking courses are designed for students who want to acquire the skills to turn their creative ideas into a final product. The program is composed of three stages to be completed over the course of a year. The first, introductory stage – called Apprentice – is for students who wish to acquire the basic skill-set and knowledge-base of hand-made shoemaking. This program lasts 10 weeks. The Artigiano Level is a semester long program (that includes the Apprentice level) which enable students to have a complete shoemaking profile.

This path must be completed before progressing to the Maestro level which can be undertaken only upon invitation of a master artisan.

Firenze Campus

Next intake: August

Language:   Italian & English


Handmade Trainnig Programs-Food Artisan

  • 20 Weeks |  Full-time | Monday to Friday from 10.00 to 13.30 (10 AM to 1.30 PM) and an afternoon session from 14.00 to 17.30 (4 PM to 5.30 PM). |35 hours per week | 15 students only

LEARN HOW TO DESIGN, CREATE AND RUN AN ARTISANAL FOOD BUSINESS.

Our menus follow the turning of the seasons: they may seem static, but they actually move from winter to spring, summer and fall and change every month, every week and every day. – Fabio Picchi

Cibrèo is an independent thinking business founded by Fabio Picchi who is worldwide known for his intellectual honesty, his visionary approach and his ability to melt innovation, authenticity and tradition.

Cibrèo Academy and SCHOLA created Food Artisan, a training program which provides students with a unique and fully immersive experience within an artisanal and authentic food business in Florence. 

The course is designed to be not only a cooking school, but a wider experience that focuses on how an artisanal food business works.  Cibrèo aims to educate on hand-crafted, traditionally made, authentic artisan products and to share its genuine and successful approach on food and food business. Food Artisan is not strictly a Tuscan or Italian culinary school. Cibrèo’s philosophy can be translated anywhere in the world. Students coming from abroad or planning to set up a business outside Italy, are welcome to apply their knowledge to deliver an authentic experience worldwide. 

The course is designed with a focus on the knowledge of local, seasonal and artisanal ingredients, cooking skills and restaurant management. 

Accommodation:

The school will support students in finding accommodation during the length of the course.

Firenze Campus

Next intake: August

Language:   Italian & English



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