2027 Study Abroad
Berlin
Wiemar
Nuremberg
Program Overview
July 1 – 14, 2026
This 2-week interdisciplinary study abroad program is rooted in the evolving identity of the global fashion professional. Timed with Berlin Fashion Week, the experience offers CCS students immersive exposure to fashion culture, retail ecosystems, and hands-on product development.
Week one centers on Berlin’s fashion infrastructure, allowing students to explore street style, brand identity, and merchandising strategy through real-time observation, agency partnerships, and design fieldwork.
In Week Two, students relocate to Bauhaus University in Weimar for studio practice, where research insights are translated into prototypes. Workshops emphasize design with purpose, material exploration, and storytelling.
The curriculum supports CCS's evolving pedagogical goal- including piloting methodologies for a new BA program- and introduces the role of the “fashion brand architect”: a designer grounded in cultural fluency, trend awareness, and purposeful product thinking. [“Thinking to Making”] or something like that.
This program reflects CCS’s commitment to developing globally literate, agile creatives. It will appeal to students in fashion, accessories, communication design, and interdisciplinary practices. [And the CCS goal of Experiential Learning]
Itinerary
Curriculum Overview – Daily Schedule
July 1
Arrival + Orientation
Welcome reception, program overview, and expectations. Introduction to Berlin’s cultural and design context. Evening reflective journaling.
Hours: 6 | Lead: Kathleen (Operations)- Ray & Tom
July 2
Berlin Fashion Week Immersion
Guided visits to official and off-schedule events. Students observe street style, branding activation, and industry presence. Daily debrief.
Hours: 8 | Lead: Aki (Design) - Ray & Tom
July 3
Studio Seminar: Contextual Research Methods
Field sketching and journaling in selected retail districts.
Guest speaker: Berlin-based fashion trend forecaster. [Photography too]
Hours: 8 | Lead: Aki (Design)
July 4
Retail Futures Tour
Guided visits to concept stores including Voo Store, Studio183, Platte.Berlin, The Store X, and Bless Home. Focus on merchandising systems and material sourcing.
Hours: 8 | Lead: Kathleen
July 5
Independent Study + Reflection [“Free day”]
Self-directed research and mood boarding. Students capture sensory impressions of Berlin’s design language (visual, tactile, spatial). Reflective writing assignment. [Search and visit your own Berlin Gems]
Hours: 4 | Lead: Teaching Assistant (Support)
July 6
Design Analysis Seminar
Group critique of student observations. Introduction to visual synthesis methods: mood boards, pin-boards, spatial mapping.
Hours: 8 | Lead: Aki (Design)
July 7
Studio Workshop: Narrative Form
Translating Berlin fieldwork into accessory concept development. Peer critique and iterative refinement.
Hours: 8 | Lead: Aki (Design) [one-on-ones with Tom]
July 8
Travel to Weimar
Group transfer. Transition seminar on Bauhaus principles and reflection on the Berlin experience. Evening orientation in Weimar.
Hours: 4 | Lead: Kathleen (Operations)
July 9
Bauhaus University Orientation
Visit the Bauhaus Museum and workshop spaces. Seminar on Bauhaus pedagogy: integration of theory, practice, and form. Studio setup.
Hours: 6 | Lead: Kathleen (Operations)
July 10
Workshop: Accessories in Function
Hands-on prototyping with leather, felt, and mixed media. Focus on function, form, and student-led iteration.
Hours: 8 | Lead: Tom (Making)
July 11
Seminar: Design from Purpose
Design strategy workshop emphasizing cultural insight and consumer relevance. Begin community interviews in Weimar.
Hours: 8 | Lead: Aki (Design)
July 12
Collaborative Studio
Co-design session with Bauhaus students. Prototypes; developed from Berlin fieldwork and local narratives.
Hours: 8 | Lead: Tom (Making)
July 13
Final Exhibition + Critique
Public presentation of student work with feedback from Bauhaus faculty and the local community. Documentation and peer review.
Hours: 7 | Lead: Aki & Tom
July 14
Departure [I think we need a free day at or near the end]
Closing circle. Final reflection and written program evaluation.
Hours: 2 | Lead: Kathleen (Operations)