Education
PhD in Science and Culture of Wellbeing and Lifestyles, University of Bologna, XXXV cycle (2019-2023), with a thesis entitled SUSTAINABLE FUTURING. LEARNING AND UNLEARNING THE PAST. A Critical Discourse Study of ‘Fashion Sustainability’-related Discursive Formations in Vogue Italia (1965-2021) (evaluation: excellent; supervisor Prof. Simona Segre-Reinach)
Master's Degree in Fashion Culture and Management, University of Bologna obtained in 2019 with a thesis entitled Parallel Practices of Fashion and Architecture. Parametric Design as a Point of Convergence between the Design disciplines (110/110 with honours; supervisor Prof. Ines Tolic)
Academic Career
In the a.y. 2025-2026 she is Adjunct professor at the University of Bologna, First cycle Degree Course in Fashion Cultures and Practices where she teaches Sociology of Global Fashion Organisation.
From a.y. 2023-2024 she is Adjunct professor at the Accademia Italiana in Florence, where, in the First and Second Cycle Degree programs in Fashion Design and Communication Design, she teaches Sociology of Communication, Publishing for Fashion Design, Textile Cultures and History of Costume and Fashion.
In a.y. 2023-2024 she is Adjunct professor at the University of Bologna, First cycle Degree Course in Fashion Cultures and Practices where she teaches Latest trends in art and fashion.
In the a.y. 2022-2023 she is teaching tutor at the University of Bologna, First cycle Degree Course in Fashion Cultures and Practices. The commitment includes teaching activities for the seminar Fashion and Sustainability - a holistic approach.
Recent publications
- Maksimova, N. "Sustainability Before Sustainability: Environmental narratives in Vogue Italia, 1965-1987" In Remaking Fashion Media edited by Dr. Rosie Findlay, Dr. Morna Laing and Johannes Reponen. London-New York: Bloomsbury. (Upcoming)
- Maksimova, N. "Two Years of “Blooming Sustainability”: Taking Positions or Taking Action? Critical Discourse Analysis of ‘fashion sustainability’-related discursive formations in Vogue Italia." International Journal of Fashion Studies. https://doi.org/10.1386/infs_00132_1
Winner of the Emerging Scholar Award 2023. (Available online: 12 July 2025)
- Maksimova, N. "Holistic Sustainability in Fashion (?): The Case of Vogue Italia". In Sustainability and the Fashion Industry. Can Fashion Save the World? edited by Dr. Annick Schramme and Nathalie Verboven. London - New York: Routledge, 2024.
To consult the full list, please visit the Publications section.
Conventions and Conferences
- FASHION IN 3D Decolonizing Deconstructing Decentering, October 19-21, 2023. Rimini.
Maksimova. Decentralising Fashion or Commodification of Diversity? – Critical discourse study of the “West and the Rest” representations on the pages of Vogue Italia
- DRESS YOU UP Moda, cinema, donne, October 12-14, 2023. Sassari.
Caputo and Maksimova. Fashioning Afrodescendency. Le rappresentazioni delle celibrità attoriali italiane afrodiscendenti nei periodici di moda, tra istanze progressiste e forze reazionarie
- SISCC 2023 - MONDI POSSIBILI. TRA CRISI, CONFLITTI E PRATICHE CREATIVE, June 22-23, 2023. Bari.
Maksimova. Due anni di “Blooming Sustainability” – Analisi critica del discorso relativo alla sostenibilità presente sulle pagine di Vogue Italia
- Responsible Fashion Series "Can fashion save the world", October 20-21, 2021. Antwerp, Belgium.
Maksimova. The Hope for a Better Future as told by Vogue Talents. A Reflection on the Need to Holistically Approach Sustainability in the Fashion Context
- Fashion Tales 2020+1, June 17-19, 2021. Milan (online).
Maksimova and Piancazzo. Culture and Sustainability: An Interplay on the New Made in Italy Landscape
- Celebrity in crisis, Celebrity and crisis, May 11-13, 2021, Rimini-Bologna (online).
Maksimova. Let's Talk about the Crisis. The New Type of (Fashion) Influencers - Sustainability first!
Lezioni e attività seminariali su invito
- TextileR research centre, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australia. May 08, 2023 (held online). Towards Sustainable Decentralisation or Commodification of Diversity? - Vogue Italia case study
- Accademia Italiana, Florence, Italy. January 16, 2023. Sustainability in Fashion. A 360 Approach
- Parsons The New School, Paris, France. November 15, 2022. Research Methodology
- Parsons The New School, Paris, France. November 09, 2022. Sustainability Discourse(s) on the pages of Vogue Italia
- University of Bologna, Rimini Campus, Italy. October 13th, 2022.
Moda e sostenibilità. Casi studio di brand di moda responsabile in Italia
- Parsons The New School, Paris, France. October 05, 2022.
A Holistic Understanding of Sustainability: Earth Logic Analysis of Sustainable Fashion Brands
- University of Bologna, Rimini Campus, Italy. October 2022.
FAST Crash Courses: Fashion Studies: An Introduction. Fashion, Culture and Communication. An Overview from the 1960s to the Present Day - introductive 10 hours course for first-year students of the FAST Master Program
- Accademia Italiana, Florence, Italy. January 27, 2022. Sustainability in Fashion. A 360 Approach
- University of Bologna, Rimini Campus, Italy. December 3, 2021.
ZoneModa Special - Sustainable Fashion Inc: The Challenges of Ethical Fashion: Fashion Sustainability as told by Vogue Talents
- University of Bologna, Rimini Campus, Italy. December 3, 2021.
ZoneModa Special - Sustainable Fashion Inc: The Challenges of Ethical Fashion: The Necessary Conversation (in collab. with Flavia Piancazzo, PhD)
- University of Bologna, Rimini Campus, Italy. October 2021.
FAST Crash Courses: An Idea About Fashion - introductive 20 hours course for first-year students of the Fashion Studies Master Program (in collaboration with Flavia Piancazzo, PhD)
Esperienze curatoriali e organizzativi
- ZoneModa International Conference - FASHION IN 3D Decolonizing Deconstructing Decentering. Rimini, October 2023.
Organised by the Department of Arts, University of Bologna, DamsLab, CFC International Research Center in collaboration with CREATURE at the London Metropolitan University.
- Casa UniBo during SI FEST 30. FUTURA, Savignano sul Rubicone, September 2021.
Exhibition organised by CLAM, FAST degree programs and PhD in Science and Culture of Wellness and Lifestyles, University of Bologna.
- SIFest – Il festival di fotografia, Casa UniBo, September 18, 2021, Accademia dei Filopatridi, Savignano sul Rubicone.
The Necessary Conversation. Aziende fashion per il nuovo Made in Italy. Conversation with the designers Yekaterina Ivankova and Cecilia Rinaldi (in collab. with Flavia Piancazzo, PhD)
Awards
Winner of the IJFS Emerging Scholar Award 2023
Other activities
ZoneModa Journal. Journal Manager (February 2021 - December 2023)
She is a fellow member of Culture Fashion Communication International Research Center.
