School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC): Institution Overview
Founded in 1866, SAIC is one of the most prestigious independent art and design schools in the U.S., located in downtown Chicago and connected to the worldrenowned Art Institute of Chicago. Known for its interdisciplinary approach, SAIC encourages students to explore across disciplines, from fashion and architecture to visual communications and sculpture.
Ranked #9 globally for Art & Design in the 2025 QS World University Rankings, SAIC is consistently recognized among the top programs worldwide.
Notable alumni and faculty include Georgia O’Keeffe, Jeff Koons, Nick Cave, Cynthia Rowley, and Richard Hunt. A 2002 national survey named SAIC the most influential art school in the U.S.
Johnny Diamandis – Faculty Role at SAIC
Johnny Diamandis has served as part-time faculty at SAIC since 2023, where he teaches Fashion Intensive Portfolio—a hands-on course designed to prepare students for their first job in the fashion industry. The course emphasizes building an industry-ready portfolio through mood boards, hand sketching, technical drawings, and product construction, with an optional CLO3D component. Diamandis has also led CLO3D workshops for both faculty and students, helping integrate advanced digital tools into fashion education. His additional workshop, Pencils to Pixels, trains students to accurately study and technically illustrate garments. He remains actively involved in teaching and mentorship at SAIC, contributing to portfolio reviews across BA and MFA levels. Each year, he also collaborates with artist and professor Nick Cave on judging panels for both the Fashion, Body and Garment graduate thesis fellowship and the MFA Graduate Award selection.
School of the Art Institute of Chicago – Fashion Intensive Portfolio
Studio Elective Course (Undergraduate)
Fashion Intensive Portfolio is a studio-based elective course designed to prepare students for professional entry into the fashion industry through the development of a comprehensive, industry-standard portfolio. Emphasizing both analog and digital methods—including technical drawing and CLO3D—students engage with key aspects of garment construction, material research, and visual communication. Projects explore sustainability, cultural/ historical context, and personal design identity, culminating in a refined portfolio that includes a final collection, technical specifications, and a written design statement. Upon completion, students will possess a fully realized body of work suitable for internships, competitions, and professional presentation.
School of the Art Institute of Chicago – Getting Started with CLO3D
Faculty Workshop & Integrated Course Component
Getting Started With CLO3D In addition to integrating CLO3D into his Fashion Intensive Portfolio course, Johnny Diamandis also teaches the software to faculty across departments. As an advanced industry user, he applies CLO3D for motion-integrated presentations, technical development, and pattern-making in collaboration with factories. His expertise bridges education and industry, offering students and faculty insight into real-world applications of digital design tools within contemporary fashion workflows.
This portfolio sample was developed by SAIC graduate Roy Zhu during the Fashion Intensive Portfolio course taught by Johnny Diamandis. Since completing his studies, Roy has gone on to work with internationally respected fashion brands.
School of the Art Institute of Chicago – Graduate Thesis Jury & Portfolio Mentorship
Cross-Program Critique and Evaluation
Johnny Diamandis remains actively involved in teaching and mentorship at SAIC, regularly contributing to portfolio reviews at both BA and MFA levels, in person and remotely. Each year, he also serves on judging panels alongside artist and professor Nick Cave for the Fashion, Body and Garment Graduate Thesis Fellowship and the MFA Graduate Award selection.