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’ Work 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.