Pirjo Hirvonen is a Professor of Fashion Design. After graduating from the University of Art and Design (a predecessor to Aalto University), Hirvonen worked as an in-house women’s wear designer in the ’80s and ’90s. She has worked as the Head of Aalto’s design department and led the fashion and textile design BA- and MA-programme for many years. Hirvonen has been responsible for running joint fashion management courses with the School of Business, taken on significant EU projects with other design schools, and initiated multidisciplinary studies within the design department. She has been invited to organise several fashion shows and exhibitions world wide.