LIM College and ESMOD Paris launch joint fashion degree spanning two capitals
The new four-year Bachelor of Business Administration will blend design training in Paris with business education in New York, starting fall 2027.
LIM College and ESMOD Paris have announced a joint Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Fashion Design and Business that will begin in fall 2027. According to LIM College President Ron Marshall, the program marks the first time U.S. students will be able to earn a degree combining fashion design education with formal business training across two major fashion centers without having to choose between the two disciplines.
The four-year program alternates between cities: students begin their first year at LIM in New York studying fashion business and complete their first internship, then spend two years at ESMOD in Paris studying design, before returning to New York for a final year of business courses, a second internship, and a capstone project in which they create and present their own capsule collection. LIM College will award the BBA degree.
Program structure and coursework
At ESMOD, students will take courses in patternmaking, fashion design, digital tools, artificial intelligence for creative development and research, textiles, and sustainable sourcing. LIM’s curriculum includes design and merchandising management, product development, and marketing focused on global consumers. Language instruction comprises French in the first year at LIM and French for business once students arrive in Paris.
Educational approach
According to Marshall, the program reflects the industry’s evolving demands. “The fashion industry increasingly demands professionals who can move fluidly between concept development, product creation, branding, marketing, finance, supply chain management, sustainability, and business strategy,” he said. “The future of fashion belongs to people who understand both creativity and commerce.”
Yoshinori Yamashita, who heads both ESMOD and the Japan Educational Foundation, described the partnership as bridging two fields. “This is more than a degree program. It is a new way to educate future fashion leaders,” he said.
Career preparation
According to the colleges, graduates can pursue positions including fashion design, technical design, CAD work, and production management. The program also prepares students to found their own brands and to progress into senior roles such as creative direction, design direction, and fashion business leadership.
Admissions and partnership background
Applicants must meet standard LIM requirements, maintain a 3.0 GPA minimum, complete a creative concept exercise, and participate in an interview. Applications for fall 2027 admission are open now.
The partnership became possible through the 2025 acquisition of LIM College by the Japan Educational Foundation, which also operates ESMOD. LIM, founded in 1939 and based in midtown Manhattan, focuses on fashion and lifestyle business education. ESMOD was founded in Paris in 1841 as an early fashion school dedicated to design education.
This article was compiled by the Glamorade editorial desk from the official announcements and reporting listed under Sources.
