New Inter-Continental Bachelor's Degree in Fashion Design and Business to be Offered by LIM College in Conjunction with ESMOD Paris

Beginning Fall 2027, LIM X ESMOD will give U.S.-based students a one-of-a-kind educational experience across two top fashion capitals, New York and Paris

NEW YORK, Oct. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- LIM College, a global leader in higher education for the business of fashion based in New York City, today announced that beginning in Fall 2027, it will offer a new inter-continental Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree program in Fashion Design and Business in conjunction with ESMOD Paris, the prestigious French fashion school founded in 1841 by master tailor and inventor Alexis Lavigne.

The goal of the new four-year degree program is to develop design-capable fashion professionals with meaningful global business and entrepreneurial competence. It is structured to give U.S.-based students a first year of study in fashion business at LIM in New York, where they will also complete the first of two required internships. Participants then move to Paris to study fashion design at ESMOD for two years. In their fourth year, students return to New York to take a final year of business courses, complete an internship, and present their own capsule collection. The BBA degree will be granted by LIM College.

"New York is recognized as the worldwide center of fashion commerce and business innovation. For centuries, Paris has reigned as the global seat of fashion design," said LIM College President Ron Marshall. "Now, for the first time, students in the U.S. will no longer have to choose between a preeminent fashion design education or a top-notch fashion business education. With LIM X ESMOD, they will have the best of both in one degree program provided across the world's top fashion capitals, New York and Paris."

Marshall continued, "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 – whether they are founding their own brands, joining a start-up, or taking on a role within an established fashion or retail organization. The future of fashion belongs to people who understand both creativity and commerce. This program was built to develop those leaders."

"We have long recognized the importance of integrating creative fashion design with robust business education," said Yoshinori Yamashita, President and Chief Executive Officer of ESMOD and Director of the Japan Educational Foundation (JEF). "LIM X ESMOD bridges these domains and reflects a forward-thinking and highly relevant response to the ever-evolving needs of the industry. This is more than a degree program. It is a new way to educate future fashion leaders."

LIM X ESMOD was made possible through the 2025 acquisition of LIM College by JEF, which operates a global portfolio of higher education institutions. ESMOD is also a JEF institution, and with the addition of LIM the groundwork was laid for the development of the new LIM X ESMOD BBA program in Fashion Design and Business.

At ESMOD, required courses will include Patternmaking, Fashion Design, Digital Tools, AI: Creative Development & Research Tools, Textiles and Eco-Sourcing. Among the courses at LIM are Design & Merchandising Management, Product Development, and Marketing & the Global Consumer. Students will take a French language course during their first year in New York and a course in French for business once they are in Paris. All students will also complete two required internships as well as the final capstone project in New York.

Graduates of LIM X ESMOD are expected to be prepared for a wide variety of career roles across the fashion industry, including entry-level fashion design positions, technical designer roles, CAD artist, and production manager. The program will also prepare graduates for their own entrepreneurial ventures. With the foundation of knowledge acquired in the BBA in Fashion Design and Business program, students will be well-positioned to advance later in their careers into roles such as creative director, design director, senior designer, as well as positions in fashion business leadership.

To be accepted into the BBA program in Fashion Design and Business, applicants will be required to meet the standard admissions requirements for all LIM bachelor's degree programs, plus have a minimum 3.0 GPA and complete a creative concept exercise and in-person interview. Applications for Fall 2027 admission are now being accepted.

Further program details are available at: https://fashion.limcollege.edu/bba-fashion-design

About LIM College
Founded in 1939 and located in midtown Manhattan, LIM College is focused on the global business of fashion and lifestyle. Offering master's, bachelor's, and associate degree programs, LIM prepares students for career success via an immersive approach grounded in real-world experience and "learning by doing" through required internships. LIM College's commitment to excellence in business education ensures graduates are sought after by a wide range of employers, as evidenced by a Career Outcomes Rate of 95% for the Class of 2024. Alumni excel throughout all areas of fashion and lifestyle and have gone on to work for brands and companies such as Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, The TJX Companies, Prada, Ulta Beauty, Microsoft, Walmart, Macy's, and Nike. LIM is part of the Japan Educational Foundation (JEF) global portfolio of colleges and universities focused on fashion, design, technology, and other career fields. 

About ESMOD
Founded in Paris in 1841, ESMOD is the world's first fashion school dedicated to fashion design education and, since 1989, to fashion business education. Today, ESMOD International brings together 17 schools across 12 countries and is recognized worldwide for transmitting both traditional craftsmanship and contemporary expertise in design, management, innovation, sustainability, and cross-disciplinary practices. In 2022, ESMOD International launched its first program dedicated to digital fashion, reinforcing its commitment to preparing future fashion professionals for the industry's evolving challenges. Nurturing creativity and empowering individual talents are at the heart of ESMOD International's mission. Through its Art, Culture & Heritage Department, which includes a study collection and a dedicated fashion archive available to students, the Group continuously expands creative horizons. Students are encouraged to engage in artistic collaborations and participate in a rich program of cultural events both on campus and beyond. ESMOD International is a member of the UGEI (Union des Grandes Écoles Independantes), reflecting its place within France's network of independent higher education institutions.

Contact:
Anne Roman
[email protected]
419.708.5171

Meredith Finnin
[email protected]
646.218.2156

SOURCE LIM College