LIM College and ESMOD Launch Joint Fashion Design and Business BBA Degree

LIM College Launches Dual-Degree BBA in Fashion Design and Business With ESMOD Paris

LIM College announced a new hybrid bachelor’s degree program in partnership with French fashion school ESMOD, allowing students to earn a BBA in Fashion Design and Business while studying abroad in Paris during their sophomore and junior years.

The program begins with the fall 2027 semester. Freshmen will start their coursework at LIM’s Midtown Manhattan campus, where they will build foundational knowledge in marketing, management, and communications alongside French language training. Students then move to ESMOD in Paris for their second and third years to focus on technical design before returning to New York for their senior year.

To graduate from the program, students must complete two internships and present a fashion collection as a capstone project. According to LIM president Ron Marshall, the dual-literacy approach addresses a distinct demand in the current job market. “Great ideas are not enough,” Marshall said, emphasizing the need for both design execution and business acumen.

“Students no longer have to choose between studying only fashion design or fashion business,” Marshall said. “They will graduate with knowledge of both, experience in both and global connections within both, learning how great products are created and how successful brands are built and sustained.”

Expansion Under the Japan Educational Foundation Umbrella

The partnership stems from an ongoing institutional relationship that deepened after LIM joined ESMOD under the Japan Educational Foundation (JEF) umbrella last year. Marshall noted that the corporate alignment has enabled collaborative initiatives that were previously unfeasible.

As an example of the cross-institutional relationship, ESMOD students contributed looks to LIM’s 81st annual fashion show in April. Marshall stated that LIM, ESMOD, and other institutions within the JEF portfolio plan to develop additional integrated programs for students globally.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does the LIM and ESMOD BBA program start?

The new Fashion Design and Business BBA program officially launches with the fall 2027 semester, with incoming freshmen beginning their studies at LIM’s Midtown Manhattan campus.

What are the graduation requirements for the hybrid degree?

To earn the BBA degree, students must complete two internships and present a fashion collection as their capstone project.

How long do students spend studying in Paris?

Students spend their sophomore and junior years immersed in ESMOD’s technique-driven curriculum in Paris, before returning to New York for their senior year.