Elmira College, FIT Partner on Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Business Program
Elmira College and the Fashion Institute of Technology are partnering to broaden education opportunities for students in the Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Business School program while providing a pipeline of future leaders in the fashion industry.
The new partnership offers graduates of Elmira College’s Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Business School with an opportunity to. apply to FIT’s Global Fashion Management Master’s in Professional Studies program.
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“My family and I are excited for the partnership between Elmira College and FIT,” said Tommy Hilfiger. “It will equip the next generation of students with business fundamentals and the expertise to succeed in the global fashion industry.”
As reported, Hilfiger and his siblings, Andy and Betsy, established the Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Business School with Elmira College in 2021. The program, which began last fall, combines business education with real-world fashion industry experience and is part of its bachelor’s degree in business administration. Elmira College is based in the Hilfiger family’s hometown.
Dr. Charles Lindsay, president of Elmira College, said, “Since the Hilfiger family first came to us about the idea of creating a fashion business program, we have been eager to forge new partnerships that make it easier for students to learn the skills necessary to become the next generation of fashion-industry leaders.”
“I am so very pleased that FIT and Elmira College can engage in this unique partnership that will help shape our students into the future leaders of the fashion industry,” said Dr. Joyce F. Brown, president of FIT. “Education is transformational and the value of bringing students together in an exchange of new ideas cannot be overstated.”
The agreement between Elmira and FIT will promote engagement and transdisciplinary interactions between the institutions. For instance, students of the Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Business School will be invited to attend select FIT GFM lectures. The agreement also encourages interactions between the faculty and administrators of each institution.
Dr. Brooke Carlson, interim dean of the School of Graduate Studies at FIT, said, “The rigorous curriculum in the Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Business School is perfectly aligned with the FIT’s Global Fashion Management master’s degree program, which prepares emerging fashion managers and executives for global business leadership roles at brands, retailers, suppliers, manufacturers and entrepreneurial ventures. Knowing Mr. Hilfiger’s extraordinary reputation for excellence and business acumen and his goal to create a pipeline of future leadership for the fashion industry, we are delighted to partner with Elmira in offering their students educational opportunity at FIT.”
“At Elmira College, we value experiential learning and leverage our strong networks to bring industry experts into the classroom,” said Dr. Alison Wolfe, business and economics chair and director of the Tommy Hilfiger school. “I am so thrilled that our students will have the opportunity to attend some of FIT’s graduate-level lectures and get a taste for FIT’s renowned GFM program has to offer them.”
Students who complete Elmira’s Hilfiger program will be encouraged to apply to FIT’s MPS program if they meet the admission criteria. This includes the successful completion of a bachelor of arts degree in business with a minor or concentration in fashion merchandising or fashion marketing. Students must have a final minimum grade point average of 3.0 and have at least three years of relevant progressional work experience post-degree, not including internships.
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