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Info For
Your place in the business of fashion starts here.
The Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Business School (THFBS) at Elmira College pairs a basic business administration program with hands-on fashion experience. The Hilfiger family, whose roots are in Elmira, New York, helped build this program around a rich local legacy.
Tommy Hilfiger founded his namesake brand and became a global fashion icon. He got his start right here at Elmira College by selling bell-bottom jeans to students. Later, he hired many of them to work at his first store in downtown Elmira: People’s Place. What started as a local business effort eventually became one of the world’s best-known premium lifestyle brands.
Our fashion business program lets you follow in Hilfiger's footsteps. You’ll learn fashion business fundamentals, spot market trends, and study consumer behavior. Inside and outside the classroom, you will explore daily fashion operations, industry history, and the links between fashion and global commerce.
What’s more, you can complete this program in either three or four years, depending on your preference.
Elmira College's Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Business School focuses on preparing you for real-business-world leadership roles. Our fashion business program gives you hands-on experience through:
You’ll work with experienced professionals in small classes.
If you choose to major in Business Administration, you’ll earn a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree. In the Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Business School, you’ll choose one of these concentrations:
Pursuing another area of study? You can add Fashion Marketing, Fashion Merchandising, or Fashion Business Generalist as a minor.
See the descriptions for each concentration and minor course catalogs below.
Do you want a broad overview of the fashion business world? The Generalist track offers a full range of courses. You will learn how to find materials, negotiate prices, analyze markets, and develop targeted marketing strategies. You’ll also learn about upcoming trends like sustainable fashion.
Are you interested in fashion trends, ads, buyer behavior, and product trends? Fashion Marketing teaches you how to promote fashion products to the right people at the right time. You will use market research to launch online ads, social campaigns, and big events.
With Fashion Merchandising, you’ll study market trends and buyer habits to make smart purchasing decisions. Learn how to pick the right items, set fair prices, and get products to stores on time.
In April 2026, the Hilfiger family supported the opening of the Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Business School (THFBS) People’s Place retail store on EC’s campus. The store is open during the academic year and acts as a “learning lab” for students to get hands-on retail experience. You’ll practice sales operations, merchandising, and brand management.
Students in the fashion business program complete at least one career-related internship, and many do more. Our students have previously interned with top brands and fashion organizations. These include African Fashion Intelligence, Bonjulies, Burlington Stores, Fashion Index, Lane Bryant, Mixology, PVH Corp., Runway for a Cause, and more.
EC2 (Elmira College Entrepreneurial Community) is a student-led team helps you build leadership, team-building, and entrepreneurial skills. You will also complete community service requirements and network.
Our flexible curriculum allows you to earn your fashion business degree in just three years. This accelerated path creates time for extended internships, study abroad programs through our partnership with Regents University London, or an easy transition into a graduate program. If you prefer, you can also complete the program in four years.
All full-time students enrolled in the Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Business School receive a $3,000 annual scholarship. This award is granted for up to 4 years if you stay enrolled full-time in the fashion business program and maintain satisfactory academic standing.
You can also apply for a $4,000 Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Business School (THFBS) Award in your final year to cover internship travel or housing costs.
"From trips to NYC for the SUNY FIT Global Conference, listening to top industry professionals, learning from professors with years of working experience, to on-campus activities such as hosting a fashion panel for the Climate Teach-In, these experiences helped me gain invaluable knowledge about the world of fashion. When applying for internships and jobs, these experiences allowed me to talk knowledgeably to people in the industry and businesses. I can't wait to see what my future, that THFBS helped shape, will hold!"
- Jazmine Elliott '25, Executive Development Program at Macy's for Merchandising
Elmira College partners with the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), a college of the State University of New York, to offer Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Business School students an opportunity to apply to FIT’s Global Fashion Management Master’s in Professional Studies (MPS) program.
Students who complete Elmira's Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Business School program and meet FIT's admissions requirements will be encouraged to apply to FIT's MPS program.
FIT MPS Program Admission Requirements:
Beyond our partnership with FIT, EC partners with other colleges and universities to provide you with accelerated graduate degree options. These opportunities make applying easier, save you time and money, and sometimes give qualified fashion business major graduates guaranteed scholarships or financial awards.
Graduate Program Pathways:
What degree will I graduate with from the Tommy Hilfiger Business Fashion School?
Students in the THFBS graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Business Administration with a concentration or minor in Fashion Marketing, Fashion Merchandising, or Fashion Business Generalist.
Can I earn my fashion business degree in three years?
Yes. The Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Business School curriculum is also designed for students to complete their coursework within three years. This accelerated path allows you to enter the job market early, finish an extended industry internship, study abroad, or go straight into graduate programs like our FIT partnership. A traditional four-year degree plan is available if you prefer.
What fashion business careers will the Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Business School prepare me for?
The fashion industry is one of the largest consumer-facing industries in the world. According to Uniform Market, the global apparel market is worth $1.84 trillion, and is expected to reach $2 trillion in 2028.
Job prospects in this field are strong, with more career paths opening in retail management, digital marketing, and brand strategy. You’ll be prepared for high-demand roles, including:
If you still have a few questions and would like an Admissions Counselor to reach out, click here to request more information.
Hilfiger Family, Elmira College Celebrate Ribbon Cutting of On-Campus People's Place Retail Store
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#SoaringToSucess: Jazmine Elliot's Path from EC to NYC
