Intro Title
Faculty Q&A: Patty Mitropoulos

Patty Mitropoulos has had a long career in the fashion industry, starting with her work in fashion magazine editorials. After receiving her MBA, she moved to licensing for brands like Kate Spade and Juicy Couture. Now, she works as a full-time graduate instructor at LIM, using in her industry expertise to benefit her students.

What do you teach at LIM?

It’s a changing list. I consistently teach Advanced Fashion Merchandising and Licensing (a course I created), but I’ve taught others, like Fashion Marketing Management, Visual Merchandising, and Global Luxury Brand Management. This semester, I created two new courses—The Retail Experience and Fabric Fundamentals—that focus on being out on the streets of New York to learn firsthand from what retailers are doing.

student groups seated in store showroom

What do you try to emphasize in your teaching?

I do my best to get students to take what they’re learning in the classroom and apply it to what is happening in stores, in trade publications, and in consumer marketing. I want them to see that fashion and lifestyle are evolving every day, and that on top of the fundamentals, they must keep their fingers on the changing pulse of the industry.

Please tell us about your career background and areas of professional focus.

I started in fashion magazine editorial, working in the fashion departments of Mademoiselle, Elle, YM, and Seventeen. From there, I became Styling Director of Liz Claiborne, Inc., a company that owned brands such as Kate Spade and Juicy Couture. After getting my MBA, I was hired in their licensing department, working mainly on the Liz Claiborne brand in categories such as outerwear, swimwear, and sleepwear. I stayed working in licensing at various companies until I started full time at LIM.

How do you bring that professional experience into the LIM classroom?

I do my best to bring real-life examples from my career background into each lesson, adding a bit of ‘color’ to the commentary. I also bring industry professionals into the class to be guest lecturers when relevant.

What is your impression of the LIM graduate students you’ve worked with?

I’m extremely impressed with the career shifters who’ve found a passion for fashion and lifestyle. LIM College graduate students are eager to learn. They are a diverse group from around the world, bringing a range of experiences, both cultural and professional. They are united by their passion for fashion!