Who is Karel Mills, new director of graduate school Lisaa Mode?
LISAA Mode has appointed Karel Mills as its new director. The aim is to strengthen the link between creativity, industry and employability in a sector undergoing transformation.
A graduate of ESAA Duperré, Karel Mills began her career at creative houses, notably with designer Moonyounghee, before launching her own womenswear ready-to-wear brand.
She then worked as an independent designer, collaborating with international players. Mills later joined LISAA, where she progressed from teaching to academic management, taking responsibility for the Fashion Design and Fashion Business courses and leading the development of programmes, specifically the master's degrees.
Appointed following the departure of Thomas Bucaille, Karel Mills now heads Lisaa Mode.
Her educational project is based on a conviction: to train clear-sighted, committed and sustainable professionals who are capable of understanding fashion in all its complexity, far beyond the creative act alone.
“It is essential that they understand value chains, production constraints, human issues and the responsibilities that come with every creative or strategic decision,” Mills told FashionUnited.
In practice, this vision translates into mainly project-oriented courses, with a balance between theoretical teaching, creative workshops, case studies, real-life scenarios and a close link with industry players.
The teachers are mostly working professionals from the creative, business, production or communication fields: “our students learn by doing, by testing and by confronting real constraints”.
Obtaining internships: a central lever for professionalisation at LISAA Mode
“Support for internships and professional development is a key focus at LISAA Mode Paris. We have a dedicated person whose mission is exclusively focused on preparing students for their professional integration and on the link with the fashion ecosystem,” adds the new director.
Mills also intends to strengthen the international outlook through projects and collaborations with partners in Europe, South Africa and Asia, as well as the integration of artificial intelligence and student employability.
She also places great importance on off-site experiences and key events: the fashion show, professional juries and showrooms, organised twice a year for the bachelor's and master's courses.
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