On an urban campus situated on the South Loop of the city sits Columbia College Chicago, a creative, liberal and media arts college that offers a BA in fashion studies with concentrations in either merchandising or product development, and a BFA in fashion design. Two years ago, Columbia College underwent a macro-curricular overhaul, during which the fashion department renovated its programmes following a year of research. Now, students, whether following a product development, design or a merchandising pathway, are taught to understand the fashion ecosystem in a comprehensive, twenty-first century way — with digital potential and the interconnectedness technology creates between skills.