THE BLOG

SUPMODE and SUP-PHOTO Establish in Nice to Deliver Excellence in Education, Combining Fashion, Photography, and Business.

Florence Traumat Fondatrice et Directrice Générale

The Campus of the 11 Arts Announces the Arrival of SUPMODE and SUP-PHOTO in Nice

Already well-established in Bordeaux, these schools aim to meet the growing demand for creative and professional education on the Côte d’Azur.

By combining artistic and business skills, SUPMODE and SUP-PHOTO prepare young talent to succeed in the fashion and photography industries.

To mark this new chapter, the schools will host monthly Open Days and offer discovery workshops during school holidays, giving prospective students the opportunity to explore their world, participate in hands-on sessions, and learn about career paths in these fields.

Interview with Florence Traumat, Founder and CEO, and Simon Hidier, Director of the Nice Campus

What inspired the creation of SUPMODE and SUP-PHOTO?

Florence Traumat: SUPMODE was founded in Bordeaux in 2014. My background in education, particularly in business schools where I managed programs in tourism, commerce, and communication, gave me valuable insights.

However, I felt something was missing: a focus on specialization and craftsmanship in creative industries.

This gap led to the idea of SUPMODE. My passion for fashion and the arts combined with my observation of the decline in traditional French craftsmanship due to globalization drove me to create a school bridging creativity and business.

I wanted to reconcile this creativity with training programs tailored to the professional world.

There is a genuine loss of expertise in the French fashion industry, and I wanted to address this by creating a school that combines creativity and business. To succeed in this field, one must not only be creative but also know how to sell their creations.

SUPMODE was designed to offer this dual expertise: design and business. From the first year, students learn styling (designing collections) and pattern-making (bringing designs to life). They also take courses in communication, marketing, and art direction, equipping them to turn creative ideas into professional projects.

Simon Hidier: The program spans five years, with a bachelor’s degree in the first three years followed by a master’s program. We designed this tailor-made curriculum from scratch to truly meet the industry’s expectations.

It is a program designed to be innovative and to provide students with all the tools they need to bring their talent to life.

The school is state-recognized, with RNCP certification ensuring graduates are highly employable. From the outset, we’ve prioritized strong ties with the professional world. Students undertake internships and apprenticeships, allowing us to adapt our programs annually to market trends and business needs.

SUP-PHOTO, launched a year ago, complements SUPMODE by training future photography talent with the same emphasis on creativity and economic integration.

This direct link to the working world is central to our approach.

What distinguishes SUPMODE and SUP-PHOTO?

Florence Traumat: Our school’s DNA is rooted in being a human-sized, independent structure. This agility allows us to respond quickly to student and industry needs.

Personalized support is our strength. We know our students individually and guide them through every stage of their journey, preparing them to excel in the job market.

What sets us apart is our unique dual focus: design and business.

From year one, students study styling and pattern-making, alongside commercial and strategic aspects of fashion.

This approach enables them to turn creativity into viable professional projects.

Simon Hidier: Our students are also prepared for international opportunities starting in their second year, with a two-month internship abroad. Partnerships with schools in Quebec and Bangkok allow them to specialize in techniques like bespoke tailoring or textile painting. This exposure to diverse cultures and methods enriches their creativity.

Florence Traumat: Through the Campus of the 11 Arts, we expanded beyond fashion by launching SUP-PHOTO, addressing growing demand for specialized photography training.

Our programs, ranging from a BTS in photography (recognized by the French Ministry of Education) to bachelor’s and master’s degrees in advertising creation and art direction, are offered with apprenticeship or student status.

Today, imagery is everywhere, whether in print, social media, or digital marketing campaigns. Our photography students learn to adapt their creations to different platforms, whether it’s a visual for TikTok, an Instagram campaign, a website, or even a physical exhibition.

Simon Hidier: We are able to create synergies between SUPMODE and SUP-PHOTO. We encourage students from both schools to collaborate and draw on each other’s skills. For example, a photoshoot project for a fashion collection involves both fashion design students and photography students. This collaborative approach allows them to work as they would in a company or agency. They learn to manage a project from A to Z, including creation, execution, and communication.

Florence Traumat: Every year, our students from SUPMODE & SUP-PHOTO organize a major fashion show in Bordeaux, an event that brings together over 3,500 guests and features 350 models. It is a highlight of their curriculum, where they present their collections to the general public and industry professionals. We hope to recreate a similar event in Nice.
These shows provide an opportunity to showcase the results of several months of work in design and production, as well as large-scale project management. Students learn to organize an event, collaborate with external partners, and handle the logistics and communication surrounding it.

Simon Hidier: Another distinctive feature of our school is our close relationship with the professional world. We regularly collaborate with prestigious brands such as Lanvin, Chantal Thomass, and Ungaro, as well as companies like American Vintage.
Our students participate in intensive weeks where they compete to respond to briefs provided by these brands. This offers them a fantastic opportunity to face real-world challenges, receive direct feedback from professionals, and engage in concrete collaborations.

For example, our students won a national design competition to redesign the polo shirt for the National Police, a huge success for an independent school like ours. This demonstrates that our methods and approach are effective and recognized at a national level.

Florence Traumat: We also focus on social and environmental responsibility (CSR). Every year, our students participate in upcycling and ethical fashion projects, creating outfits from recycled materials. This approach raises awareness among future designers about the environmental impact of fashion and provides them with tools to work sustainably. We firmly believe that these values must be at the core of training the creators of tomorrow.

Simon Hidier: Finally, we don’t just aim to train technicians; we want our students to graduate from SUPMODE & SUP-PHOTO with an entrepreneurial vision. That’s why, in their third year, we ask them to create their own brand in pairs: a design student collaborates with a student specializing in management. Together, they conceptualize, develop, and market a fashion brand or a photography concept.
This highly educational exercise allows them to transition from theory to practice under conditions very close to real market scenarios.

Why choose Nice Côte d’Azur for your expansion?

Simon Hidier: After evaluating several cities in the SUD region, Nice emerged as the ideal destination.

Its growing student population and the influx of young professionals post-pandemic highlighted a strong demand for specialized creative education.

This momentum convinced us that there is a genuine demand for specialized education, particularly in creative fields such as fashion and photography.

The fashion design training market in Nice was underdeveloped, making it an excellent opportunity to establish a solid creative hub on the Côte d’Azur

Florence Traumat: There is also a significant international dimension to Nice. Nice Airport is not only the second largest in France but also offers direct connections to global fashion capitals such as Paris and London. Its proximity to Italy is a major advantage for us, as Milan remains one of the world’s leading references in the fashion industry.
Furthermore, Nice enjoys a well-established international reputation thanks to major cultural events such as the Cannes Film Festival. We want our students to integrate into this global ecosystem by participating in these events and collaborating with both local and international companies.

Simon Hidier: Beyond that, the city of Nice also offers an exceptional quality of life. This is an undeniable asset for attracting international students, and we have already noticed interest from our students in Bordeaux. Some of them have even expressed their intention to come to Nice to pursue their master’s degree.

How has Team Nice Côte d’Azur supported your efforts?

Florence Traumat: Team Nice Côte d’Azur, especially Axelle Xerri, has been instrumental in our establishment, guiding us through every step of the process.

From the very beginning, they truly “took us by the hand,” helping us navigate every step of the establishment process.

One of the biggest challenges for a school like ours is finding suitable premises. We needed specific spaces, particularly to accommodate our fashion workshops and photography studios.

The Team Nice Côte d’Azur team truly took the time to listen to us and understand our needs. They were very available and responsive throughout the process, which was crucial for us to move forward quickly.

Simon Hidier: What we particularly appreciated was that they connected us with local stakeholders. We didn’t yet have the network we’ve built in Bordeaux, and their support allowed us to establish essential contacts for our project. For example, Axelle helped us connect with economic partners in the region as well as cultural institutions.

For a school like ours, which aims to establish a local presence and build connections with the region’s creative ecosystem, this support has been invaluable.

This support has been particularly reassuring. As investors, we need to know that we can rely on solid partners. Feeling that there was genuine interest in our project and that we were well-supported allowed us to move forward with greater confidence.

Florence Traumat: What I particularly appreciate is Team Nice Côte d’Azur’s human-centered approach. They are extremely approachable and attentive. We truly felt they were invested in our project, and that makes all the difference.

What are your future plans?

Florence Traumat: In the next three years, we plan to hire at least ten permanent staff, including educators, communicators, and business liaisons, along with 20 professional trainers for our Mode and Photo programs.

It is essential to build a strong local network to enable our students to find apprenticeships and internships in the region.

Nice is a vibrant city with numerous opportunities, and we want our students to benefit from this economic and creative dynamism.

Simon Hidier: Another key project for us is the establishment of a junior enterprise in Nice. We introduced this concept in Bordeaux, and it has been very successful. The junior enterprise allows our students to work on real projects for local brands under the supervision of professionals.
This gives them the opportunity to face market demands and understand the expectations of real clients, which is an invaluable experience. We aim to replicate this model in Nice because we know it will help our students gain hands-on experience right from their training.

Florence Traumat: We want to continue developing our international dimension in Nice by building connections with local events. We are currently in discussions with several institutions to enable our students to participate in major cultural projects in the region.

Simon Hidier: From an educational perspective, we aim to launch new programs in English to attract an international audience to Nice. With its well-connected airport and appeal to international students, Nice is an ideal city to offer English-language courses.
We also plan to organize inter-campus events between Bordeaux and Nice, such as joint workshops and fashion shows, to create synergies between the two hubs.