20237 - MANAGEMENT OF FASHION AND LUXURY COMPANIES

The course provides an overview of the global luxury and fashion business and an in-depth understanding of market drivers, business models and brand management strategies. Adopting a case-study approach, the course presents brand management in luxury and fashion companies as a balancing act: keeping the traditions, breaking them up, balancing old and new, staid and stylish, nurturing the brand heritage and at the same time staying fresh, relevant and contemporary for the new generations in the global marketplace. Traditional lectures alternate with group work sessions: students participate to a business game aimed at putting into practice methodologies of product and brand management learned in class.

The global luxury and fashion business: industry definition, emerging business models, value drivers
New market segmentations: luxury, extra-luxury and masstige
Luxury and emerging markets (China and India)
Business insights (apparel, leather goods, beauty and new luxury categories)
Product management: shorter product life-cycles and wider product portfolios
 The coming consumer value paradigm: the role of retail and store design
Managing growth: line and brand extension, licensing versus vertical integration
Brand management strategy and luxury: new perspectives

Attending students

• Individual written exam based on the course materials (60%)
• Group business game (40%).
  

Non attending students
Individual written exam based on the course materials and two books (100%)

The final written exam (a text based on both multiple choice and short questions, same as attending in terms of format) is more focused on the two books rather than on handouts and business cases.

Attending students
The written exam will be closed book, closed computer and will cover material from lectures, cases, and in-class discussions, including material from guest speakers (if applicable). The book chapters, cases and handouts indicated in the syllabus (posted on the web learning under each session) are compulsory. Other materials (papers, articles) not indicated in the syllabus and posted on the web learning are supporting materials. The course books are:

• E.Corbellini, S.Saviolo, Management in fashion and luxury companies, ETAS, 2009 is available at EGEA bookshop. All Chapters
• A. Marazza, S.Saviolo Lifestyle brands. A guide to aspirational marketing Palgrave McMillan, 2012. Chapters 1-2-3

All business cases should be prepared in advance following the questions proposed by the case. The exam will last 45 minutes and there will be a number of short answer questions, where your response would be about a line or multiple choice.  

Non - Attending students

All chapters of the two course books E.Corbellini, S.Saviolo and A. Marazza, S.Saviolo are compulsory for non attending students. The exam will last 45 minutes and there will be a number of short answer questions, where your response would be about a line or multiple choice.