MA Fashion and Luxury Brand Management

The brand manager’s role within the fashion luxury goods industry is to motivate, create desire, and build trust through various channels in merchandising, marketing and communication in order to meet the expectations of a luxury brand’s vision and strategy. This 9-month course in Milano or Florence school or 15-month course (including placement) in London or Paris school provides in-depth knowledge of branding specifically for the fashion and luxury goods industries.

Experts in luxury brand management know exactly where their products are positioned, fully understand their role in the market, and constantly analyse their relationships with customers. However, the task of the brand manager is not only to attract and retain consumers, but also to improve the practical and organisational management of a brand within the fashion organisation – this course addresses both areas; luxury branding together with business management and organisation skills.

Participants learn how to adapt communication, marketing and promotional techniques to reach sale goals and fully apply the key strategies of luxury businesses. As well as concentrating on the intangible elements: customer relationships, the impact of social media and the consumer ‘experience’, the course makes a critical analysis of the more tangible elements of branding; product attributes (quality, features, and design), and the difference between brand image and brand identity, packaging and labelling. A successful luxury brand manager works on all of these aspects. The fashion industry placement within the programme, giving students the opportunity to put theory into reflective and purposeful practice within the field.

Participants become experts in making key branding decisions including in brand extension and brand repositioning, and learn how to detect any weaker products in a collection. Analysis of the target audience and marketing mix provides a solid grounding for brand strategy development together with research on how companies in the fashion and luxury market develop their own interpretation of brand positioning and devise innovative strategies.

The impact of social media has changed the face of communication and this course looks at finding the right balance between corporate brand image, new media and viral platforms – key to the success of luxury brands today. Along with the study of past styles and the analysis of current trends and forecasts related to “future-fashion”, participants are able to question how aesthetic expressions and interpretations of social and cultural trends influence positioning and brand image. Current issues in the fashion industry are also addressed such as neo craftsmanship and alternative business models, together with professional links direct with fashion companies; industry projects and guest speakers all assist to provide a detailed insight into the realities, and the opportunities, of fashion.

This course is for participants that have previous undergraduate level study or proven work experience, completing the course with branding and management skills for various positions within the fashion, luxury and creative industries.