Why a Master in Luxury Retail Management?
The Master in Luxury Retail Management is a unique program designed to meet the specific needs of
major luxury retail players. It is the ideal course for students interested in acquiring managerial skills to build an international career.
Luxury retail has become a highly competitive business. Gone are the days when it was easy to sell luxury goods based on the allure of the brand alone. Luxury retailing has been evolving dramatically during these past few years: a wide range of formats and concepts have emerged, posing new challenges to managers. Luxury players are constantly striving to innovate so as to attract and retain ever-more demanding affluent consumers.
Due to the convergent trends of increased competition and more knowledgeable customers, the traditional ways of running a luxury store can no longer guarantee success. Today, retail has become a key battleground in the urgent quest to find and keep the best customers.
But the luxury retail environment is much more than a store:
1) It is expected to provide a
unique ambiance and atmosphere, reflecting and reinforcing the values of the brand;
2) It should offer an
exceptional and inimitable shopping experience in which consumers develop long-lasting and emotional ties with the brand;
3) And, in order to accomplish this, it should be managed by a
team of highly trained professionals who understand the operational and managerial facets of their job, the sensorial and emotional dimensions of the luxury brand, as well as ever-evolving customer demands and expectations.
Matteo Salvaggio, Italian, MLUX 2010
Assistant wholesale manager, Polo Ralph Lauren, Milan
"IUM is not just a university. It’s a multicultural lifestyle environment of professional
colleagues and lifelong friends that just completely change your life.
It changes you personally and professionally introducing you to the luxury world."
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The MLUX RETAIL Program prepares young students to make their first steps into an international
career. It seeks to educate the next generation of store managers and international managers
specifically within the Luxury Retail sector.
The MLUX RE TAIL avails oneself of a mix of academic content and professional collaborations and it is designed to train and
develop specifically-educated managers able to craft novel solutions to the highly complex problems that arise in the
luxury retail environment.
Students learn the complexity of the luxury industry and the interrelationships between all business functions within a
luxury retail environment and develop the skills and behaviors to become trustworthy brand ambassadors.
The Program at a glance

A pioneer program thought to answer the specific needs of Luxury Retail companies

Personal development and managerial courses to develop your leadership skills

Lasting partnerships with international major players supporting the program with lectures, and career opportunities

Many group activities enabling students to develop a team work spirit

Presentation skills practice throughout the year
The 4 essential skills for today’s luxury retail managers:
Program learning outcomes
On successful completion of the program, participants will be able to:
- Appreciate the unique facets of luxury, and the importance of brand heritage as translated into the products they are
selling;
- Demonstrate a culture of appreciation for the quality of the service;
- Feel confident in their ability to deliver a consistent, distinctive, unique service experience in their store;
- Understand and use the needed instruments/tools and methods to complete their managerial profile;
- Exhibit sensitivity and the relational skills needed to optimize the quality of service delivered in the boutique, and
therefore increase sales and reinforce customer loyalty.
Some of the core courses offered
* Introduction and Overview of the Luxury Sector
* Accounting & Financial Management in the Luxury Industry
* Luxury Service
* Luxury Communication & Media Planning
* Human Resources in the Luxury Industry
* Luxury Consumer Behavior
* Industry Competitive Analysis
* Marketing of Luxury Goods & Services
Some of the Master Specialization Courses
* Luxury Distribution
* Luxury Sales Techniques
* Luxury Boutique & Performance Indicators
* Developing an Effective Selling Cermony
* CRM and Data Base Management
* Forecasting, Budgeting & Planning for Retail Operations
* International Business
* Supply Chain & Retail Stock Management
* Marketing & Retail Operations
* Retail Buying & Merchandising
A Professional Immersion (6-month Internship) is also included in the curriculum.
...To Practice
Exchange your thoughts to inspire new ideas
The MLUX programs ensure that curriculum matches the luxury business standards by working with luxury industry players.
The interaction with these companies goes through several possible activities:
- Professional guest lecturers and series of
CEO conferences (Chloé, Bulgari Hotel, Façonnable, JWT, Parmigiani, Mauboussin, Gucci, Fraser Yachts, Wally, YSL, Sergio Rossi,…)
- Attending the
most important events and fairs linked with the Luxury world (Car show in Geneva, Monaco Yacht Show and Luxe Pack in Monaco, TFWA in Cannes, Fiera del Mobile in Milan, International Jewelry Show in Valenza, Luxury Briefing conference in London…)
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Field trips are organized yearly to further reinforce understanding of professional expectations. Students visit major firms or industrial plants in European capitals having the chance to go straight to the main source of the information.
Some of the companies visited: Valentino, Kenzo, L’Oréal, Acqua di Parma, Hotel de Crillion Paris, Bulgari, Gucci, Ermenegildo Zegna, Safilo, Lungarno Collection Hotels, Fendi, Bulgari Hotel, Rossi Moda, Polo Ralph Lauren, Christian Dior Jewelry,…
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Employer Branding presentations inviting HR managers interested in communicating on the company’s values and business results and in recruiting our students.
Careers Opportunities
The MLUX RETAIL program has been developed in cooperation with luxury retail companies, in particular within the fashion,
accessories, watches and jewelry industries, and has benefited of the experience and the recognition of the MLUX
general program.
Students interested in developping their international career within a luxury fashion or accessories brand, typical luxury
retail companies, are recommended to apply to this specific program. An experience on the shop floor is considered
essential to acquire the skills to understand the key aspects of the luxury business such as the clients’ needs, the product
and the brand’s values.
The broad range of skills attained during the intense and practical program will enable MLUX RE TAIL students to be
prepared for future positions such as:
Retail buyer: involved in the seasonal buying session to ensure the right merchandise is purchased in the right quantity according to market and customer trends; responsible for sales reports, competitor and market trend analysis; provide product training to retail staff to ensure good product knowledge across all stores.
Retail manager: in charge of setting and monitoring key performance indicators for all boutiques as well as business development and growth strategies across a wide geographical area.
Area/Country manager: supervises and coordinates multistore operations within a given geographical area.
Store manager: oversees all operational, financial, managerial and marketing activities performed within the boutique; supervises sales team performances and customer relationships; defines, controls and evaluates sales goals by product category, staff and timeframe; prepares weekly and monthlysales reports.
Assistant store manager: directly supports the store manager in leading the sales team to deliver superior customer service and optimize sales performance and operations.
Some of the companies where MLUX RETAIL & MLUX Alumni have interned or are still working:
Louis Vuitton, Prada, Fendi, Façonnable, Salvatore Ferragamo, Christian Louboutin, Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Tiffany, Swatch Group, Chanel, Polo Ralph Lauren, Emilio Pucci, Ermenegildo Zegna, Dior, Valentino, Cartier, Max Mara...
Saloni Ghia, Indian, MLUX Retail 2012
Public Relations & Communications Trainee at Gucci, India
"The Mlux Retail program equipped me with the theoretical insight and practical knowledge to work in the challenging field of luxury. The unique advantage offered by this course includes a 6 month internship which gives a vital edge over other graduates. Through this course I gained tremendous industry and international exposure, the opportunity to develop my skills and make lifelong connections."
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