The MSc in Luxury Fashion and Accessories Management is a unique specialization designed to meet the specific needs of luxury retail brands. It prepares you to make your first step into an international career. It seeks to educate the next generation of retail and global marketing managers, specifically within the Luxury Retail sector.
The specialization avails oneself of a mix of academic content and professional collaborations. It is designed to train and develop specifically-educated managers to craft innovative solutions to the highly complex queries in the luxury retail environment.
You learn the complexity of the luxury industry and the inter-relationships between all business functions within a luxury retail environment and develop the skills and behaviors to become trustworthy brand ambassadors.
What You Will Gain from an MSc in Luxury Management – Fashion and Accessories Management
- Master the skills needed to manage a luxury retail environment while upholding brand heritage, values, and exclusivity.
- Develop expertise in customer relationship management to enhance brand loyalty and business growth.
- Gain critical insights into how luxury brands successfully expand and position themselves in global markets.
- Cultivate an appreciation for the intangible, emotional, and sensory aspects of luxury experiences.
- Acquire essential tools and strategies for attracting, developing, and retaining top talent in the luxury sector.
- Deepen your understanding of the complexities and dynamics of the luxury industry.
- Gain hands-on experience working with prestigious fashion and luxury brands.
- Enhance your knowledge of fashion and accessories management.
- Explore career opportunities in high-end retail and brand management.
- Develop a service-oriented mindset tailored to luxury clientele.
- Build a strong professional network within the global luxury industry.
An Overview
The MSc in Luxury Management – Fashion and Accessories offers a deep dive into the world of high-end fashion, blending strategic business insights with creative brand expertise. This program goes beyond traditional learning by immersing students in the complexities of the luxury value chain, from design and production to retail and customer experience.
With a strong emphasis on real-world application, students collaborate with top luxury brands, tackling industry challenges and developing innovative solutions. The curriculum is shaped by industry leaders who bring firsthand knowledge of global market trends, digital transformation, and evolving consumer expectations. By combining academic rigor with hands-on experiences such as workshops, company visits, and case studies, the program prepares graduates to thrive in leadership roles within the luxury fashion and accessories sector.
STUDY PLAN
The program is structured to develop essential transversal and managerial skills, including collaborative teamwork in cross-cultural environments, data analysis, report writing, presentation skills, and career development. Students will also gain a strong foundation in core managerial topics such as accounting, forecasting, competitive analysis in the luxury industry, organizational behaviour, and business ethics.
As the program progresses, students will deepen their expertise through specialized modules focusing on luxury brand strategy, consumer behaviour, and leadership in the luxury sector. Practical skills in sales and business negotiation will also be emphasized. Those specializing in Luxury Fashion and Accessories Management will explore key topics such as sustainable luxury and luxury distribution.
A diverse selection of elective courses allows students to personalize their learning experience, with options including entrepreneurship, the jewelry industry, fashion buying and merchandising, PR and communication strategy, luxury retail marketing, and luxury service marketing.
Jewellery Course with Vitale 1913
Through the Fashion & Accessories specialization, the MSc in Luxury Management at IUM gives students unique access to the world of high-end jewellery. The course, taught by Alberto Vitale, CEO of Vitale 1913, blends academic insight with real-world expertise in craftsmanship, branding, and sustainability. With a hands-on learning approach and an international classroom environment, students develop the skills and mindset needed to succeed in the evolving luxury sector.
As a student in the MSc in Luxury Management, Fashion and Accessories Management specialization, I was exposed to different aspects of the Luxury business. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, hard to be found anywhere else. During my time at IUM, I was also able to build invaluable relationships with industry professionals and with my colleagues.
Working in jewelry is challenging but very exciting at the same time: it requires continuous patience, concentration, and activeness. It’s not just related to understanding the sales trends and selecting the proper merchandise for the specific boutique/region/country. Being a good merchandiser implies transferring all the company’s messages and values to our front-line colleagues, listening to them, and influencing and anticipating the customers’ purchasing habits and behaviors.
Chiara Lalinga, Alumna
Retail Buyer, DSQUARED2, Italy
Career opportunities
The program provides all the theories and practical knowledge necessary to develop the skills that can lead to careers in:
- Retail Management (Retail Manager, Area Manager, Store Manager): Involves overseeing the daily operations of retail stores, ensuring sales targets are met, managing staff, and enhancing customer experience. Store Managers focus on a single store, while Area Managers oversee multiple locations.
- Luxury Distribution: Refers to the management of high-end brands’ supply chains, ensuring premium products reach the right markets efficiently. It involves logistics, brand positioning, and working closely with exclusive retail partners.
- Merchandising and Retail Buying: Decide which products to stock, ensuring they align with consumer demand and brand identity. They analyse sales data, negotiate with suppliers, and predict fashion and market trends.
- International Marketing: Develop global strategies to promote products or services across different countries and cultures. They analyse foreign markets, adapt campaigns to local preferences, and manage cross-border brand positioning.
TOP EMPLOYERS
BOTTEGA VENETA / BWA YACHTING / CARTIER / CHANEL / CHRISTIAN DIOR / ENGELS & VÖLKERS / FRASER YACHTS / GALERIES LAFAYETTE / GIRAUDI GROUP / GUCCI / HERMÈS / HILTON HOTEL / HUGO BOSS / LOUIS VUITTON / MAJESTAS / ROYAL YACHT INTERNATIONAL / SILVERSEA CRUISES / SOCIETE DES BAINS DE MER / VITALE 1913 / YACHT CLUB DE MONACO
Alumni Story
“To have the possibility to experience something that in any other program and location you would have not the possibility to experience (Monaco Yacht Show, Fashion Week, Mark Challenge, projects, in-store analysis…), to deeply understand what luxury means, to closely get in touch with experts in the luxury industry and to work in a multi-cultural environment.”
Anna Padovan, MSc in Luxury Management 2020, and Assistant Buyer at Rinascente, Italy