Master in Luxury Retail Management

The Master of Science in Luxury Retail Management program seeks to educate the next generation of store managers specifically within the luxury sector. It aims to train and develop imaginative, informed, specifically-educated managers capable of crafting novel solutions to the often-unique and highly complex problems that arise in the luxury retail environment.

Program objectives are structured around four main sets of competencies:

1. Understanding Luxury

• History, evolution & trends
• Introduction to the luxury sectors & major players in luxury retail
• Overview of iconic luxury products
• Understanding competitive dynamics within the luxury retail industry

2. Management & Operations

• Selecting, building and motivating a strong sales team
• Managing a cost/profit center: profit planning, cost control, budgeting & resource allocation
• Stock management & logistics
• Merchandise planning, assortment
• Marketing at the point of sale: product management, visual merchandising, display, store atmospherics, PR, event management
• Anticipating customer needs and expectations: consumer behavior, CRM, the design and delivery of high quality service
• Quality control, performance indicators, boutique audits

3. Nurturing the immaterial, emotional & sensorial dimensions of luxury

• Aesthetics, semiotics & artistic appreciation
• Understanding the importance of fashion sense
• Elegance, "prestance", etiquette & protocol
• Codes, symbols & rituals in luxury retailing
• Experiencing luxury: field trips & luxury company visits

4. Bridging theory and practice

• Guest speakers series
• Mentorship program: matching students' profile & interests with corporate mentors
• One-week orientation within a luxury company (during the course of the program)
• Full immersion in a luxury retail setting: 7-month internship in a luxury boutique (at the end of the courses)