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The MBA in fashion management is a relatively new phenomenon, though the same roles and rules apply to students looking for MBA jobs as in any industry. Fortunately, the MBA salary levels for jobs in the sector are competitive too. Networking is very important in an industry where word of mouth can count for everything.

Finance, marketing, innovation and strategy all play massive roles in bringing the latest trends from the catwalk to the high street. Thereโ€™s no getting away from the fact, however, that creativity lies at the heart of the fashion industry. To be a successful leader in the sector, one must not only be able to work with creatives but also to help manage and nurture their strengths โ€“ which is what a specialized track will teach you.

Students should pay extra attention to location when considering options for pursing an MBA in luxury brand or fashion management.

Masters in Fashion Management

Masters in Fashion Management degrees are structured around gaining in-depth knowledge of the fashion industry, with an entrepreneurial and global focus. Youโ€™ll enhance both your creative and managerial skills to become a dynamic business brain, and be encouraged to โ€˜think outside the boxโ€™ and try new things.

Masters in Fashion Management degrees can be offered as Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MSc) or Masters of Business Administration (MBA) qualifications. The latter is likely to require more experience in fashion or business, whilst MA Fashion Management degrees tend to focus more on creativity in business, for example by creating a fashion magazine as one of the assessment tasks.

Most Masters in Fashion Management programs include a module on the history of fashion, giving you background information to see how the industry has developed to its current stage. 

Depending on the nature of your course, your fashion management degree could end with a dissertation, business project or other major research or consulting project. Courses are one or two years long, depending on where you study.

Some fashion schools offer practical work placements and/or chances for students to attend high-profile fashion events in the country. Itโ€™s definitely a good idea to become involved with these opportunities, to apply what youโ€™ve learned to practical situations and increase your career prospects.

Entry requirements

To gain entry onto a Masters in Fashion Management, youโ€™ll need to have a good bachelorโ€™s degree. Some universities state that applicants should have previously studied a relevant subject (such as business), while others will accept graduates of any discipline. If you donโ€™t have a bachelorโ€™s degree but you do have substantial work experience in the industry, you may also be considered.

MBA in fashion management course content

Those specializing in fashion management will study the same traditional core courses as they would on any MBA program. These will then be supplemented by course offerings that are specifically tailored โ€“ pun intended โ€“ to fashion and luxury brand management. Courses might include:

  • Marketing luxury brands
  • Developing and managing luxury retail
  • The fashion industry: creativity in business
  • Culture of brands
  • Design and marketing of luxury goods
  • Managing a watch brand
  • Managing a jewelry brand
  • Luxury brand consumer behavior
  • Doing business in Italy
  • Luxury brand finance
  • Retail marketing
  • Retail store layout and design
  • Social media and consumer engagement

As students work their way through an MBA in luxury brand management, it is likely that they will be encouraged to travel to fashion hubs like New York, Paris, Milan and London, as well as to emerging markets in China and India where luxury brands are not only establishing a foothold but will, itโ€™s predicted, become the worldโ€™s biggest markets.

M.B.A. in Fashion Management is a 2-year postgraduate course in Fashion and Interior Designing, divided into four semesters. Fashion Management, essentially, involves:

  • promotion of apparel sales.
  • delivery of clothing requests.
  • meeting the needs of potential customers and designers.
  • development of:
  1. promotional displays and advertisements.
  2. campaigns.
  • execution of manufacturing and marketing.
  • creation of sales strategies.

The major components that form part of the courseโ€™s curriculum are:

  • creative merchandising/marketing
  • innovative fashion management practices
  • fashion forecasting and trends
  • business practices through field visits and industry internships.
  • functioning of the middle management of a growing organization.

The course can be pursued after successful completion of graduation from a recognized university, or Diploma in Fashion/ Accessory Designing, with a minimum aggregate score of 45%, or equivalent qualification.

Such postgraduates are hired in capacities such as:

  • Apparel Production Manager
  • Cutting Assistant
  • Costume Designer
  • Entrepreneur
  • Fashion Coordinator
  • Fashion Consultant
  • Fashion Show Organizer
  • Fabric Buyer
  • Fabric Quality Control Manager
  • Graphic Designer
  • Outside Sales Representative
  • Personal Stylist
  • Production Pattern Maker
  • Show Room Sales Representative
  • Production Manager
  • Product Developer
  • Quality Control Manager
  • Fashion Coordinator
  • Visual Merchandisers
  • Store Manager
  • Transportation/Distribution Managers
  • Purchasing Agents
  • Show Room Sales Representative
  • Technical Designer, etc.

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