Anyone who's watched a beloved brand fade into oblivion or niche studio suddenly explode onto the scene knows fashion is as much a business as it is a form of creative expression. Behind every successful brand, dozens—even hundreds—of number-crunchers make the decisions that keep it afloat. We may take our cues from the people who sketch and sew, but it's the suits—beautifully cut, of course—that make a label look good.
Now, more than ever, the fashion and luxury industries are facing disruption at the hands of digital growth, big data, social media and innovative strategies, so it's of crucial importance to swat up.
In 2017, ELLE announced a partnership with MIT University to help train the next generation of executives; the three elite institutions joined forces to launch the ELLE International Fashion & Luxury Management Program.
For 2019 (and the third year), the course has been renamed 'Innovation leadership for Fashion & Luxury Consumer Brands' and as well as collaborating with MIT's Management Executive Education department, ELLE International has enlisted help from Mindway.
How It Works
The programme remains a hybrid course (online and onsite), offering exclusive insight and a global perspective on the many challenges facing the fashion and luxury industries and emphasising the need for innovation and agility.
This year, the onsite classes will focus on three modules specific to each location: fast fashion (10 days Madrid), haute couture and luxury (10 days Paris) and innovation (6 days on the MIT Campus in Boston). During these onsite classes, ELLE International invite professional experts and speakers to lead the way. Just to give you a taste of the sort of talent on the roster, during the last 2 years, speakers included Michael Burke, Sidney Toledano, Diane Von Furstenberg, Alber Elbaz, Gabriela Hearst, Christian Louboutin, Jean-Claude Jourde (CEO Estée Lauder), Geoffroy de la Bourdonnais (CEO Chloé) among others.
But more than that, course participants will also get an exclusive visit to the Archives du Patrimoine Dior, to see the original sketches of Christian Dior. Plus, they'll also visit showrooms and Ateliers of the most relevant and esteemed brands in the industry, such as Louis Vuitton in Paris and sustainable fashion brands such as ECOALF.
The Dates
The 2020 programme will last six months, from January 2020 to the end of June 2020 and you can discover all the details about ELLE academic courses via elle.education.
Module Dates:
Madrid - March 8-15, 2020
Paris - April 19-26, 2020
MIT Sloan's Campus in Boston - June 1-5, 2020
For all further information about the course and how to apply, VISIT THIS WEBSITE
"As a major player in the fashion and luxury sector, ELLE has always shared its expertise with readers," said Constance Benqué, CEO of ELLE France and International. Now, we're letting them make it official; at the end of the academic year, enrollees will receive an MIT Sloan Executive Education certificate in collaboration with Complutense.
