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It’s in the Structure: The Foundations of our Fashion & Luxury MBA Program

Professor Thomaï Serdari is an international luxury authority with a unique background encompassing design, humanities, and business. She specializes in luxury marketing and branding, helping clients launch and manage luxury brands with a focus on creative innovation.  As the Academic Director of the Fashion & Luxury MBA at New York University, she draws on her interdisciplinary training to foster the next generation of industry leaders.  Prof. Serdari’s expertise is reflected in her contributions to various publications like Luxury Daily and VOGUE Business. She is the editor of the academic journal Luxury: History, Culture, Consumption and the host of the POPULUXE podcast, exploring luxury through unique objects and stories of desire.  Her book, “Rethinking Luxury Fashion: The Role of Cultural Intelligence in Creative Strategy,” further delves into her method.

Popular belief holds that an academic spends her summer away from classrooms, books, and students. Nothing could be further from the truth, especially for those of us teaching in NYU’s Stern School of Business Fashion & Luxury MBA, a program that starts in mid-May. Ours is the first and only North American MBA focused on fashion & luxury, built on a unique curriculum designed to respond to changes in the marketplace.

It has been five years since we launched this MBA. Having been involved with the program since its inception and leading its academic content since 2019, I gladly paused for the milestone celebration. I had the opportunity to take short jaunts in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states over the summer and took the time to reflect on what makes this program special. Absorbing the architecture of the region crystallized for me an important realization.

There is a special type of ingenuity that is seen in the way early American homes were built. I am not referring to their foundations. What defines the integrity of these houses, what has helped them survive for almost four centuries is their fireplaces. They usually form a very strong core with hearths on three sides. The wooden house is then built around these hearths and the rooms are designed in such angles so that each fireplace is used to its maximum utility warming up the rooms around it but also those in subsequent expansions either up or out.

Remarkably, this is precisely the structure that has been put in place for each one of the candidates that chooses this program for career advancement.  The foundations are there, of course. After all, this is a Master’s in Business Administration degree taught in the same classrooms, by the same professors, with the identical material used to teach the core curriculum in NYU Stern’s full-time and Langone MBA programs. The foundations are those of a top ranking, global research institution in business. Even though fully attached to the MBA core curriculum, the F&L subject areas are enhanced with material that addresses specific challenges in the fashion, beauty, retail, and luxury sectors and helps students apply the frameworks they are learning to real market situations. Electives from Stern’s impressive roster of world-class innovative courses that help the business world embrace the future round up a candidate’s education.

The uniqueness of the program stems from its design as a three-sided hearth. Each side represents a different aspect of this structure: A. Our partners; B. A Fashion & Luxury Council; and C. A network of industry professionals from our own community. 

A. Our partners (companies like PVH, LVMH, Kering, Richemont, Estée Lauder Companies, High Snobiety, Tapestry, L’Oréal etc.) offer instructional support through live cases, on-campus visits to meet our students at conferences, coffee chats, and formal recruiting events (when these occur) and hosting at their headquarters and boutiques for us to gain a better understanding of the day-to-day challenges and breakthroughs, either in New York City or abroad.

B. The Fashion & Luxury Council consists of current and former executives with industry experience and a genuine interest in mentoring our students. With a one-on-one match based on common backgrounds and career goals, each one of the F&L Council members plays a pivotal role in helping our MBA candidates solidify their career direction, gain clarity over their recruiting approach, and grow the confidence needed to succeed. While traditionally fashion and luxury industries have groomed talent internally, today’s intense competition has contributed to a change of the guards and a new mindset that values and welcomes MBA holders as new recruits, the next generation of industry leaders.

C. Finally, in the last 12 years I have been teaching at NYU Stern, I have taught, mentored, and got to know many talented persons who are now happily employed in the industry and always happy to connect with the new Sternies, who are equally passionate about fashion, beauty, retail, and luxury. Our community of professionals is going strong, without even counting the rest of Stern’s global network.

If you intend to pursue NYU Stern’s Fashion & Luxury MBA, you should keep the visual of the three-sided hearth in mind while you envision a school year filled with unparalleled opportunities to learn about the industry and your role in it. The city’s fashion district, its adjacent industries of fashion shows and media, and the new economy of the city as a tech hub coalesce as the full expression of what drives the creative economies, right here, all around Gould Plaza. It all happens in New York City, the creative capital of North America, and a place we affectionately refer to as the “NYU campus.”

We will teach you the foundations. We will give you access to a three-sided hearth to ignite your journey. We will help you imagine the unique essence of your own blueprint in the now and into the future. What will your signature mark be as an industry professional?

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DBi Morocco 2023: Experience of a Lifetime

*NYU Stern’s Fashion & Luxury MBA program was renamed to the Luxury & Retail MBA program.*

Timothy Jaw

Timothy Jaw is a current Fashion & Luxury MBA student, specializing in Management and Luxury Marketing. Prior to Stern, Timothy built and ran his own brands, Jaw x Jawshop and OPTIONS New York.  Post-MBA, he plans to continue working on his brands.  At Stern, he is involved in the Luxury and Retail Club and enjoys meeting new people and being outside.

What is Doing Business in… or DBi?

If you’re looking to apply at Stern, you might have seen or heard about Doing Business In… or DBi.  It’s one of the programs that all Stern students can apply for in which you get to take classes in another country with a bunch of other NYU Stern MBA students, usually with a partner University for a week or two depending on the destination and timing.  In my case, I was fortunate enough to go to DBi Morocco in March 2023 over my Spring Break.

Why Morocco?

Two of my Fashion & Luxury classmates were also on my DBi and low key, their excitement about going to Morocco persuaded me to do this location as well.  Also, I ended up choosing Morocco because it worked well with my Spring 2023 course load and I thought to myself, when am I ever going to get the chance again to go to Morocco with 39 other people on an organized weekly agenda with site visits, company tours, and charter buses!?  Lastly, I never got to study abroad in undergrad, so the opportunity to travel internationally with my classmates and take courses abroad was at the top of my list of experiences I wanted to try while at Stern.

Was it worth it?

I’m not going to lie, I was a bit nervous and stressed out about going to my DBi Morocco.  I remember telling my classmates how I wish I didn’t sign up for it the week I had to embark.  However, this was just my fight or flight syndrome kicking in, and once I flew over the Strait of Gibraltar and saw the beauty of Morocco’s landscape I was immediately mesmerized and ready to experience what my next 10 days were going to be like.

Morocco was so lush and the DBi experience did not disappoint!

In terms of curriculum, I couldn’t have asked for a better partner school and itinerary.  The professors from NYU’s partner school, ESCA in Casablanca had guest speakers and company visits lined up for us all week and traveled with us everyday to each site.  They even went from Casablanca to Marrakech with us and gave us a tour of the historic sites, gave us a street food tour, and organized dinners at some of their favorite restaurants.  They demonstrated Moroccan hospitality culture to the fullest!  We got to hear from amazing women entrepreneurs from Morocco on a panel, heard from the head of Moroccan tourism, visited the largest soap and Moroccan oil manufacturer, and also heard from speakers who specialized in Moroccan finance, real estate, politics, and overall best business practices.

What was the best thing about it?

Being exposed to a new culture, interacting with the locals, and the overall energy of everyone on the trip with me was definitely my favorite part of the DBi.  Everyone was so nice, open-minded, and down to meet new people, embracing a culture that none of us were too familiar with, and exploring together!  I think this is the overall energy of all DBi at NYU Stern. 

Everyone that I met on the trip, whether from NYU or Morocco, was so open-minded and it was a breath of fresh air to be exposed to a country and landscape so different from New York City.  For the most part, none of us had been to Morocco before and this gave us all a chance to experience trying new things together and be out of our comfort zones in a group environment.  It really helped forge lasting memories, insights, and friendships.

Would you do it again?

It was the most magical time, the thrill of adventure, meeting new people, being submerged in a culture that I was not familiar with, and learning from the professors, working professionals, and entrepreneurs of Morocco.  Our program partnered with ESCA School of Management in Casablanca.  We met so many great people while attending the scheduled programming including Moroccan professors, women entrepreneurs, and many of the local business owners who shared their craft with us.  Not to mention, hearing more about the local industries and focuses of the country from these experts working in Morocco really opened up my eyes about the future of Morocco and Africa.  I actually can’t wait to go back and keep learning more about this continent.

In Summary

It was like NYU orientation all over again, the energy and excitement of meeting a bunch of new  people and going through an intensive but structured itinerary together.  You are with the same people for a week and traveling from city to city (in our case, Casablanca to Marrakech) and attending site tours, speaker engagements, and company visits all together.  Everyone was so nice and amazing and by the end of it I felt like we were on a reality show and we had just been gathered to film a pilot season of a show before going back to our lives.  We still keep the group text active, have a reunion event coming up, and I would do it again in a heartbeat; advising every student to partake in this or study abroad.  The adventure, thrill, value, and exposure to new cultures is far to none and will be an experience of a lifetime with memories and friends you will never forget!

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My Job Application Experience

*NYU Stern’s Fashion & Luxury MBA program was renamed to the Luxury & Retail MBA program.*

Jennifer Rice comes to NYU Stern with over six years of experience as a Design Director in sustainability and performance brands. After working as a designer for shoes and ready-to-wear at Zero + Maria Cornejo, she went on to start up her own consulting company in 2021, aligning new and established brands with partners across the east coast for brand development and production services. Jennifer is a Graduate Ambassador, AVP of Admissions for SISA, and admissions committee member for SWIB. Aside from work and school, you can find Jennifer at Washington Square Park dog run with her roommates, Meredith and Elizabeth, and their dog, Stella. 

When I began my recruitment journey at Stern, I had a pretty good idea of “what” I wanted to do, but wanted to explore all the different avenues of getting there. After exploring different avenues like Consulting, Merchandising, and even for a moment, Venture Capital, I realized that I was looking for a bit more of a holistic experience in my next role. Because of my background of being with one company for many years, to then having a consulting practice where I had multiple clients at a time, I realized my next move needed to be one where I have the opportunity to really understand a company from every angle and perspective. I wanted to see the way different departments operated and worked together, before settling into a specific vertical within a company, and a rotational program really spoke to me in that regard. Additionally, I found that I have really enjoyed the learning and mentorship environment at Stern, so I was hoping to find a program that emphasized this in order to continue that thread in my professional career post MBA.

Deciding a Path

Next, I educated myself on the different roles typically offered to Stern MBA students in retail, and immediately there was one that stuck out to me. It had everything I had hoped for: an incredible sustainable department that was looking for continued growth, a strong consumer insights team, and a really positive company culture. To really emphasize that last part: being in the fashion industry, I had become accustomed to the fact that work days would be 12+ hours and the culture wouldn’t always be friendly. I can safely say that this theory is not always the case, and that you *can* find the balance. 

The Application Process

Once the application process began, it started with me sending applications with my resume and cover letter to the companies I was interested in, which was posted on the 12Twenty careers site, available to all NYU Stern students. A few weeks later, emails started being sent out inviting me to schedule first round interviews, which typically consist of both behavioral and more analytical based interviews. I used my casing prep from the Management Consulting Association (MCA)  to get ready for the more technical interviews, and did due diligence by researching the companies and really figuring out how I would fit in and add to the community. Then, I worked with my peers on behavioral interview prep. A wonderful process my friends and I did was to ask a behavioral question (like: tell me about a time you overcame a challenge) in the group chat every morning and each person would respond back with a voice note of their answer. We’d respond back to each other with feedback and it was so helpful to hear the different perspectives! 

Interviews

Once those interviews are complete, invites are typically sent out for a final round. Given the post-covid world, some companies will do the final round virtually or in person. When it’s in person, it’s really fun meeting the other MBA students from other schools invited to the final round as well, which might sound like intense competition, but rather it feels more like an opportunity to network! For final rounds, you may be prompted to do a behavioral interview again, but you also may be asked to do a presentation on a topic, a case interview, or even a group case. I know these days can seem really stressful and daunting since you’re evaluated on so many different factors, but I noticed when I stopped viewing it as a one way street of if they were going to like me, my anxiety on the matter disintegrated. Instead, view it as an opportunity to understand if the environment and people at the company make you feel that you’ll be able to really add to the company in an impactful way and succeed. My biggest takeaway from the experience of recruitment was that you know yourself better than anyone else, so look to emulate your traits of impact in a light that’s truthful to who you are. There’s no right or wrong in your answers, as long as you stay true to yourself and identify the ways you can make a successful impact at your target company and role. 

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Career Resources & Recruiting

*NYU Stern’s Fashion & Luxury MBA program was renamed to the Luxury & Retail MBA program.*

Cecilia Marmolejos is a current Fashion and Luxury MBA student, specializing in Luxury Marketing. Prior to Stern, Cecilia worked at Wayfair as a Site merchandiser, and as a merchant. Post-MBA, she plans to pursue a career in brand management. At Stern, she is involved in the luxury retail club, and Stern Women in Business. 

At Stern, I have felt extremely supported when it comes to my career journey. I came in with an interest in beauty, and no prior experience in that segment, and feel like Stern has given me certain opportunities that I otherwise would not have had exposure to. 

At the beginning of the Fashion & Luxury MBA, the Office of Career Development explained to my class that students have two different opportunities for recruiting. The first is called cyclical recruitment, which happens in the fall and is commonly found in large companies that can anticipate their headcount. The second is just in time recruiting which happens in the spring closer to graduation, and is much more prevalent in the fashion and luxury industries. For myself, I decided to recruit in the fall, and found the process to be manageable, despite how many steps there are, due to the career resources at Stern. Regardless of when you decide to recruit, I recommend working on polishing your resume and a draft cover letter, so when a job opens up, you have a base template that you can tailor to a specific job function. A great resource to elevate your cover letter is the Office of Career Development. 

During my recruiting journey, I utilized Stern’s portal for campus recruiting jobs, which gives students access to jobs that are specifically targeting MBA students. I applied for a job through this portal, and additionally attended on campus presentations that Stern facilitates, where students hear from company representatives looking to hire Sternies. When recruiting, it can be an extremely time consuming process. I would try to segment out weekly time, to ensure I was taking time to network within Stern’s contacts, polish my resume, and look for job opportunities. By segmenting out time every week, it made it easier for me to enjoy on campus events and balance my social calendar outside of recruiting and classes. Additionally, given this program is one year, it provides you such a unique opportunity to experience an MBA, while also preparing for the workforce in an expedited timeline. For those who chose this type of program, I recommend consistently meeting with mentors and the Office of Career Development to keep yourself accountable at all steps of the process.

For my specific process, I applied to H&M’s rotational program and received so much support from the office of career development. I worked closely with Fatim, who helped me from my resume, to crafting my cover letter, and then helped me run through a presentation for my interview. Once I received an offer, the Careers Team was also there to help me walk through the offer, to ensure I was comfortable with accepting the position. I felt personally supported by Fatim, and am beyond grateful for her help and encouragement throughout an extremely stressful process. 

In addition to the Careers Team, Stern’s alumni community is extremely supportive during the recruiting process. Stern helps connect students with alums who share their recruiting histories, and are willing to help chat with students about where they are now. There are a variety of corporate presentations led by Stern alumni, which is a great opportunity to network, and learn about different position openings. In my case, I was able to speak to alums that currently work at H&M, to understand what their day to day functions look like, and what their career trajectories would be post rotational programs. This really allowed me to get a feel for what the company would actually be like, and furthermore excited me to apply. 

Overall, Stern has made the recruiting process less daunting, and I am grateful for all the support I have received throughout this process. Post MBA, I will be joining H&M in their Leadership Training Program. I am excited for what my future holds, and am beyond thankful for those who have helped me get here.

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Reflections on our Winter Immersion in Florence

*NYU Stern’s Fashion & Luxury MBA program was renamed to the Luxury & Retail MBA program.*

Anna Smedsrud is a current Fashion & Luxury MBA student, specializing in Strategy, Brand Management, and Luxury Marketing. Prior to Stern, Anna was working as a retail negotiations consultant at Target Corporate in Minneapolis. Post-MBA, she will start as a senior consultant in customer and marketing strategy at Deloitte. Anna is currently involved in the Stern Run Club and is interning in retail operations at L’Occitane. In her free time, she enjoys trying out new NYC restaurants, reading fiction, and watching Bravo. 

It’s been almost 6 weeks since we arrived back in New York from our winter immersion in Florence, yet I’ve found myself missing the pear ravioli from 4 Leoni and the beautiful views of Piazza Santa Maria Novella nearly every single day. As a Fashion and Luxury MBA cohort, we spent 8 days together in Italy observing and studying the operations of multiple small and medium Italian enterprises and appreciating, up-close, the beauty of Italian craftsmanship. This trip was incredibly educational – as you can imagine, it was a 3 credit course! – but it was also filled with opportunities to appreciate art and culture and to form new and more meaningful friendships with my cohort. I walked away with a deeper appreciation for each of my 22 classmates, and I am so grateful for this time together.

I wanted to take this space to highlight my top three favorite experiences from Florence. I hope these highlights can give a small taste of the joy that was our 2023 winter immersion.

1. Manteco Factory – Manteco is a recycled wool company with a factory located in a small town outside Florence, and we had the opportunity to both tour the factory and explore their showroom. Manteco’s commitment to producing 100% recycled (and recyclable), high quality fabrics showcased that sustainability and luxury can live together as one.

2. Ferragamo archives and museum – we spent a full day learning about Ferragamo, the shoemaker to the stars, and his strong, strategic family and enduring, innovative brand. We walked through Ferragamo’s carefully kept archives, watched shoes being made in one of their factories, and explored the Ferragamo museum located within the Ferragamo house in the heart of Florence. 

 

3. Closing Seminar at NYU Florence – our last day in Florence was spent at NYU Florence, an academic building of New York University located in Villa La Pietra, a 1400s Tuscan villa gifted to NYU in the 1990s. The grounds were stunning, and walking through them, enjoying the sunshine and taking in the Tuscan mountain views was the perfect way to close out our time together.

It was difficult to narrow these top highlights as many moments from our time in Florence stood out. Honorable mentions include gelato outside the Duomo, vintage shopping at sunset, seeing Botticellis for the first time in the Uffizi, and countless, wonderful encounters with local Italians. Italy is a wonderful place to study fashion and to appreciate art, and it was the perfect place to kick-off our final semester as Fashion and Luxury MBA students.

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Networking with Alumni & Current Students

Cindy Wang is a current Fashion & Luxury MBA student, specializing in Luxury Marketing, Business Analytics, and Strategy. Prior to Stern, she was at Tiffany & Co. as the Jewelry Supply Chain Analyst for the High Jewelry, Diamond Collections side for the last 3 years. This role solidified her interest and aspiration to continue in the luxury & retail industry.

 

 

 

Network. Network. Network. This is probably something we’ve all heard about and have ingrained in our brains ever since undergrad. I’m sure with our extensive research of business schools, we agree with the general consensus that B School is all about networking (and the memories and new friends, of course). Located in NYC, a retail and luxury capital, I knew that Stern would, no doubt, expand my professional network to build lasting relationships with alumni and industry experts.

Alumni

The alumni network at Stern is INCREDIBLE. Just one semester in, and I’ve already met a myriad of alumni who have such interesting career paths. From the CFO of Bonobos to a Senior Manager at Accenture, our Immersion classes have been nothing short of amazing for building new connections. The process of networking is more organic and less daunting thanks to these Stern created experiences. The interactions between the alumni guest speakers and my classmates spark up interesting perspectives and allow us to have intellectual and fun conversations!

After each guest speaker, I usually connect with them on LinkedIn to build my network. They are all quick to connect and are very open to speak with you about their time at Stern and their career paths. I’ve scheduled meetings to speak with the alumni and they were all generous with their time and open to speaking more about the industry as well as school and career trajectories. They are always so intrigued with our program since it’s relatively new so it’s definitely a great conversation starter!

Our cohort was also able to set up an event with the last cohort at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It was super fun to all get together to visit the Costume Institute Exhibits and hang out on the rooftop. This was such a great way to meet the alumni who graduated just before we started and to get their perceptions of the program, as well as any tips and tricks they could share with us. I would highly suggest reaching out to the program’s past cohorts to set up an event and get to know each other!

Current Students

My cohort is incredibly talented. They come from diverse backgrounds and each of them brings a unique perspective to our classroom discussions. We’ve spent the last 3 months together everyday and I am constantly learning something new. We have people from consulting, editorial, and finance backgrounds, and it’s been so fascinating to learn what each person did in their previous roles. 

I’ve gained so much more insight into the fashion and luxury industry since joining the program and a large part of it comes from my classmates.  My cohort is one of the best resources; whether it is setting up time to speak about their career or introducing me to a coworker, my classmates have offered support and opened me to more networking opportunities beyond what I imagined.

Stern will help you embrace networking–your first semester will be figuring out how to connect and learn from alumni and your classmates, but you’ll be an expert in no time! With so many opportunities to foster a natural relationship with people, Stern offers an environment of open communication and excitement through these connections. Through this supportive program, you will meet the best of the best and everyone is willing to get to know you and just have an open conversation!

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Unparalleled Exposure to Industry Execs

Ana Laura Aguiar is a Fashion & Luxury MBA Candidate, specializing in Luxury Marketing, Strategy and Management. Ana Laura holds a BA in Fashion Design from the Istituto Europeo di Design Rome and has over eight years of experience in the fashion industry.

 

 

 

 

Learning to Network

Networking really seems to be the golden rule for a successful MBA program. However, “networking”, or “cold calling” can feel overwhelming for some of us, and I, personally, was wary of how to even start reaching out to people. Last year, alumni were advising us to have at least one coffee chat every two weeks, and during orientation we were already working on our elevator pitches. It all seemed extremely complicated, but here comes one of the most amazing things about the Fashion & Luxury program —they bring the industry to you!

From our very first day at Stern, we were immediately introduced to powerhouses in the fashion and beauty industries. I remember how exhausted I was coming home after a cocktail hour where we met the NYU Fashion & Luxury Council —these people were SO interesting, you went out of your way to speak to and learn about as many people as you possibly could. Immediately after that, when classes started, we continued to be introduced to panelists, speakers and lecturers working in our dream brands or holding our dream positions. From luxury to fashion, from marketing to buying, we were exposed to different paths, opinions, and points of view. 

C-Suite Mentorship

The mentorship through the council is a unique advantage of Stern. We were each assigned a mentor, and they were each assigned one mentee, which meant they were willing to give us all the attention we needed and to really go that extra mile to connect us with their own precious networks. My peers and I have been getting all kinds of advice from our mentors, from what career path to choose to what companies they recommend we apply to post-graduation. Getting this close and having these casual conversations with VPs, C-suite or multi-hyphenate fashion experts is an experience I had not personally ever had before.

Constant Exposure

One day, I was late to my afternoon class. I am honestly never late, but because of an allergy problem, I came in rushing to my last Accounting class of the semester. I walked into Stern and made my way to room 1-70. In front of me was my Accounting professor and another Italian man. Professor Bonacchi heard my shoes clacking on the floor and looked back, he stopped, and said “This is Ana Laura, she is Brazilian but speaks perfect Italian! She is a strong candidate for you!” That’s when I realized I was being personally introduced to the CFO of the second biggest luxury brand in the world, who happened to be the guest speaker that day. This may be a silly example, but I want to illustrate that these opportunities really come to you at Stern, and not only in conventional ways. I reached out to him, and have since spoken to his HR representative in North America.

Now, I don’t mean to say it isn’t hard work or that everything is handed to you on a silver platter, but in terms of industry exposure, this program really does make meeting and networking with industry professionals as easy as it can be. Through panels and company visits, projects where you directly work with amazing brands, professors and other Stern employees, and even through your own cohort and their extensive network, the industry is at your fingertips when you’re a Fashion & Luxury MBA student at Stern.

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Access to New York

After graduating from NYU for undergrad, Amy Lore began her career in fashion editorial working at Seventeen, Marie Claire, and ELLE Magazines before becoming the Fashion Editor at Glamour for five years. She then transitioned to lead brand partnerships across retail, DTC, and CPG companies for four years before joining the NYU Stern Fashion & Luxury Class of 2023, where she is Co-Class President and member of the Stern Women in Business and Luxury & Retail clubs. 2022 marks Amy’s tenth year living in New York City! 

As someone who attended NYU for both undergrad and grad school, I will be the first to wax poetic about the incredible access to New York that attending NYU provides. There is no doubt that New York is a hub for almost all industries – but for those interested in fashion, there is truly no better place to be! 

When I was in undergrad, I was able to supplement my studies by gaining invaluable experience interning during my junior and senior years; on days I had class in the morning, I would hop on the R train from 8th Street, hop off on 57th Street, and begin my internship at Hearst in the afternoons. The internships I had and the connections I made while I was an undergrad led to a full-time offer at my dream job just two weeks after graduation. 

Now that I am in grad school for my MBA, the ability to expand my network in-person by attending industry events, meeting for a coffee chat in between classes, and visiting the offices and showrooms of the world’s most esteemed fashion companies has been critical to my experience. Nowadays, we are lucky to have Zoom, but nothing beats being able to shake someone’s hand and create a personal connection. Because of the advantages I gained from living and studying in New York for my undergrad, I only applied to NYU’s Fashion & Luxury MBA program, knowing that for my specific goals, being in New York would be crucial. 

Professional development is just one of the privileges of being in New York – the incredible like-minded and ambitious people I have met outside of my industry constantly inspire me. The energy from being among the best and brightest individuals in the world is unmatched and, I am constantly learning new things and being exposed to new ideas. 

Lastly, there is no argument needed for the culture, social life, and convenience that being in New York brings. I mean, I watched Hamilton on Broadway last week for the third time (yes, I am a Hamilfan). From the unbelievable access to the arts, the world’s best shopping, the nightlife, to Thai food delivery to your couch, New York has so much to offer. 

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Immersion Programming in the Fashion & Luxury MBA

Katelyn Vu is a Fashion & Luxury MBA candidate, specializing in Luxury Marketing and Strategy. Prior to Stern, she worked at Neo Media World (WPP) as a Marketing Manager. Katelyn has 5+ years of experience in digital advertising and strategy, partnering with EssilorLuxottica, Amazon, Sony and a variety of tech companies.

Our first semester has officially come to an end. What an exciting but intense summer! I never imagined watching a fashion show in business school, but we did. Our first NYC Immersion class started with a short clip of the Louis Vuitton 2023 Cruise Fashion Show. We, then, progressed to discuss the evolution of luxury and the marketplace through time. Throughout the course, we had the opportunity to learn about the “business of fashion”. The interactive course covered the history of retail, retail landscape & strategy, fashion business models, as well as entrepreneurship and sustainability in luxury. We had the chance to meet executives from top fashion and luxury brands in NYC through the NYU Fashion & Luxury Council to understand more about the industry and to explore potential career paths.

Below are some highlights from our first Fashion & Luxury NYC Immersion class:

 

F&L students at Estee Lauder Companies HQ

Company Visit: Watches of Switzerland 

We were joined by WOS executives at their US Flagship store in SoHo, where they gave us an overview of the luxury watches industry from a multi-brand retail perspective.


Company Visit: M.M. LaFleur

M.M. LaFleur Founder and CEO, Sarah LaFleur, shared her experience from a management consultant to starting a multi-million DTC company.

Company Visit: Panerai

We had the opportunity to visit the Panerai NA office and learned about how the company pioneered and promoted sustainable practices through its commitment to sustainability and healthy oceans, as well as its environmental outreach initiatives to educate the public.

F&L students visiting the Costume Institute Exhibits at the MET and mingling with alumni

F&L students getting coffee at Ralph’s Coffee after visiting Ralph Lauren

My favorite part of the NYC Immersion course would have to be the consulting project with Estee Lauder Companies. As a group, we performed market research and competitive analysis for our assigned brands to understand their key consumers’ shopping behaviors and digital usage. We learned to work in teams and presented our findings and recommendations to brand executives at the end of the semester. This project was very fulfilling and eye-opening for someone like me who is not from a traditional fashion background. 

Final Presentation Day at Estee Lauder Companies

We only have one semester under our belt, and have already had the opportunity to work with so many incredible industry leaders. The NYC Immersions have been instrumental in our learning so far, and I look forward to the experiences we will have throughout the rest of the year.

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International Immersion: Paris

After leaving Milan, we flew to Paris and experienced amazing food, culture, and learning. Just like Milan, there was no shortage of excellent dining options. The first night we arrived there, some of us went to dinner at a French restaurant called Bistrot Victoires, and a two-course meal with about half a bottle of wine per person was about 20 euros! Despite the transit strikes that were going on in Paris, there was no issue getting around. Paris is a very beautiful and walkable city, which we took advantage of by walking everywhere.

I highly recommend going to Bistrot Victoires while in Paris. It’s authentic Parisian cuisine and very affordable!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visiting Hermes

The visit to the Hermes store was amazing for a variety of reasons:

1. The store’s architecture is absolutely stunning. 2. The craftsmanship and quality of the items in the store are unparalleled. 3. The Hermes Birkin & Kelly Bags. We learned the rich history behind the Birkin and Kelly bags and the amount of time that goes into their creation. It still amazes me that the bags can retail for +$100,000. Unlike most stores, the Hermes we visited in Paris is appointment-only and has average volumes of around 2,000 visitors per day. Sadly there was no NYU Stern discount offered for students 😉

Taking a group photo inside Hermes.

We were walking on our way to the Hermes store and could not help but notice the beautiful architecture and decorations throughout the streets.

A beautiful stroll through the streets of Paris!

Guerlain: Luxury perfume

The visit to Guerlain was another eye-opening experience.  This Guerlain parlor was located on the Champs-Elysees, one of the most beautiful shopping areas in all of Paris. No different than Hermes, this store was also stunning. As soon as you walked in, you were shown high-end fragrances. A store manager was kind enough to give us a tour and brought us upstairs, where bespoke scents are created for luxury clientele. These scents could cost the customer thousands of dollars. The upstairs parlor was similarly exquisitely crafted and made you feel as if you were transported to another world.

A look at some of the high-end perfumes available at the parlor.

Versailles

On our final day in Paris, we were given the option to be able to explore the city independently or visits Versailles on the outskirts of Paris. Having already visited Versailles, I knew how beautiful it was; however, I knew that the gardens (which are much bigger) are also a sight to see on their own (even in January). Rather than spend our time enjoying the interior of Versailles, we decided to spend two hours walking through the gardens, and we barely scratched the surface! Lucky for us, the weather was about 45 Fahrenheit, which made it optimal walking weather.

The picture does not do the gardens of Versailles justice.

 

Between Milan and Paris, the international immersion was a wonderful trip that I will remember for the rest of my life!