Course 2026-2027 a.y.

The course provides an overview of the fashion system and an in-depth understanding of the strategic, organizational, and managerial dynamics of fashion companies, both in the high-end and in the mass market. Main topics addressed in the course are:

• What is fashion, and what is the difference between fashion and luxury?
• How creativity and management integrate in fashion companies.
• Business models in fashion: design-driven, brand-driven, and market-driven approaches.
• Brand positioning in fashion: how to build cultural relevance, product desirability, and long-term brand value.
• How to carry out an industry analysis: market trends, competitive dynamics, and key success factors.
• The fashion supply chain: the role of textile companies and manufacturing in the creation of value and competitive advantage.
• Country branding and fashion systems: why France and Italy became global leaders in fashion.
• The evolution of fast fashion and its impact on product development, distribution, and consumer expectations.
• Cultural branding strategies: leveraging art, music, cinema, and sport to build differentiation and brand relevance.
• From customer relationship management to clienteling: customer engagement strategies across different generations and consumer segments.
• Key processes and managerial roles in fashion companies: product strategy and merchandising.
• Key processes and managerial roles in fashion companies: retail and omnichannel management.
• Key processes and managerial roles in fashion companies: communication, events, and digital media.
• Sustainability, circular economy, and the managerial challenges of responsible growth in fashion companies.

• Understand the main characteristics of the fashion system and the differences between fashion and luxury.
• Understand how creativity and management integrate in fashion companies through different business models and managerial approaches.
• Identify and compare design-driven, brand-driven, and market-driven business models in fashion.
• Understand how fashion companies create cultural relevance, product desirability, and long-term brand value.
• Understand the structure of the fashion supply chain and its role in value creation.
• Understand the evolution and competitive dynamics of fashion companies and fashion markets.
• Understand the impact of fast fashion, sustainability and changing consumer behavior on fashion companies.
• Understand the main managerial processes in fashion companies related to merchandising, retail, omnichannel management and digital communication.

At the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Apply strategic concepts and industry analysis tools to fashion and luxury companies.
• Analyze branding, positioning, and customer engagement strategies in fashion and luxury brands.
• Evaluate the main managerial challenges and opportunities characterizing fashion and luxury companies.
• Apply concepts related to merchandising, retail, omnichannel management, and digital communication to business cases.
• Develop branding and positioning strategies for fashion and luxury brands.
• Analyze how fashion and luxury companies use cultural domains such as art, music, cinema, and sport to build relevance and differentiation.
• Develop and present a fashion or luxury brand project through team activities and field projects.

• Lectures
• Guest speaker's talks (in class or in distance)
• Collaborative Works / Assignments

The learning process is facilitated by the variety of teaching methods listed before.

• Many incidents and examples are discussed during the course.
• The group project, for all attending students, is presented in class and followed by a short discussion.
• Suggestions are provided to take advantage of the location in Milan, the leading fashion center in Italy.

For attending students the final grade is based on:

• 55% written exam composed of multiple-choice and true/false questions.
• 45% group project (a team made of 5-6 people will work on a comparison of two competitors).

Multiple-choice tests assess candidates’ ability to understand the main processes in the fashion industry and managerial competencies that are required to work in the business. The group project aims at developing teamwork abilities that are crucial soft skills in the fashion industry and apply the concepts learned during the course. Moreover, the group project focuses on the main challenges a brand faces and opportunities for future growth that are key to developing entrepreneurial abilities. For attending students class partecipation and contribution to group work is mandatory. 

The Faculty course reserves the right to decrease the group work grade for students who do not actively contribute to the project.

For non-attending students the final grade is based on the written exam on the two books listed in teaching materials. It is composed of multiple-choice and true/false questions.

Multiple-choice tests assess candidates’ ability to understand the main processes in the fashion industry and managerial competencies that are required to work in the business.

The learning process is different between attending and non attending students, but in any case, studying the books, students can acheive some insights of this special and complex world.

• Slides, cases, and articles on the course website.
• E. Corbellini, T. Galli (2026). Delivering the Dream. Cultural Relevance, Product Desirability, Customer Engagement: Strategies and Execution for Fashion and Luxury, Bocconi University Press. Selected chapters: 1–9 and 11 (excluding chapters 4, 8, and 10). Available at the Egea bookstore from mid-March 2026.
• N. Misani, P.Varacca Capello (2017). Fashion Collections: Product Development and Merchandising, EGEA: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4 (chapters 5, 6, 7 are excluded).

• E. Corbellini, T. Galli (2026). Delivering the Dream. Cultural Relevance, Product Desirability, Customer Engagement: Strategies and Execution for Fashion and Luxury, Bocconi University Press, 2026
• N. Misani, P.Varacca Capello (2017). Fashion Collections: Product Development and Merchandising, EGEA, 2017