Discover more about what makes the luxury business tick, some of the secrets to success, and the exciting careers that can be found in luxury management.
Quick facts
Luxury management is a description which encompasses all aspects of the global luxury industry. That is to say it takes in sectors such as luxury apparel and accessories, watches, 5 star hospitality, private/bespoke travel, prestige and sports cars, plus related areas such as wealth management and real estate markets.
As such, luxury management offers an exciting career path with an almost unlimited international potential.
Luxury management plays a huge role in today’s global economy, where discerning consumers seek premium experiences and products. All these venues and businesses need careful management to ensure that they are successful in this competitive field.
With the luxury market continually evolving and expanding, professionals in this field are in high demand, offering ample opportunities for career growth and advancement in luxury brands, hospitality, fashion and beyond. Choosing to study luxury management ensures a rewarding and dynamic career path at the forefront of the luxury industry’s innovation and excellence.
While both luxury management and luxury brand management focus on the high-end sector of the market, they emphasize different aspects of the luxury industry. Luxury management encompasses a broader spectrum of skills and knowledge related to managing luxury businesses, including strategic planning, operations and customer experience.
On the other hand, luxury brand management specifically centers on building, nurturing, and positioning high-end brands within the market, emphasizing marketing, company identity and consumer perception. When studying luxury brand management, you will learn the essentials of luxury business management alongside specialized techniques for brand development within the luxury sector.
The answer is simple, and the same as it is for any topic: only through in-depth study can you hope to gain a foundation of knowledge and understanding that’s sufficiently solid to use as a career launchpad. Here are some of the opportunities on offer with a career in luxury brand management.
With the luxury market experiencing steady growth globally, a degree in luxury management will open doors to a wide range of exciting career opportunities. Whether you aspire to work for the luxury goods industry, high-end retailers, luxury hospitality establishments or luxury marketing agencies, a background in brand management gives you plenty of career paths to choose from.
Luxury brand management programs often offer opportunities for international exposure, allowing you to gain a global perspective on the luxury market. Through case studies, projects and collaborations with industry partners worldwide, you’ll develop a deep understanding of the cultural nuances and market dynamics that shape luxury consumption patterns across different regions.
Engaging with industry professionals, guest speakers and alumni networks as part of your luxury brand management program provides invaluable networking. Building relationships with leaders and experts in the luxury sector can lead to internships, mentorships, job placements and collaborations, enhancing your career prospects.
Having a luxury-oriented degree from a recognized institution shows prospective employers that you are serious about your topic, having committed significant study time to it. The skills you learn will also help you land a job.
One way to obtain hands-on experience is by studying at an institution which is deeply embedded within the industry and thus enjoys close relationships with key players. By doing so, you’ll have more opportunities to access roles which are not always promoted publicly.
Studying luxury brand management provides you with skills and professional experience tailored to the unique demands of the luxury industry. From understanding the nuances of luxury consumer behavior to mastering the art of brand storytelling and exclusivity, this focused education equips you with the knowledge and skills essential for careers in luxury management.
Your luxury brand management curriculum will depend on whether you are studying at Bachelor’s or Master’s level.
Your career path in luxury brand management will vary depending on which branch of the industry you are targeting, and there is a wide range of luxury sectors to choose from.
Typical starting roles after graduation from a Bachelor’s degree include:
For Master’s graduates, first jobs post-graduation will depend largely on the topic studied. For example:
If you want to work in the luxury sector, you should work on building skills such as:
Studying the business of luxury provides opportunities to develop these skills through specialized coursework, professional projects and internships. Luxury management courses focus on understanding luxury consumer behavior, refining communication skills through presentations and case studies and fostering creativity in brand development.
By applying theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios in internships, you can prepare for a successful career in the luxury industry.
If you are looking to switch careers into the luxury sector, a good option to kickstart that process is to study a specialized degree part-time.
This means you can keep earning while you accumulate the professional knowledge you need to enter the luxury business as high up the leadership ladder as possible.
If luxury is part of your Bachelor’s degree – perhaps as a specialization, like with Glion – you can expect to explore key trends in the luxury sector; how luxury brands are developed and managed; the role of marketing, including digital marketing; and how service excellence contributes to brand loyalty.
There are also several luxury-focused Master’s degrees to choose from. These all have their own characteristics and curricula, so your research will be a comparative exercise until you find the program that best suits your interests and career aims.
