Fashion education: 3 programs to master innovative leadership

In recent years, the fashion and luxury industries have faced tremendous upheaval as a result of digital transformation, big data, and social media. To be successful today in the fashion business requires new strategies and adaptable, innovative leadership, but what does that exactly mean? Elle, the global fashion media platform has teamed up with one of the most reputable American universities in the world (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) to teach just that: innovative leadership. In the UK, London College of Fashion currently offers a master's program entirely devoted to fashion entrepreneurship and innovation. At Business School Netherlands in Amsterdam, a mini-MBA is available for professional executives that are interested in sustainability and denim.

Fashion academics and young professionals seeking to broaden their horizon while maintaining flexibility can consider obtaining a certificate from ELLE’s partnership with the prestigious MIT Sloan Executive Education. The Innovation Leadership for Fashion & Luxury Consumer Brands is a program tailored to provide participants with exclusive insight and a global perspective of the fashion industry that begins in Madrid, then Paris and ends at MIT’s campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The global curriculum places a focus into the areas of fast fashion, premium brands, haute couture, luxury and innovation. A program tutor will be assigned to each participant to assist and engage in hands-on activities and critical thinking around these modules, with the goal of developing a more innovation-driven and strategic mindset. Candidates of this program have the opportunity to engage with industry leaders and be part of round-table discussions, keynotes, debates, and interviews. Past guest speakers have included renowned fashion designers such as Diane von Furstenburg, Global E-commerce Director at Mango (Roger Graell) to the Retail and Fashion Director of Facebook (Marisa Manzano).

For the fashion entrepreneurs and small business owners, LCF’s MA Fashion Entrepreneurship and Innovation offers the essential skills and coaching to launch and scale emerging businesses effectively. Over 12 months, participants will be provided with experienced team coaches to support and identify action plans that are based on LCF’s ‘learning by doing’ principles. With an extensive network of UK and international alumni, academic and industry partners across the fashion industry, this program opens the door to a network of opportunities for budding entrepreneurs. Graduates of the MA Fashion Entrepreneurship and Innovation program have gone on to work or become affiliated with brands such as Stella McCartney, Inditex, Swarovski, Institut Français de la Mode, and the Mondragon Team Academy.

At Business School Netherlands, professionals can apply for a mini-MBA aimed at accelerating both leadership development and decision-making skills with a focus on sustainable denim. Participants not only have the chance to join the international textile trade show Amsterdam Denim Days and are also invited as members of the Business Club KingPins. For two intensive days, the program includes a Strategic & Innovation Management course which provides tools and perspectives available to set up analysis, to identify strategic challenges and to design possible organisational responses. During this mini-MBA program, different forms of leadership models are explored through a global perspective while also embracing technology combined with unconventional thinking.

Photos: courtesy of London College of Fashion, screenshot of Elle Education website