Specializing Master in Design for Fashion Retail

A Master’s program designed to train new professionals capable of meeting the needs of the fashion system and addressing the transformation of digital and sustainable Retail. The educational path provides expertise to cover a wide range of roles, such as e-Commerce Specialist to Store Manager, In-Store Communication Specialist, and Fashion Retail Designer.

The increasing complexity in the economic sphere, the acceleration of the rate of change, new information technology, and the globalization of cultural processes are creating a new landscape. New technological habits are reshaping customer and business behaviors.

Today, the shopping experience is achieved through various sensory and informational stimuli and different distribution and communication channels, both physical and digital, defining new needs, strategies, technologies, and even new aesthetic forms. In this renewed context, retail becomes increasingly relevant in its physical and digital forms, especially in the ‘phygital’ realm, between virtual and real.

Sales are activated in an omnichannel context, fuelled and implemented by dynamics of accelerated technological transformation. Here, the consumer and the offered shopping experience take a central role. To address this change, qualified professionals are needed to design, develop, and implement innovation processes in the Retail Customer Experience.

The Master in Design for Fashion Retail has a specific cultural and scientific objective: to train new professionals capable of meeting the current needs of businesses within the fashion system. This educational program is designed for individuals who must lead the digital and sustainable transformation of brand sales processes and channels.

During this interdisciplinary path, theoretical knowledge and a design-led approach are integrated to equip participants with the necessary tools for managing complex issues. The aim is to provide the expertise needed to start a professional experience as a Visual Merchandiser, Phygital Retail Designer, Omnichannel Strategist, Retail Events Manager, and many other positions relevant to the disciplinary field.

The single modules of the master include theoretical lessons, seminars, exercises, and projects. A professional internship in companies or studios within the industry also enriches the program. Here are some of the topics covered to teach innovative methodologies and updated technical skills:

• History and evolution of the Fashion Retail supply chain, introduction to design-led innovation processes
• Leadership and management strategies for key processes characterizing fashion retail
• Tools and methodologies for building Customer Experience and Phygital Retail services
• Preparation of personal portfolio

Didactic Modules

The Master includes multidisciplinary educational activities. The teachings provided within the modules include theoretical lessons, seminars, exercises, and projects. Each module has a specific final assessment exam.

Module 1 | Hours: 25

Learning to Stand Up

Strategies for leadership, inclusive leadership, team building, and e-Coaching of relationship systems.

Module 2 | Hours: 162

Fashion Retailing Overview

Introduction to the fashion retail industry, its evolution and historical critique, predominant management, and organizational models, the supply chain, and tools to explore and understand consumption and space transformation systems in the omnichannel context. Finally, design-led innovation processes.

Module 3 | Hours: 100

Tools

Instrumental training to fill any gaps from previous studies. In particular, learning tools, techniques, methodologies, and uses of specific software and applications.

Module 4 | Hours: 187

Strategic Approach to Fashion Retail

Management of key processes characterizing the strategic areas of Fashion Retail: Retail Marketing, Fashion Branding, Trends and Scenarios, and Fashion Responsibility.

Module 5 | Hours: 237

Retail Customer Experience

Building the Customer Experience with deep learning in experience strategy and design, data and analytics, commerce, Retail performance and CRM, e-commerce, and transmedia storytelling.

Module 6 | Hours: 262

Phygital Retail Design Experience

Design activities aimed at field testing skills and abilities acquired in the previous modules: team projects carried out on real themes agreed upon with partner companies. Topics covered include Retail and servitization, Phygital Retail Experience, and Omnichannel Retail experience.

Personal design portfolio

Preparation of your personal design portfolio, and insights to make it more interesting and impactful.

Extra-curricular Activities

Immersive Retailing Experience (retail safari to learn about the most cutting-edge companies in the industry), Empowerment & Career Management, Internship (internship at companies and professional studios related to retail design and preparation).

Final Exam

Presentation and discussion of a paper describing the experience gained during the curricular internship and all educational activities, with particular reference to the projects developed during the course.

The training objectives of the Specializing Master are:

• Acquire skills to design, develop, and implement strategies and innovation processes in the Retail Customer Experience
• Learn theoretical knowledge and a design-led approach to managing complex issues
• Understand strategies for managing complex ecosystems in the retail sector and the dynamics between sectors influencing consumer experience

Develop the ability to analyze elements that build the retail ecosystem, such as consumer-brand touchpoints, interactions between physical and digital channels, and relationships between different industry actors.

Title Released

At the end of the course, upon successful completion of the final exam, the diploma of First-level Master’s degree in Design for Fashion Retail will be issued in English. The Master awards 60 CFU (Credit Formativi Universitari), equivalent to 60 ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System).

The Master trains qualified profiles capable of mastering design processes related to the retail ecosystem: junior professionals able to investigate the changing nature of the retail fashion sector by designing sales experiences between online and in-person.

• Fashion Retail Designer
• Phygital Retail Designer
• e-Commerce Specialist
• Visual Merchandiser Planner (online/offline)
• Omnichannel Strategist
• Store Manager
• Events and Pop-Up Stores Designer
• Retail Events Manager
• Transmedia Storytelling and Narrative
• In-Store Communication Specialist