90884 - Strategies and Processes of Fashion Companies

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student has notions about the strategies that characterize the processes of companies in fashion industry and is able to investigate the industrial and creative processes that underlie them on the historical and critical level; has basic knowledge on the links among conception, production, consumption, and distribution of fashion in its cultural and corporate changes.

Course contents

The course describes the general and current scenario where fashion companies operate. The lesson topics provide theoretical knowledge and case study analyses to understand the fundamental dynamics of fashion industry. Part of the course will focus on the point of sale and visual merchandising.

The main topics of the course are summarized below:

1 - The main strategic models of fashion companies, in particular the characteristics of style, brand, supply chain, sustainability, communication, price and distribution will be studied for:

• luxury groups

• historical brands

• contemporary brands

• industrial brands

• fast fashion brands

• emerging brands in ready-to-wear

• men's formal fashion brands

• casualwear brands

• underwear brands

• activewear brands

• brands specialized in bags

• brands specialized in shoes

2 - The theory and practice of visual merchandising:

• the atmosphere of the store

• technologically interactive environments

• the multisensory point of sale

• the theory of colour for visual merchandising

• the practical aspects of semiotics for visual merchandising

• shopwindow, layout and display

Readings/Bibliography

1) “Fashion business. Teoria e casi di strategic fashion management”, Dario Galizia, Franco Angeli, Milano Torino 2021

2) “Visual Merchandising. La comunicazione del punto vendita per dare valore all’esperienza del cliente”, Karin Zaghi, Franco Angeli, Milano 2018

3) “Onlife fashion.10 regole per un mondo senza regole”, Philip Kotler, Riccardo Pozzoli, Giuseppe Stigliano, Ulrico Hoepli Editore S.p.A., Milano 2021

Teaching methods

Frontal lectures on the topics indicated above, with the support of multimedia devices. Professionals working with companies operating in the fashion industry will be invited to lecture and to contribute thanks to their experience, by tackling some of the topics to be dealt with during this course.

Assessment methods

Students will sit a written exam using the EOL platform at the IT labs in Via Domenico Angherà 22, Rimini.

In case the sanitary situation will not allow to access the informatics labs, students will sit an online oral or written exam using the EOL platform.

The written exam will consist in 15 questions, formulated on the basis of the material stated in the syllabus.

For every question, four possible answers will be suggested from which students should select the one they believe to be most correct.

Evaluation for all students to be examined is based on 30 points. The result is calculated by subtracting from 30 the sum corresponding to possible errors and/or missing answers.

For every correct answer, 0 points will be subtracted, whilst 2 points will be subtracted for every wrong or missing answer.

Students will have 15 minutes to complete this written test.

Students wishing to improve the result obtained in the written exam will have the possibility to take an oral exam, to integrate their written exam. In this case, the minimum mark obtained in the written test must be 26 and the final grade will be given by the mathematical average of the two marks obtained in the written exam and the oral exam.

We would kindly ask all students who register on the exam lists, to unsubscribe if they decide not to sit the exam or are unable to do so. Your cooperation is essential to guarantee optimal organisation of the exams and to ensure that students who are present do not have to wait unnecessarily.

In the event of an oral exam being taken, top marks will be given if a student demonstrates the ability to present the material in an organic, comprehensive and conscious way also connecting it, if possible, to knowledge gained in other classes. Further criteria for top marks will regard the capacity of analysis and reasoning, language quality and development of a personal point of view, which may even be critical, on the topics dealt with.

A satisfactory result will be given if a student demonstrates good knowledge of the topics treated during class, a good ability to express ideas and if the student develops a personal approach to some of the aspects treated.

A sufficient result will be given if a student demonstrates minimal knowledge of the course contents, without showing a personal approach to the aspects treated and without always using the proper terminology.

A negative result will be given if even minimal knowledge of the course contents is missing and if the student uses an inadequate form of expression.

Teaching tools

PowerPoint slides and videos will be used during lessons.

Office hours

See the website of Luca Fabbri