Luxury Brands Design Mini-Master


With applications to lifestyle, food & restaurant business, luxury brand design

There was a time that luxury was synonym of privilege, discreet, secret, rare and unique. Nowadays it is very difficult to define what is luxury and what is not; the business of luxury has corrupted the luxury story, many companies have made their brand extensions available to the mass at a cheaper price and luxury has become all about the label, not the substance. “Deluxe, how luxury lost its luster”, is an interesting book where the author explains how luxury now flashes instead of whispering. 

But slowly, people are turning away from the crass end of luxury and returning to its roots, to its being not easily accessible, unique piece rooted in outstanding quality and craftsmanship. 

This kind of customer is sophisticated, is an explorer, looks for experiences, for a connection with producers and their values, for that kind of rareness that doesn’t come with a label. If you want to start a business in the lifestyle industry and make the difference, this is the added value that you can learn from the Made in Italy brand, particularly from the experience of one of its most important Ambassadors active in Rome: Anna Fendi (read more about her >>>), the Italian fashion designer and entrepreneur who made with her sisters the Fendi brand famous across the globe, and after the LVMH acquisition has started a new business venture in the lifestyle, food and hospitality industry. 

Living in Rome has been a privilege, but somebody might actually consider it a disadvantage: how you can think of something new in a city that has already everything? Well, beauty can only generate other beauty.
— ANNA FENDI


This mini-master program will give participants under the supervision of Anna Fendi and our team of dedicated experts of visual storytelling and viral marketing the opportunity to conduct an experimental application of all the latest key trends and discoveries in branding strategies to a wide range of luxury fields, from fashion to food and restaurant business design.


Program Rationale

This program is ideal for entrepreneurs, stylists, visual experts and brand strategists that want to gain an in-depth understanding of the critical success factors of the Made in Italy luxury brands. 

Program Leader: Anna Fendi

Program Coordinator: Giuseppe Fontani

Locations: BAU International Academy of Rome & Villa Laetitia
 

With our program you will learn how to brand your luxury product/services, by applying all the latest trends that nail what customers want now: 

  1. LESS IS MORE. New luxury design needs to convey values of rigor, stability and eternity
     
  2. IDENTITY. Consumers want luxury brands to have a point of view, and feel they offer tailor made products, superior performance and unavailable experiences
     
  3. FOCUS ON THE EXPERIENCE. People want max coupled with functionality and perceive that design is not just to make them buy, but to actually enhance their overall experience
     
  4. WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN. Many luxury brands are recuperating their classic designs, shapes and materials that provide the feeling they have an old history, an heritage and a distinctive personality
     
  5. DESIGN FROM WITHIN. People are growingly aware that by buying what you offer, they are endorsing and participating of the success of your brand, so want to know everything about sources, materials, values, mission and vision of the founders, management practices, focus on the environment, etc 


Participants will: 

  • Learn how to design a luxury brand and communicate it to the targeted audience 
  • Work on a design project which integrates students from different disciplines
  • Experience thinking, discussing and designing in different scales on requirements related to functionality, esthetics, and context of luxury products and services
  • Experience group work
  • Produce working drawings and detail drawings of structures, spaces and product
     

Throughout the program, participants will explore topics such as:

  1. ART, FASHION & DESIGN (42hrs). From the idea to the product, the impact of art and the multiple layers of Rome and its eternity upon Italian fashion and design
     
  2. ITALIAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INNOVATION (42hrs). The critical success factors of the Made in Italy brand in the fashion/food and restaurant business
     
  3. COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES FOR LUXURY BRANDS (42hrs). The essentials of luxury image and brand design, digital PR and social media management, new apps and metrics for successful trend-spotting and self branding with applications to fashion/food and restaurant business
     
  4. VISUAL STORYTELLING (42hrs). How to use visuals to tell the story of your luxury brand with applications to fashion/food and restaurant business
     
  5. IDEATE, PROTOTYPE AND TEST YOUR LUXURY PRODUCT /SERVICE (90hrs). Under the supervision of Anna Fendi and her staff of dedicated designers and strategists in the fashion/food and restaurant

The course includes conferences held by well-known professional of design field, visits to major material producers, showrooms, cultural events and companies. 

WEEK 1

  • Introduction to the course, Definition and explanation of the course objectives (fashion or food/restaurant business) 


WEEK 2

  • Discussions on design, projects and tasks allocation, group formation 


WEEK 3

  • Branding trends, how to communicate your brand 


WEEK 4

  • Ideation, related readings and research 


WEEK 5

  • Ideation and project critiques related readings, researches and project sketches 


WEEK 6

  • Ideation and project critiques related readings, researches and luxury project sketches, communication campaign 1st draft 


WEEK 7

  • Project critiques preparation for the jury production of scaled working drawings and prototypes, communication campaign 2nd draft 


WEEK 8

  • Project critiques and preparation for the jury production of the scaled working drawings or luxury product prototypes, communication campaign test 


WEEK 9

  • Project critiques, preparation for the final jury


WEEK 10

  • Production of the scaled working drawing/prototype, preparation for the final jury

WEEK 11

  • Pre-jury with final draft of prototypes and communication campaign


WEEK 12

  • Final jury presentations 

Program Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this program participants will learn how to: 


# 1

Apply professional knowledge to the fields of luxury product, service and experience design and branding 


# 2

Understand, use, interpret and evaluate branding strategies in the luxury field 


# 3

Collect information, resources and materials in the discipline of branding and luxury 


# 4

Identify the problems of Made in Italy luxury design and branding, evaluating the conditions and requirements of problems, propose solutions 


# 5

Develop appropriate solutions with the consideration of social, cultural, environmental, economic and humanistic values 


# 6

Communicate luxury through written, oral and visual methods  


# 7

Identify and apply appropriate relations among materials, shapes and final use of your luxury brand 


# 8

Use computer aided information, visual aids and new media technologies for the expression and communication of your luxury brand 


# 9

Use a foreign language to communicate and promote their own brand 


# 10

Apply a hands-on awareness of business life practices such as change management, entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainable development


Program intakes and duration

3-month program, 250 contact hours

Possibility of 8-week internship upon successful completion of the program, free of charge for the 3 best candidates and available for the other participants upon request, availability and payment of a 300 € fee.
Intakes: 
SPRING 13 March/2 June
SUMMER 5 June/11 August

*A shortest version of 120 hours in Luxury Brands Design with Anna Fendi, is also available. 

5-week program, 120 contact hours

Intakes: 
SPRING 13 March up to 14 April
SUMMER 19 June up to 21 July


Internship opportunities

At the end of this program the 3 best qualified students after the final studio projects' presentation will be given the possibility to conduct internship experiences of minimum 8 weeks and free of charge, in the companies that are part of the BAU network. 

Internship opportunities will be also available for the other participants upon request, availability and payment of a 300 € fee. 
 

Application

Certificate of attendance
At the end of each program enrolled students, who have attended at least 80% of the classes and successfully complete all required exams and projects, will receive a Certificate of attendance. An examination board composed of academicians and entrepreneurs will assess the final project presentation and award the student’s final certificate of attendance.


Entry requirements 
Deadline: Applicants, especially non european, are strongly suggested to complete the enrollment process at least 35 days before the beginning of the selected course. 


Admission procedure
Following documents are required: 

  1. Enrollment form (available online within the applicant’s personal area)  
  2. Passport or ID for EU students
  3. Motivation letter
  4. CV
  5. A copy of the applicant’s degree diploma
  6. University transcript
  7. Portfolio
     

Candidates selection
The selection is based on the assessment of CV, motivation letter and portfolio. Great attention is paid to the ability to work independently, manage a project conceptualization and actively participate in a highly innovative training experience. Enrollments are limited.

Once admitted, candidates will receive an admission and invitation letter. Every year BAU International Academy of Rome encourage students to apply for the partial grants available through BAU Foundation, when it is applicable, and promotes a number of total grants. For further information please visit the website and download the scholarship application form.
 

Fees

5-week program

2500 €: accommodation included + 300 € deposit that will be refunded at the moment of check out
 

12-week program

5000 €: accommodation included + 300 € euro deposit that will be refunded at the moment of check out
 

Internship Fee 

300 €
 

Application Fee

300 €: that will not be refunded in case of visa denial
 



The Italian experience