Design for Fashion Retail

Course

The fashion system is called upon to respond to the new habits and behaviors of customers and businesses. Today, the shopping experience must include a variety of sensory and informational stimuli, and sales are activated in an omnichannel context, enhanced by rapidly evolving technological dynamics. To address this change, qualified professionals are needed who can design, develop, and implement innovation processes in the field of 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 that are relevant to the disciplinary field.

The single modules of the master include theoretical lessons, seminars, exercises, and projects. The program is also enriched by a professional internship in companies or studios within the industry. 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

Didactics

Training objectives

• 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 manage complex issues
• Understand strategies for managing complex ecosystems in the retail sector and the dynamics between sectors influencing consumer experience

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

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, Trend and Scenarios, 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, 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.

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 (Crediti Formativi Universitari), equivalent to 60 ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System).

Employment Opportunities

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 & Narrative
• In-Store Communication Specialist

Admission

Requirements

The Master’s program is open to candidates holding a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree or Academic Diploma of the First or Second Level in interior design, fashion, communication and creative industries, economics, and business management. With reference to other academic qualifications, the Board reserves the right to evaluate the specific profile of the candidate. For candidates with foreign certificates, equivalent study qualifications in their respective educational systems will be considered.

Admission Procedure

Candidates must submit their CV, motivational letter, and portfolio. After the documentation is uploaded, a selection interview, which can be done either remotely or in person, will be scheduled. Selections will be carried out in chronological order based on the date of receipt of the application, until all the available seats are filled.

The formal evaluation of the study title eligibility is by Politecnico di Milano. As a consequence the formal application should be done on the website www.polimi.it (the steps are described in the following weblink).

In particular, the steps that you will have to follow are those mentioned from page 1 to page 8 (by clicking on the following link you will find yourself directly in the same page shown on guidelines).

Deadlines

To take part to the selection process, the application form must be completed online within the following deadlines:

• EU/ Non-EU who graduated in Italy / EU citizens with qualification gained abroad within February 28th, 2025;

• Non-EU citizens who graduated abroad within January 28th, 2025.

Price

The cost of the Specializing Master is € 13.500 (€ 13.000 cost of the Master + € 500 entry fee at the Politecnico di Milano) FREE VAT ART. 0 DPR 633/72.

PROMO

OPEN DAY 24: -15%

A promo for those who have shown interest in our Master’s programs and are looking forward to starting an experience at POLI.design.

Deadline: you can take advantage of the reduction by finalizing your application by June 27th and making payment by July 11th.

The “Open Day 24” reduction cannot be combined with other forms of discounts.

FAMILY SUPPORT: -50%

A chance to gift your siblings the encouragement they need to invest in their future.

FRIEND TO FRIEND: -20%

An opportunity to gift to a friend to make education the foundation of their growth.

POLI.NETWORK: -50%

A promotion designed to strengthen the bond and identity among members of the Politecnico di Milano community.

PER MERITO
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