Fashion Retail Management - Florence University of the Arts
Studying abroad was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Last May, I studied Fashion Retail Management at the Florence University of the Arts in Florence, Italy. I am so fortunate to have had this opportunity and was so lucky to complete it with one of my best friends. I completed this course independently of my University, and knew I was not going to receive credit for it, I just wanted to take this class and experience living in a new place for a month.
Fashion Retail Management was one of the most interesting classes I ever took and was so engaged everyday. I knew right away this was the class I wanted to sign up for because at my school there aren’t any fashion specific courses, and this would combine business with my passion. This course addressed the procedures for managing a fashion retail enterprise and the decision-making process to result in successful merchandising. The coursework included site visits to well-known Italian luxury brands in Florence and special guest lectures from local emerging designers. Some of my favorite activities throughout the course was the group work outside the classroom. Working in groups allowed everyone in the class to get to know each other which was really cool because everyone attended different universities from all over the world.
The classroom wasn't located in the Florence University of the Arts campus, it was located in a different part of the city. It was connected to a vintage designer store, which was also implemented into our curriculum. Classes were 3 hours long so a typical day started off with a lecture in the classroom, we would break for lunch, where I would explore the area and try new local restaurants. I would return to the classroom with my friends I just ate with and we would start to work on group assignments.
The assignments varied day to day. Our first assignment was to visit RINASCENTE, a chain of 11 department stores located in major Italian cities. Here my group's task was to observe the behavior of the workers, the clients in the store, the displays, and the overall layout of the store. Another activity my group was tasked with was to explore the vintage store attached to our classroom and create several different categories and place the items into each of them. This was very fun for me because we were able to be hands on with the luxury items. I mean who doesn’t want to sort through Chanel handbags? The final project was my favorite because it incorporated all topics we learned about and allowed my group to have complete creative freedom. Our task was to choose a brand to open a new store location. The store we chose was Saint Laurent and we chose to open it in the Miami Design District. I helped lead this project because I was the only one familiar with Miami and the Design District. Being able to create floor plans, clothing displays, and other mockups for social media really allowed me to utilize all my skills learned through the course and previous ones taken at the University of Miami to create a project I was truly proud of.
I also explored cutting-edge trends and technologies shaping the future of fashion such as the integration of artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and the rise of sustainable and ethical practices. These topics were very interesting and I was happy to learn about topics I knew were very relevant in today’s society.
Overall, immersing myself into a new culture and diving into the fashion retail industry is something I will never forget. This was an opportunity and experience of a lifetime and it is one I am truly grateful for. Hopefully booking a flight back soon!
