- Those involved in all industries that target the wealthy class (not just the luxury brand industry), for example, manufacturers and dealers in industries such as cars, watches and jewelry, perfume, cosmetics and fashion; and service industries such as luxury cruises, hotels and spas, and high-end department stores.
- Business executives and managers focusing on means to improve brand value and customer value, in particular, brand managers and consultants.
- Managers of enterprises of No. 4 or lower rank in industry, venture companies, small- and medium- sized companies, family-owned companies, and indigenous industries.
- Managing directors aimed at European markets or large emerging markets such as China and India.
- Persons in charge of practical businesses implementing strategies such as design strategy, brand strategy, marketing strategy and corporate strategy.
This module will provide activities such as guest lectures by managing directors and designers from world leading luxury brands, when they are visiting Japan. Since lectures by overseas luminaries are planned as an integral part of the module, students are expected to have reasonable English ability. However, it is not a requirement that students must have a good command of English, since interpretation and Japanese translation materials will be provided as needed.
Information: Age and Companies of Admissions FY2016
- Thirties: Male (Sports brand), Male (European luxury car), Male (Marketing Consultancy)
- Forties: Female (European luxury brand)
“Luxury Branding Studies” is the key of survival to pull out of a prolonged recession.
- Mitsuru Adachi
- Completed in 2014, MBA. Cosmetic company
Since 2012, Waseda University’s Graduate School of Commerce has started the LVMH Moët Hennessy. Louis Vuitton Chair “Luxury Branding Module” course of study. There are few institutions that offer luxury branding studies and I’m grateful to LVMH for enabling us the opportunity to study this subject here at Waseda.
Many Japanese manufacturers often engage in price wars to retain customers during hard economic times. However, luxury brands continue to prosper despite the severities of the global recession and are thriving without cutting prices.
After beginning my studies at Waseda, I came to see the similarities between successful Japanese ‘time honored’ companies and companies that market luxury brands. Both have brands and products which have gained the trust of the consumer. Consumer loyalty in turn serves to somewhat insulate these companies from the vagaries of the global economy. Attractive products at appropriate prices are key.
I truly appreciate LVMH‘s generous gift, and will continue to seriously study research of value theory and hope to learn more about the luxury brand business model.
Successful People Have Minds to Changes a Pinch into a Chance
- Rieko Komiya
- Completed in 2014, MBA. Real estate intelligence company
I honestly don’t have a liking for the word ‘wealthy class’, because it often fails to describe the other essential characteristics of people in the class. We should notice that they are very often marked, not only by amount of their fortune, but by their ‘high aims in life’. I would prefer the word ‘class of high aims and awareness’, which some people began to use as an alternative definition. By the word I mean those who always have in mind developing their own personality and wisdom, have courage to take risks and have positive mind to change a pinch into a chance. These are the characteristics of contemporary ‘quality class’ people,
If we aim to offer necessary service to satisfy people in top classes of Japan, we would also have to keep cultivating ourselves to understand things and essence of the highest
quality. One of the best approaches to this goal is learning in this luxury-branding module. Not many people in Japan with business practice in luxury fields have had a chance to learn theories of luxury-branding.
Luxury-branding requires both highly creative sensitivity and analytical ability. And I should say it is only through lectures and seminars of this module that you could get the precious chance to logically analyze the subject of ‘what luxury is all about’. So, sharpen your creativity at work and deepen your understanding of background theories at business school. Our module is designed to produce a synergy effect of business practice and academic learning and is ideal for a person who expects to increase his or her market value in business fields targeting quality classes.
We all welcome you, and wish you to join us in our hard, stimulating and fruitful sessions.
A Valuable Experience to Meet Quality Learning
- Hiroko Kashimoto
- (Completed in 2015, MBA. Apparel company)
I entered WBS as I had wished because there are distinguished professors who have cut conspicuous figures in this field, excellent students who decided their paths in life, and the moduled program giving quality learning to each student. Especially I was charmed by the Luxury Branding Chair Module.
Publications of “Principles of Louis Vuitto” and “Chanel Strategy” written by Professor Nagasawa are the bibles in fashion industry where I have joined and I felt my destiny. In addition I have also interested traditional industry and local industry in Japan, I eagerly wanted to study under Professor Nagasawa are the bibles in fashion industry where I have joined and I felt my destiny. In addition I have also interested traditional industry and local industry in Japan, I eagerly wanted to study under Professor Nagasawa with the wide variety of researches he conducted. This is why I entered the Luxury Branding Chair Module at WBS.
Professor Nagasawa's seminar is very achademic and there are quite exiting experiences much more than the other modules. For instances, in the field trip in Europe carried out in March, 2013 we visited the atelier of Louis Vuitton Malletier in Asnières, the Academy and haute couture salon of Dior in Paris, the headquarter and "manufacture" of ZENITH, the headquarter, atelier and museum of TAG Heuer and the headquarter and atelier of HUBLOT as part of our study, where we can not visit in ordinary means. We have tacled the publication project and attended the academic conferences and the special lectures futuring magnificient guests and we live full lifes day after day.
Photo: Professor Nagasawa and Students of Admissions FY2012 of Luxury Branding Chair Module
