Working in the Luxury Retail in Italy

Anna Padovan, MSc in Luxury Management 2020, and Assistant Buyer at Rinascente, Italy.

Your professional biggest challenges working in such a demanding industry?

To be creative and actively propose innovative ideas. In the luxury industry, you need to always reinvent your business to be more attractive for your target generations and to attract the right customers who are always demanding more and more.
Relationship management both on the suppliers’ side and on the customers’ side it’s the hardest challenge in the luxury industry. High expectations, high educated customers, and high-level suppliers.

How did Monaco influence your career in Luxury Management?

My experience in Monaco helped me first to see closely the luxury world and interact with it.
Moreover, thanks to my studies and the experiences I lived, I became prepared for my first job experience.

In your opinion, what are the key takeaways from the MSc in Luxury Management program you graduated from?

To have the possibility to experience something that in any other program and location you would have not the possibility to experience (Monaco Yacht Show, Fashion Week, Mark Challenge, projects, in-store analysis…), to deeply understand what luxury means, to closely get in touch with experts in the luxury industry and to work in a multi-cultural environment.

What mindset is needed to succeed in this program?

An open and international mindset allows you to fully interact with the different cultures you meet, to have the curiosity to get inside the matters you face up in class as well as with colleagues. The impact required is to work hard and assimilate everything the experience offers you.

How did this experience change you personally?

It was my first mid-long experience abroad.
I’ve known lots of people from different countries with different backgrounds, educational as well as life experiences.
But first of all, I’ve understood my life’s priorities.

Your future goals?

My first future goal is to become buying manager in the fashion luxury industry.

Any advice for future IUM students?

Take whatever Monaco offers you, participate as much as possible in events, show initiative, be curious, and deepen in every subject, project, and other cultures too, be ambitious.