MBA Jobs in Luxury Goods Industry

[Englandmj7]

I am curious to see if anyone knows any info. on this subject. It isn't necessarily a field I am planning on going in to but I have noticed there doesn't seem to be much info. on it that I can find.

I know that the likes of LVMH (Louis Vuitton/Moet Hennessy) interview at Harvard grad. Are opportunites most likely limited to marketing positions? Have you guys heard of other firms such as Gucci or Prada Group and the like seeking MBAs from any top tier American universities? Anything about average entrance salaries? etc....

Never hurts to learn.

 

[Englandmj7]

Funny, I just found this:

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine...1112_mz056.htm

Good info. for anyone else interested in this........

 

[LabelKing]

What are "luxury-goods clubs"?

 

[Englandmj7]

Originally Posted by LabelKing

What are "luxury-goods clubs"?

I suppose it is a university club like any other (ex. "Travel Club," "Investment Club") whereby like-minded students organize speakers, and establish networks/contacts in the luxury goods industry and the like.

 

[LabelKing]

I thought it might have been a club where members brought their luxury-goods to share.

 

[Aaron]

Originally Posted by LabelKing

I thought it might have been a club where members brought their luxury-goods to share.
We have that, it's called Styleforum.

 

[LARon]

Originally Posted by Aaron

We have that, it's called Styleforum.

My sentiments exactly.

 

[Quirk]

Originally Posted by LabelKing

What are "luxury-goods clubs"?
Gucci nine-irons?

 

[Jared]

Originally Posted by Englandmj7

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine...1112_mz056.htm
I thought that luxury goods had high margins and lived-or-died by their marketing: why would the pay for management be so low? Never mind Ford's idea of paying your workers enough to afford your products? Or the supposed model of off-shore sweatshops and on-shore overpaid CEOs? Sounds like a hell of a dysfunctional industry.

 

[tundrafour]

I don't know how I would derive any sort of personal satisfaction from working for Louis Vuitton or the like, to say nothing of the salary. Seems like a lose-lose situation to me.

 

[The False Prophet]

At a guess, a lot of their Marketing work would be done outside the company, via consultants, trendspotters etc with significant industry experience. As such, the inhouse stuff could be very banal.

All the same, I'd probably go corporate counsel for Gucci or Hermes if I had the chance...

 

[LabelKing]

But would you want to seriously encourage these people?

http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/f...ad.php?t=64620

 

[Joffrey]

^ LabelKing you have to be more responsible, you almost made me puke on my desk. We need a vomiting smiley...

The car is kinda cool though. I'd love to use it a demolition derby

 

[Tck13]

Originally Posted by Englandmj7

I am curious to see if anyone knows any info. on this subject. It isn't necessarily a field I am planning on going in to but I have noticed there doesn't seem to be much info. on it that I can find.

I know that the likes of LVMH (Louis Vuitton/Moet Hennessy) interview at Harvard grad. Are opportunites most likely limited to marketing positions? Have you guys heard of other firms such as Gucci or Prada Group and the like seeking MBAs from any top tier American universities? Anything about average entrance salaries? etc....

Never hurts to learn.

I'm curious what positions you're talking about. Maybe this is on the topic.

I went to a job fair for 24/7 (like Monster.com for the fashion industry). Many companies were there - Ecko, Ralph Lauren, Macys, Calvin Klein, Liz Claiborne, Peerless, blah blah blah. The lines were out the door for Ralph, Enyce, Ecko and all of the big name places. You could walk right up to companies like Peerless (who owns lots of companies) but would wait literally a couple of hours to talk to someone at Ralph Lauren.

What people don't realize is that companies with big famous names pay crap. Everyone wants to work there and they know that and take advantage of it. I know several people that have designed for Ralph Lauren and they said it was terrible. Low pay and terrible work conditions. Same with companies like Macys, Bloomingdales, Saks. Not saying all positions pay poorly but you can find better positions with lesser known companies (Peerless for example, JCPenney...) and make out better.

Also, the real money these days isn't in design or buying. It's in production. You'll make much more $ in production and logistics than you ever will designing or buying. Unless you become a famous designer.

Finally, as the article says, in retail / wholesale - degrees don't matter as much as experience.

 

[Englandmj7]

Originally Posted by Tck13

I'm curious what positions you're talking about. Maybe this is on the topic.

I went to a job fair for 24/7 (like Monster.com for the fashion industry). Many companies were there - Ecko, Ralph Lauren, Macys, Calvin Klein, Liz Claiborne, Peerless, blah blah blah. The lines were out the door for Ralph, Enyce, Ecko and all of the big name places. You could walk right up to companies like Peerless (who owns lots of companies) but would wait literally a couple of hours to talk to someone at Ralph Lauren.

What people don't realize is that companies with big famous names pay crap. Everyone wants to work there and they know that and take advantage of it. I know several people that have designed for Ralph Lauren and they said it was terrible. Low pay and terrible work conditions. Same with companies like Macys, Bloomingdales, Saks. Not saying all positions pay poorly but you can find better positions with lesser known companies (Peerless for example, JCPenney...) and make out better.

Also, the real money these days isn't in design or buying. It's in production. You'll make much more $ in production and logistics than you ever will designing or buying. Unless you become a famous designer.

Finally, as the article says, in retail / wholesale - degrees don't matter as much as experience.


Interesting. I was referring to positions in upper management/marketing most likely. It seems from what I have found, and as you say, that the bigger companies don't pay well. I think, however, that people are drawn to them because of the glamour, international involvement, etc.