The Luxury Industry, which thrives on brand values, grew by 5% in 2018 to an estimated €1.2 trillion globally. Boosted by the ascending spending capacity of consumers and the availability of exclusive products and services over the internet, the industry is set to register even higher growth. While it does bring cheers to the consumers, it also gives a chance for professionals to capture this niche and exclusive segment. To do so, they need to enhance their skills and develop into Luxury professional can appreciate and understand the authenticity and exclusivity that luxury brands bring with them.
Identifying this task of providing the industry with well-qualified professionals, Gurugram based Luxury Connect has set up India’s first and only Luxury B School – Luxury Connect Business School (LCBS). The B School offers advanced level courses which open to the candidates with industrial experience or those who wish to understand the gigantic Luxury Industry. The course helps to enhance the skills and knowledge of the candidate to enable them to enter the highest level of Luxury.
A Plethora of Courses
With a mission to radically enhance the skill landscape of Luxury Industry, LCBS provides academic courses that are designed to enrich the minds of young students and help them learn the nuances of Luxury Management. The institute offers a Post Graduate Diploma in Luxury Management (PGLDM) which utilizes a mixture of practical as well as theoretical work. It allows the students to find real exposure as well as experience fast-paced growth in the Luxury management segment. The Executive Diploma in Luxury Management provides individuals with immersive knowledge in the field along with practice which lasts 6 months. The course offers the learners with an understanding of brand value, image as well as the way to climb the ladder of success as a manager.
To meet the rising demand, the courses have been customized and designed to focus on education and training in areas like brand management, retail services and skills, customer relationship management and more. LCBS targets to secure the Luxury Segment by offering specialized luxury education and reskilling programs via Executive as well as student education tracks. Keeping up with the e-learning trend, Luxury Brand Management Online Track has been designed for executives who want to understand the industry in a short capsule format.
Expertise Redefined
Akshay Gupta, the Chief Operating Offer of Luxury Connect and Luxury Connect Business School is known for his innovative experiences. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Luxury Hospitality Management from Switzerland as well as an Executive MBA in Luxury Brand Management. Post completing the education he worked in both Indian and International Luxury Hotel Chains ranging from Hilton, Hyatt, Taj, Oberoi and others. His foray into the education industry was initiated when he started working with the renowned Laureate Education Group, marketing hospitality schools such as Les Roches, Glion and Kendall in India. Presently taking up the new challenge in the Education Industry, he is in the process of setting up India’s First and Only Luxury B-School by the name Luxury Connect Business School (LCBS). His responsibilities as the Chief Operating Officer involve overlooking all the operations of Luxury Connect and Luxury Connect Business School which includes Marketing, Admissions, Counselling, Finance and Operations.
The Luxury Advantage
LCBS holds multiple accreditations including the Retailers Association’s Skill Council of India (RASCI) under the aegis of National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), a part of the Government of India. Its programs are formally endorsed by the Fondazione Altagamma which is an industry body. The institute also holds the position of an Associate Partner of Centre of Education Growth and Research (CGER) which is a think tank devoted to the provision of qualitative, innovative and employability-enhancing education.
The institute has collaborated with several international universities to provide a global perspective to the students. It has recently introduced diploma and postgraduate courses in collaboration with Accademia Del Lusso, Milan which can be taken up by students post successful completion of short-term programs. It also focuses on faculty and student exchange programs, which benefits the students with the right amount of international exposure. Such a program instils the right kind of skill and attitude in the students and prepares them to face and serve any and every kind of segment in the luxury industry. LCBS also has a partnership with renowned Luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Rolex, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Rolex, Ethos, Mercedes Benz, BMW and many more.
Connecting Theory and Practice
The institute believes that practical exposure to the workings on the luxury industry is equally important to classroom studies. Accordingly, it conducts various events and corporate training with brands to give the students an insight into the industry as a practical exercise. LCBS has collaborated with the Delhi Duty-Free Services (DDFS) where their employees also underwent 6 months special executive course in the field of Luxury Retail Management, which was developed jointly by LCBS & DDFS. LCBS also conducted an exclusive seminar for the students of Kellogg School of Management, USA. A group of 15 executives travelled to India to perceive the Luxury Market of India and the seminar was titled ‘Entry Strategies to India – The Next Luxury Frontier’.
Recently, the students of LCBS got the amazing opportunity to interact with industry experts from the luxury industry in an Industry Connect session who enlightened them about the “Cross-Sectoral career opportunities”. The learners got the opportunity to meet, discuss and share their ideas with ace personalities from sectors including fashion, automobile, travel and tourism, health and fitness, journalism, media and publications, and hotels and hospitality.
The emphasis at Luxury Connect Business School whilst imparting each of the pedagogic programs in Luxury, Fashion & Retail, is to ensure that the student acquires the requisite skill level to become an asset in the relevant industry. Lcbs is committed to ensuring that the best mentors and tools are available to impart this as it prepares the best of professionals who are raring to take leadership roles in various segments of tomorrow’s India.
