Saying goodbye to the Executive MBA (Fashion) at LCF... for now

Tell us about the EMBA at LCF – what did it entail?

The Executive MBA (Fashion) was designed for global management and entrepreneurial professionals who wish to develop their business leadership skills. As a specialist programme uniquely focused on the fashion industry, it facilitated the broadening of careers and businesses beyond existing experiences, develop a greater strategic approach and confidence that could support greater responsibilities, roles, and business opportunities. It was composed of six specialist units such as Global Strategy, Strategic Finance management and Product Portfolio Management delivered as follows:

• Combined short face-to-face teaching blocks in London with accessible, online distance learning.
• Blended academic research and industry knowledge exchange within its reaching.
• Innovative and creative value to senior managerial careers.
• Offered access to fashion industry professionals in both teaching and extracurricular events, visits, and networking
• The course offered an 18-month leadership coaching facility to support candidate progression to senior leadership roles.

What opportunities did the course provide?

In a nutshell, global networking, up to date academic and industry knowledge, industry mentors, panel discussions and events, bespoke leadership coaching with the Human Skills Academy.

Why is the course closing?

The course has been operation for eight years. In that time we have experienced the effects of the financial crash, Brexit, and Coronavirus. As a result, the way we work, our values and global mindsets mean that the executive education offer must evolve. In a world of such disruption, rather than updating the course we are instead building a new disruptive course that will take the provenance of the EMBA into a dramatically changed offer and delivery from 2022 onward.

What have you enjoyed the most about teaching on the EMBA at LCF?

It truly is a peer-to-peer experience. The candidates learn from us, and we learn from them. It truly is a collaborative curriculum unlike any other I have managed or taught on.

Some of the EMBA students have gone on to achieve amazing things – are there any in particular that have gone on to work on particularly innovative things?

Lavinia Fernandes and Javier Conde have created the Blu Label concept which we are supporting with mentoring. This is a great example of EMBA global networking bringing a new business idea to fruition.

Gretchen Jones - a designer by trade and a former winner of Project Runway, Gretchen has combined her business acumen with keen insights into aesthetics and strategy to carve out a niche in global fashion business consultancy and as keynote speaker. She has founded Weird Speciality, a business advice, performance coaching and thought leadership consultancy

Danielle Roussel - the Moynat retail director for the UK and France created a fantastic Consultancy Project to assess the development and implementation of a digital strategy for the brand. The project was a fundamental component of the brands digital development and was supported throughout by Moynat’s parent company.