Classes have officially started for the Spring Semester at Bocconi. I’ve taken three courses and the only way I can explain my decision in enrolling for the selection I have is that if I personally were a semester of courses, I’d be these three courses. Firstly I have consumer neuroscience taught by an enlightened and real-world relevant duo in the form of Zachary Estes and Alberto Gallace. My favourite thing about the course so far is that it challenges deep-seated beliefs and faiths and is proud of a rigorous scientific methodology that can underscore marketing. I then moved on to Diversity Management and Policy delivered by the luminous economist Paola Profeta. This course encourages assessment of data around the world ranging from the educational and economic standing of women to the strategy for cultivating age diversity in companies and looks at how policy-making plays a role in operationalising diversity. Lastly I attended the course I was most excited about, Management of Fashion and Luxury Companies. Here I pause momentarily to highlight that this is Milan that I am studying in. It is a global fashion capital, home to a vertical infrastructure of the oldest fashion pipeline in the world and to this day manufactures and competes globally at all levels of the fashion cycle in the face of its UK and USA counterparts out-sourcing all their manufacturing to the far east and their distribution to regional local offices. It seems insubordinate not to study a fashion course in Milan. This course is taught by a bastion of fashion education who commenced the course 10 years ago at Bocconi where it has become one of the most popular courses, Stefania Saviolo. Dr Saviolo wrote both books prescribed for the course and speaks about my favourite Italian designers (Versace, Gucci, Armani and the like) like they are old, personal friends. I’m already looking forward to our group assignment which involves us designing a marketing strategy for a burgeoning Italian knitwear group called Drumohr. We will get to visit their stores, factories and design studios before we present our plans. The winning team’s plan will be adopted and implemented by the brand. The pic accompanying this post is that of the fabulous department store La Rinascente on Piazza Duomo. It boasts true window dressing art in the form of the much bally-hooed celebrity collaboration between super model Gigi Hadid and Tommy Hilfiger. This collaboration was mentioned by Dr Saviolo in my class – an example of brand revitalisation through celebrity ambassadorship.