From the pristine Alpine valleys of Switzerland—where European hospitality was perfected—to the ateliers of Parisian haute couture and Milan’s pulsating fashion epicenter, the world’s most prestigious academic institutions for luxury management education offer far more than a luxury degree or certificate. They provide a front-row seat to the world’s best luxury brands and unparalleled industry connections.
Here, we unveil the best schools shaping the world’s finest luxury leaders.
ESSEC Business School (France)
A pioneer in luxury education, ESSEC Business School boasts the LVMH Chair, a visionary alliance forged in 1991 with the world’s leading luxury conglomerate. Based in France, the heart of haute couture and fine wines, ESSEC provides global exposure through its Executive Master in Luxury Management and Design Innovation (EMiLUX), spanning nine cities across six countries. With strong industry ties and alumni leading top luxury maisons, ESSEC is a premier launchpad for careers in high-end fashion, hospitality, and luxury goods.
- Luxury Program: Executive Master in Luxury Management and Design Innovation (EMiLUX)
- Location: Cergy, France
- Founded: 1907
- Notable Alumni: Guillaume de Seynes (Hermès)
- Website: essec.edu
SDA Bocconi School of Management (Italy)
SDA Bocconi, the graduate business school of Bocconi University, is Italy’s premier institution for luxury business education. Its Executive Master in Luxury Management (EMiLUX) spans multiple international locations, including Milan, Paris, Dubai, and Shanghai, offering students immersive learning experiences with iconic brands like Cartier and Bulgari.
- Luxury Program: Executive Master in Luxury Management (EMiLUX)
- Location: Milan, Italy
- Founded: 1971
- Notable Alumni: Diego Della Valle (Tod’s)
- Website: sdabocconi.it
HEC Paris (France)
Situated just outside Paris, a global luxury hub, HEC Paris has cultivated leaders in business for over a century. With exclusive collaborations with Kering and LVMH, students gain exclusive access to luxury industry leaders. From its Luxury Certificate programs to the MSc in Strategic Management (Luxury Specialization), HEC Paris melds real-world insights from industry experts with academic brilliance, preparing graduates to orchestrate the next chapter of iconic brands.
- Luxury Program: Certificate of Influential Luxury, MSc in Strategic Management (Luxury Specialization), Luxury Management Summer Program
- Location: Paris, France
- Founded: 1881
- Notable Alumni: François-Henri Pinault (Kering), Jean-Paul Agon (ex-L’Oréal)
- Website: hec.edu
INSEAD (France/Singapore)
With campuses in Fontainebleau, France, and Singapore, INSEAD offers an international perspective on luxury management. The school’s programs are designed to equip professionals with the skills needed to navigate the complexities of the global luxury market.
The Global Executive Master in Business Administration (GEMBA) program at INSEAD includes a Luxury Brand Management specialization, attracting seasoned professionals seeking to enhance their expertise in the luxury sector. The dual-campus structure amplifies its allure, providing students with a global perspective of luxury’s evolving frontier.
- Luxury Program: Global Executive MBA (GEMBA) with a luxury specialization
- Location: Fontainebleau, France / Singapore
- Founded: 1957
- Notable Alumni: Antoine Arnault (LVMH), Reinold Geiger (L’Occitane)
- Website: insead.edu
London Business School (United Kingdom)
Located in one of the world’s most dynamic cities, London Business School (LBS) offers an MBA with a Luxury Management focus, providing unparalleled access to industry leaders and top luxury brands. In collaboration with Walpole British Luxury, LBS runs the Luxury Leaders of Tomorrow program, designed to develop future executives in the sector. This exclusive initiative blends rigorous business education with hands-on mentorship from senior executives at prestigious luxury brands, equipping students with the expertise and connections needed to excel in global luxury management.
- Luxury Program: MBA with luxury management electives
- Location: London, United Kingdom
- Founded: 1964
- Notable Alumni: Alejandra Caro (ex-Harrods)
- Website: london.edu
Glion Institute of Higher Education (Switzerland)
Glion is synonymous with excellence in luxury hospitality education. Perched amid the Swiss Alps, it provides an immersive learning environment that blends traditional Swiss hospitality with modern luxury management practices. With strong connections to the best luxury hotel brands, fine dining establishments, and private clubs, Glion cultivates leaders who redefine high-end customer experiences.
- Luxury Program: Bachelor’s in Luxury Business, Master of Science in Luxury Management and Guest Experience
- Locations: Glion and Bulle, Switzerland
- Founded: 1962
- Notable Alumni: Tony Chisholm (Accor), Pascal Camia (Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer)
- Website: glion.edu
New York University – Stern School of Business (USA)
Located in the heart of New York City, NYU Stern School of Business has offered a specialized MBA in Luxury & Retail since 2017, becoming the first top U.S. university to do so. Positioned in a global luxury hub, the program blends academic excellence with real-world industry exposure, featuring regular site visits and immersive experiences at iconic brands such as Ferrari and Zegna.
- Luxury Program: MBA Business: Luxury & Retail
- Location: New York, USA
- Founded: 1900
- Notable Alumni: Caroline Fall (Marriott)
- Website: stern.nyu.edu
ESCP Business School (France)
With campuses across major European cities, ESCP Business School is a global leader in luxury brand management education. The MSc in Luxury Management, a specialization within its Master’s Degree (DEAMIE), is developed in partnership with prestigious luxury brands, offering students firsthand industry exposure through immersive field studies in Paris and London. With a strong focus on digital transformation, sustainability, and brand heritage, ESCP equips graduates with the expertise to navigate and lead in the evolving world of luxury.
- Luxury Program: MSc in Luxury Management
- Location: Paris, France
- Founded: 1819
- Notable Alumni: Alexandre Ricard (Pernod Ricard), Céline Hanoune (Dior), Florent-Aymeric Dubiez (Montblanc)
- Website: escp.eu
Columbia Business School (USA)
Columbia Business School offers an MBA with luxury courses and an online Business of Luxury program, providing students with direct access to industry powerhouses such as Tiffany’s & Co and Chanel. The program combines rigorous business education with hands-on learning, preparing graduates to lead luxury companies at the highest level.
- Luxury Program: MBA with The Luxury Approach courses, Business of Luxury Program
- Location: New York, USA
- Founded: 1916
- Notable Alumni: Natalie Lee (Louis Vuitton)
- Website: gsb.columbia.edu
NEOMA Business School (France)
NEOMA Business School’s MSc in Luxury Management is a rising star in luxury education, uniquely positioned in Champagne. In partnership with POLIMI Graduate School of Management, its International Master in Luxury Management blends French and Italian expertise, supported by partnerships with the likes of Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, and Ferrari. NEOMA also collaborates with ESA Business School on the Executive Luxury Management Certificate, integrating global luxury marketing with Middle Eastern market insights. These programs equip graduates with strategic expertise to lead in fine wines, spirits, and high-end retail.
- Luxury Program: International Master in Luxury Management, Executive Luxury Management Certificate
- Location: Reims, France
- Founded: 2013 (merger of Reims Management School and Rouen Business School)
- Notable alumni: Laurent Kleitman (Mandarin Oriental)
- Website: neoma-bs.fr
Istituto Marangoni (Italy)
With campuses in Milan, Paris, and London, Istituto Marangoni is a globally recognized leader in fashion and luxury business education. The Master in Luxury Brand Management equips students with expertise in brand storytelling, digital transformation, and sustainable luxury, offering direct collaboration with major fashion houses. Additionally, the Master in Global Luxury Management for Business Professionals, developed in partnership with POLIMI Graduate School of Management, is a modular online program designed to provide advanced insights into the evolving luxury industry.
- Luxury Program: Master in Luxury Brand Management
- Locations: Milan, Florence, Paris, London, Dubai
- Founded: 1935
- Notable Alumni: Franco Moschino (Moschino), Federica Carlesi (Louis Vuitton), Alessandro Sartori (Zegna)
- Website: istitutomarangoni.com
EHL Hospitality Business School (Switzerland)
Nestled in the majestic Swiss Alps and extending to Singapore’s urban elegance, EHL Hospitality Business School (formerly École Hôtelière de Lausanne) is a leader in luxury hospitality education. Founded in 1893, the prestigious school marries Swiss precision with a global outlook across its Lausanne, Chur-Passugg, and Singapore campuses. Its Bachelor of Science in International Hospitality Management and Master of Science in Global Hospitality Business luxury-focused courses offer an intoxicating blend of hands-on experience and strategic acumen, bolstered by partnerships with ultra-luxe hotel groups and a Michelin-starred student restaurant, Le Berceau des Sens.
- Luxury Program: Bachelor of Science in International Hospitality Management, Master of Science in Global Hospitality Business
- Locations: Lausanne and Chur-Passugg, Switzerland / Singapore
- Founded: 1893
- Notable Alumni: Thomas B Meier (Jumeirah)
- Website: ehl.edu
Polimoda (Italy)
Located in Florence, the birthplace of Renaissance art and luxury craftsmanship, Polimoda offers a Master’s in Luxury Business. This elite program shapes future CEOs and industry leaders, equipping them to manage boutique brands or global luxury holdings across mature and emerging markets. With a curriculum covering Branding, Prestige, and Value & Price, students develop bespoke business strategies through hands-on projects, industry mentorship, and real-world consultancy, culminating in a final presentation to top headhunters and investors.
- Luxury Program: Master in Luxury Business
- Location: Florence, Italy
- Founded: 1986
- Notable alumni: Italo Zucchelli (ex Calvin Klein), Massimiliano Giornetti (ex Ferragamo)
- Website: polimoda.com
International University of Monaco (Monaco)
Located in the glamorous city-state of Monaco, the MSc in Luxury Management at the International University of Monaco (IUM) provides students with in-depth expertise.
With four specializations—Luxury Fashion & Accessories, Luxury Hospitality & Event Management, Luxury Brand Management, and Yachting (introduced in 2025)—the program blends academic rigor with experiential learning, industry projects, and networking opportunities. Taught by industry practitioners, IUM equips graduates with the skills to excel in global luxury brand management.
- Luxury Program: MSc in Luxury Management
- Location: Monte Carlo, Monaco
- Founded: 1986
- Notable alumni: Princess Carolina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies
- Website: monaco.edu
Institut Supérieur de Marketing du Luxe (Sup de Luxe) (France)
Conceived by Cartier, The Institut Superieur de Marketing du Luxe, also known as Sup de Luxe, —housed within EDC Paris Business School—offers luxury management programs from bachelor’s degrees to MBAs. Located in Paris, it provides students with exclusive access to haute horlogerie, fine wines, and high fashion, guided by industry leaders.
- Luxury Program: Bachelor to MBA in Luxury Brand Management
- Location: Paris, France
- Founded: 1990
- Notable Alumni: Many Cartier executives, Hervé Descottes (LVMH), Priscilla Berchor (Boucheron), Tatiana Troubetzkoy (Mandarin Oriental)
- Website: supdeluxe.com
Paris School of Luxury (France)
Founded in 2017 by Journal du Luxe’s Pierre Kalaijian and Éric Briones, Paris School of Luxury was “created by luxury leaders of today for luxury leaders of tomorrow.” It offers specialized programs in luxury marketing and communication, as well as digital visual creativity for the luxury, fashion, and beauty sectors. With campuses in Paris and Nice, Paris School of Luxury provides students with unparalleled access to industry professionals, events, and a curriculum designed to cultivate the next generation of luxury brand leaders.
- Luxury Program: Bachelor in Luxury Communication Management, MBA in Luxury Brand Management
- Location: Paris and Nice, France
- Founded: 2017
- Notable Alumni: Virginie de Geoffroy (ex-Gucci)
- Website: paris-school-luxury.com