After years of experience in Internet retail, in 2008 YOOX Group organized the first ever Master of E-Fashion, recognizing a substantial change in the Italian fashion industry. Today, the most important luxury and fashion brands are moving quickly to develop new business through the Internet yet are unable to find professionals with the training needed to do so.
The first year of the Master of E-Fashion, co-organized with MIP, the Business School of the Politecnico di Milano, involved many prominent names in fashion: Giorgio Armani, Diesel, Marni and Valentino. These companies immediately saw that this program was an excellent occasion to encourage new E-Fashion talents and offered internship and employment opportunities to the most outstanding students. The Master of E-Fashion was joined by an important media partner, Style.it, the official website of three historical Condé Nast names: Vogue, Glamour and Vanity Fair.
The Master provided superior classroom content as well as a unique "on site" approach with exceptional tutors from prominent Made in Italy companies. In addition to being an active part of the Master's curriculum, YOOX Group also offered scholarships and internship opportunities oriented towards employment in the work force.
The importance of the fashion and luxury sectors in Italy, the great potential for growth using new technologies and the difficulty of finding professional figures that combine these two worlds are why this Master is the only one of its kind.
Internet and fashion are proving to be a winning combination for developing and exporting Made in Italy worldwide, promoting Italian creativity and entrepreneurship.