You can probably find this info on their websites. ESSEC definitely has this in their CV books that you can download. Not sure about HEC, though. In addition to those schools, you should look into Alma Graduate School's Design Fashion & Luxury Goods MBA program, in which I am currently enrolled. The school has relationships with companies such as Ferrari, Bulgari, Max Mara, Giuseppe Zanotti, Tod's, etc. Many of the courses are taught by high-level executives of successful firms. Our Gemology & Watches course was taught by the managing director of Bulgari, who said that he believes we have one of the finest luxury goods programs right now.

There are many scholarships available up to full-tuition, so it is definitely worth applying. In addition to scholarships, there are honor loans available to all admitted students that cover up to full tuition (minus any scholarships received) and ?10k to cover living expenses. This is something no other program can offer you! Like you, I looked into HEC & Essec, but eventually chose Alma and I am pleased with my decision. We have one student here from New Dehli, btw. :-) In addition to the great relationships the school has with many leading firms, the guaranteed loans made it a no-brainer when deciding to attend. It would have been more of a hassle for me to go to a school in my country, and I would not have had the specialization I wanted or any of the wonderful experiences I am having here. Check it out. PM if you have any questions.

http://www.almaweb.unibo.it/it/almags/education/dettaglioaMaster.plp?idContentIndirizzo=38111

<blockquote>Hi..
I've got almost 3years work-ex in Advertising and Corporate Communications.. thinking of pursuing a career in Luxury brand management.. Thinking of schools in Paris like HEC.. ESSEC etc but the courses are quite expensive considering they are the best in the field. Wanted to know the placements at these institutes, the companies recruiting.. salaries offered etc. </blockquote>Hi,
I'm a student at HEC and went there because I was interested in what they could offer in terms of luxury classes.
HEC has a certificate in Luxury Strategy which is fairly new (they only started it last year) but has very strong backing.

The program is academically strong. As you can see here (http://www.hec.edu/Certificates/Luxury-Strategies/Faculty) the faculty come from the finest French luxury companies but I'd like to mention 2 teachers I really appreciated.
Bastien was Louis Vuitton CEO, at the time the company started to expand internationally. E.g. He opened their first shop in China. He also worked with Yves Saint Laurent and was CEO of Lancel. So he has a lot to say about the luxury world and its evolution.
Dauger was Hermès' CMO and worked at P&G prior to that so she can offer a great point of view on mass versus luxury product development.
Both were very open, available for chat outside of class and provided precious advice about my potential fit in the industry.

In general, people interested in luxury have a lot for them at HEC. The luxury club is very active and organises company visits at big brands. The proximity with Paris is also great. When I was there we had a special tour of respectively Vuitton's and Hermès' flagship stores, or spirit producers like Moet and Hennessy. Each time we had direct access to the company's HR who gave an overview of the company and was available to chat.
Another thing is that HEC and Paris in general have such a reputation that it always attracts a good group of people interested in luxury or who have worked in the field before. Some have worked in fashion, some in magasine, some in fine spirits or cosmetics. If you have no prior experience in luxury and you'd like to test yourself (like me) it's just great to get free feedback from these people on an equal basis, as we're all students. I probably learned as much from them as from teachers as they gave me a backdoor view of the industry.
Finally, the HEC alumni network includes a special chapter on luxury and fashion which organises events regularly. I attended one with the CEO of Berluti and Marc Jacobs, who's also an HEC MBA alumn.
So, I would say that the luxury ecosystem around HEC is great.

In terms of placement, in my intake, I know of 3 people who got hired recently at Gucci, Givenchy and Cartier, in Paris. None of them spoke fluent French (this is very rare to find a job in France is you don't speak French). One did an intership at the strategy department of Hermès. Another got hired at LV in China through her HEC connections in Paris. Out of these 5 examples, only 1 had prior experience in the luxury industry.

In terms of salary, it always depends on the position. You should know though that, in general, the luxury industry pays (way) below average. But it's often compensated by all the side perks you can get, ie. discounts, party invitations, etc.
So I'd say that if getting a foot in the luxury sector is what you're looking for, HEC is a good place. If what you're looking for is a high salary straight out of the MBA, then don't go into luxury.

PS: If you manage to get a good amount of money, get admitted, and would like the full-on top MBA and Luxury training, I think the best training you can get is the HEC-NYU dual MBA degree (about $95k in total tuition).
1st year at HEC with the Luxury strategy track, summer internship at a luxury shop in Paris, then second year at NYU with their Luxury Marketing specialization. It's interesting to have a view of the different understanding of luxury from both sides of the Atlantic.
And, with the help of the NYU career service, you're then 100% sure to land a fantastic job in luxury in New York.

Thanks a lot guys! But is the pay that low? The thing is i have already done an M.Sc in Communication Studies but realised that its the luxury segment that i want to be in.

Couple of queries ..would be great if anyone could help.

1. I have applied to the European Business School's MA in Luxury Brand Management course. Does anyone have an idea as how good this school and course is interms of placements etc?

2. Its ok to do an MA after M.Sc or i should do an MBA?..does it really matter? MA..or MBA?

<blockquote>1. I have applied to the European Business School's MA in Luxury Brand Management course. Does anyone have an idea as how good this school and course is interms of placements etc?</blockquote>

I don't think that a degree from this school would compare to either HEC or ESSEC.

<blockquote>2. Its ok to do an MA after M.Sc or i should do an MBA?..does it really matter? MA..or MBA?</blockquote>

An MBA is generally preferred if you are looking for a real increase in earning potential. However, if you plan to go on to further education - think PhD, then those other degrees would be acceptable.

Hi all...i am in my final year of graduation in India...m plannning to apply for MBA in the University of Bedfordshire, in September nxt yr as this is the only Uni wich considers u widout any work exp and it provides u wid 8 months internship...plz tl me is it a gud University??? and wl i be able to find a job in UK after completing MBA (if i polish my skills to d best and learn as much as possible during my internship)??? plz reply ASAP

Hi there

please let's not confuse European Business School with HEC... HEC is with INSEAD and ESCP one of the most prestigious french business schools... and the dual MBA HEC-NYU is just an amazing program.

If you like the content & the business, just go for it! and don't worry if the pay is below average (moreover, it depends on where you work and in which area).

Thanks Rajeev, but do you have any idea as to how European business school in London is? The placements and stuff?

@Ralph: you right... been thinking about it quite a bit..makes more sense to do an MBA, an MA would be lower.

EBS in London is tiny and really not well known. It does not have the weight that EBS in Germany has. You might as well save the money and go to Bedfordshire ;-)

Thanks for the info Duncan. :)